Erne Gaels hurlers face a huge challenge as they lock horns with Sean Treacy’s of Armagh in the first round of the Ulster Club championship in Brewster Park on Saturday at 3pm.

In normal circumstances, and with a full team it would be a big ask to overcome a team that has won the Armagh county titles on ten occasions.

But the Gaels, who have a proud hurling history, winning senior county championships in 1973-75, 1981 and 1984 and league titles in 1974-75, 1980, 1981 and 1985, will be minus four of their top performers for Saturday’s clash.

Ultan O’Reilly, Odhran Johnston, Padraig Johnston and Eamon Óg McGee are part of the Erne Gaels senior football squad who are bidding to win their first county final since 1981, a mere 24 hours later.

As a result, the hurlers felt it would be unfair to ask players to line out for two big matches in the space of 24 hours.

Considerable efforts were made to try and have the match moved but these proved unsuccessful.

The Gaels are in their second Ulster club Championship having lost heavily to Cootehill of Cavan last year.

They had a narrow win over Lisbellaw in the Fermanagh final thanks to a late surge.
In the absence of the aforementioned quartet, they will look to the likes of Gavin McManus, Cormac Daly, Thomas Burns, Matthew Britton, Joe Ferguson and Ben McCann for inspiration.

Opponents, Sean Treacy's beat Cuchulains of Armagh by 0-14 to 2-17 after a thriller in extra time in a replay in the Armagh decider and are managed by Kilkenny native an ex- Tyrone star Paddy Kelly.

They will have a big physical edge on the Belleek men and are warmly fancied to advance.

In Gabriel Pasara, they have a strong Fermanagh connection as his grandfather is an ex-English teacher and Impartial Reporter columnist Joe Corrigan, from Enniskillen.

They are also spurred on by the powerfully built Thomas McKavanagh and are odds on to get through against a considerably weakened Erne Gaels.