Tempo joint-manager, Ryan Cassidy, was delighted to see his team finish strongly against Derrylin to book their place in the last-four of the Intermediate Championship.

Trailing by a point with just under 15 minutes to play, Tempo rattled off seven points without reply as their fitness came to the fore and Derrylin wilted under the pressure.

It was another high-scoring performance from Tempo after they racked up 17 points in their final group game against Maguiresbridge.

Looking back on the Derrylin game, Cassidy said: “It was the tough, physical game we were expecting from Derrylin.

“We knew it was always going to be a serious battle from previous games and it turned out that way with the conditions adding to that type of game.

“Going in at the break a couple down playing against the breeze gave us a reasonable platform and we were able to kick on a bit in the second-half to tag on a few scores and get over the line.”

Conditions were tough in as the wind and rain fell but Cassidy was pleased with aspects of Tempo’s play as they now turn their focus to Lisnaskea.

“We had some parts of our performance that were decent across the game but as always you see plenty of things to work on too.”

Seven days is all Tempo have to get the bodies right for the challenge of Skea.

The Emmetts have been impressive so far in the Intermediate championship, racking up big scores, and may well be seen as favourites for the title.

But Cassidy is just excited that his team are still playing competitive football at this time of the year: “We’ve a tight turnaround before the next game so we’ll look to get the bodies recovered in the next couple of days and take it from there.

“It has been a very busy schedule with four games in five weeks. But you can’t beat championship football and it’s the time of year you want to be playing football.”

Looking at Skea, Cassidy is well aware of the task in hand.

They met earlier in the year in Division Two with the Maguires winning out on that occasion.

But that game is well in the rearview mirror as Sunday fast approaches: “Lisnaskea are a talented team and have shown that with their performances in the Championship to date topping their group.

“They have quality throughout the side with plenty of lads who’ve played at a really high level.

“The championship takes on a life of its own and what’s went before it will have little bearing on things,” Cassidy concluded.