On what was another very hot day last week, Fermanagh manager, Malachy O' Rourke (41) was about the coolest man in St Joseph's College where he is head of PE. Dressed in a Fermanagh top, he chatted easily about his first championship as manager, about the league and 'the one that got away', about his playing pool commitment and about his hopes for 'the biggest day in their lives'.
Nor did he forget the benefit of a home venue and the stimulation the Fermanagh support gives the players when things get sticky.
The chat got off to the best possible start when he was tossed the question every fan seems to be asking, 'What about Barry Owens?'.
He revealed that Owens, who recently under went a heart op, was doing light training with the squad and that, while he won't figure against Monaghan, better times lay ahead.
"I would be hopeful, depending on how things went, we may see him in a Fermanagh jersey before the year is out".
Yes, he said, training had been 'fairly intensive', though the injuries to several players were mostly the end result of a hectic NFL campaign and two rounds of the club league. He was chuffed to hear that more than one player was doing extra training.
"At the start of the year we did ask a big commitment of the boys. They have been doing a strengthening and conditioning programme since December and they followed this right through and are still doing it and, obviously, out in the field as well.
"There is no doubt there is a great ambition among the group. A lot of the fellows are keen to improve not only the collective performance of the team but their own individual performance. You have only a short sporting career and it's about trying to make the most of it and doing whatever you can to maximise your potential".
He accepted he had brought a 'freshness' to the squad, being a new voice and bringing some new ideas. But, whatever it was he brought, the players had bought into what he was trying to do and, he added, the response had been great.
"I suppose we're delighted with our performance in the League and obviously disappointed with the League final and how I went, but we're hoping now we have learnt from that. We will be bringing that forward to the Championship and, hopefully, put up a big performance there.
"Yes, it was a wake-up call. If you win, sometimes the mistakes you make and the deficiencies in your performance are overlooked, but the fact we were beaten meant we took a hard look at ourselves in the cold light of day, looked at areas where we had problems, and we have tried to address that".
So, with all that in place, what of Monaghan, whom he got to see once this year, playing Cavan in the League and had watched and had DVD's of.
"I suppose since last year they were the talk of the Championship. They put in some great performances and probably were very unlucky not to win the Ulster final and the All-Ireland semi-final, and they carried that form through to this year as well.
"They have made no secret of the fact their aim this year is to win an Ulster title and an All-Ireland title. They are a very ambitious group of players and it's up to us to see if we can match them. The fact they were beaten in the last two games of the National League has probably made them more dangerous.
"We are aware it's going to take the best performance we have produced all year if we're gong to get a result because we're moving up a level. Monaghan have been playing the top teams in the country all year and it's going to take a massive performance from us, but I suppose that's the great thing about the Championship.
"It's a great challenge and that's what why players are playing the game, to be involved in games like this and to stand up against the top players in the Province".
He welcomed the reopening of Brewster Park and revealed that the squad had been training on it last Tuesday and Sunday and again last night: "So, we're trying to take as much advabtage as possible out of the fact we have a home game. It's in brilliant condition, se we will certainly not be blaming the pitch".
