Seamus Quigley has certainly hit the ground running with Fermanagh this year.

The strongly-built full-forward scored 3-21 in the Power NI Dr McKenna Cup and this was more than good enough to win him the Quinn Insurance Ulster GAA Writers’ Association monthly merit award for January.

But the modest 23-year-old sharpshooter is quick to deflect praise away from him.

“To be honest, I would not have won this award had it not been for the boys round me in the team,” maintains Quigley. “They have been working very hard to provide me with the possession and this helped to make my task so much easier.”

And Quigley hails the new-found spirit which has been inculcated in the side by Peter Canavan’s management team.

“Not only has Peter and his backroom boys helped to breed a new spirit of optimism within the squad but he has been very helpful to me personally,” reveals Quigley. “For me to be getting advice and guidance from one of the best forwards the game has ever produced on things like timing my runs and when to release the ball is really something special and I fully appreciate it.”

He makes no secret of Fermanagh’s desire to get out of Division Four but insists that the team will adhere to Canavan’s advice and take one step at a time.

“January was a pretty good month for Fermanagh and for me and it is very encouraging to win this award,” says Quigley, “Awards are always nice to get. The McKenna Cup is a good competition and it has proven ideal preparation from our perspective for the season ahead.

“There are some very tricky teams in Division Four and it’s certainly not going to be easy for us to get out of it.”

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Tyrone have been dealt a blow with the news that key defender Sean O’Neill has been hit with a three month ban.

The Dromore man was handed the suspension after an incident at the end of St.Mary’s Belfast’s recent Sigerson Cup defeat at the hands of NUIJ Galway.

The suspension will effectively rule him out of the remainder of the National league and its come at a time when Conor Gormley is also on the sidelines.