Fermanagh great Ryan McCluskey has said that the county's impressive start to life back in Division 2 has been no surprise to anyone inside the Erne County, even if the outside noise was different.
With just 22 football clubs and the fourth smallest population in Ireland, the Ulster county is rarely expected to do much and they were tipped as relegation fodder by many heading into the new campaign.
However, a draw in Meath and a commanding win over Kildare at Brewster Park means that Kieran Donnelly's side can now head into the break with thoughts of a promotion push on their minds if they’re able to keep up their good form.
"It didn’t shock me in any kind of shape or form," McCluskey, who retired in 2018 after 19 seasons in the green and white, told the RTÉ GAA Podcast.
"We’re absolutely buzzing down here. It’s been a great start from the first two games," said the Enniskillen Gaels man.
"The Meath game, there probably was a disappointment, would you believe, that we didn’t take our opportunities.
"We were ahead twice in the game by three points and I know we finished that game with a draw away in Navan, which usually is a good result, but we were actually very disappointed not to get the full points on the board that day.
"That obviously led into the Kildare performance, the boys wanted to right the wrongs of the previous week, capitalise on a lot of scoring opportunities that were created in both games and, yeah, it was thoroughly deserved from start to finish.
"The lads took control and my own club mate, young [Ross] Bogue in nets, had an outstanding debut and has proven to be another real find in an exciting team."
McCluskey never played Division 1 football in his nearly two-decade career, but he did taste Division 1A action in 2004, '06 and '07, the latter in a season that also saw him feature in the UEFA Cup with Dungannon Swifts before the leagues were revamped to their current format the following year.
He said that any of the good league campaigns over his long career had one thing in common – a positive start, something the current team have banked.
"The first couple of games are so decisive. With this break now as well, it’s kind of a case of do you want to be looking up or down in terms of your position?
"Any of the years we were fortunate to have any type of success, it would have all depended on those first two games.
"You nearly forget about your championship status going into the summer as well. I’d be close enough still to some of the lads in the squad... they'd pin-pointed those two games.
"They knew they could get two results from those games. Listen, there are harder tests ahead, your Donegals, your Cavans, your Armaghs, Ulster derbies and some massive games ahead in the league, but I know these lads would have pin-pointed these two games.
"Two brilliant games to start off with, it’s a massive, massive opportunity."
The positive start has been even more impressive when you consider the talent Donnelly has lost this term.
The Jones brothers, Ryan and Conall, and Seán Quigley all walked away from the panel this year while Ciaran Corrigan is another notable absentee as he is travelling.
For 'Clucker’, that has left a leadership void that has been quickly filled by the St Michael’s, Enniskillen Hogan Cup winning team of 2019 with a large number of that side now in the senior squad.
"Jonny Cassidy has been out injured, probably one of the best defenders in Ulster in my opinion, he’s to come back. Darragh McGurn hasn’t played this season, I know he’s not far away. So you’re looking at a key defender and a marquee forward to be added to that squad.
"There’s a real kind of hunger and desire there at the moment. We’ve seen brilliant crowds all weekend at all the games, I suppose my cry here for the fans is to just get behind this side as well.
"We are a young side made up of that Hogan Cup team, there’s a lot of that side that won for St Michael’s a number of years ago. Those lads are now starting to come through, they’re all 23, 24, there’s a brilliant age profile there as well.
"It’s exciting times and maybe there is expectations from the fans and supporters and maybe that has shown.
"Take out a few characters out of the changing room, the likes of Seán Quigley, the Joneses, a couple of experienced lads who have been brilliant servants for the county, it’s nearly like these lads have had to stand up."
Watch Cork v Kilkenny in the Allianz Hurling League on Saturday from 7.15pm on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player, follow a live blog on rte.ie/sport and the RTÉ News app and listen to updates on Saturday Sport on RTÉ Radio 1
Watch highlights on Allianz League Sunday on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player from 9.30pm, follow a live blog every Sunday afternoon on rte.ie/sport and the RTÉ News app and listen to live updates on Sunday Sport
Listen to the RTÉ GAA Podcast on the RTÉ Radio Player, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts
