You play for your club week in week out and you aspire to play for your county- that’s just how it works. 
And when Kinawley’s Paddy McGovern received the call from Fermanagh manager, Pete McGrath to join the county set-up, he was delighted to accept. 
After impressing in the McKenna Cup, McGovern secured his place in the squad although he featured sparingly for the county during league and championship.
But McGovern had plenty to offer, if not necessarily to Fermanagh’s cause this year, for his club Kinawley. 
On Sunday, June 26 McGovern played 30 minutes for the Brian Boru’s against Newtownbutler. 
Fermanagh had beaten Wexford the previous day but McGovern didn’t feature, not for a minute, albeit he was named on the 26 man panel.
In February, Derrylin’s recommendation was favoured. It stated that:
‘The Fermanagh Senior Football Leagues continue regardless of the success of the Fermanagh County football and hurling teams. Players not listed on the County teams match day panel of 26 are released back to their clubs so they are eligible for any senior football league games scheduled for the same weekend as county fixtures.’
Kinawley v Newtown was a ‘Game for Club Players’ (GCP) and by bringing on McGovern for the second half Kinawley were in breach of this recommendation by the CCC. The outcome of which was, the game was re-fixed for last Friday night and to be played without any player named on the 26 man panel for the Round 1 Qualifier on June 25 against Wexford.
Kinawley however, had no intention to replay the game, even if it meant losing the points. 
“We really believed common sense would prevail,” said Kinawley manager Mark Monaghan. “If Paddy had even played 10 minutes for Fermanagh the previous day we wouldn’t have played him, we put all players’ welfare first. It’s like men are getting punished for being on the county team. By playing Paddy we did nothing to jeopardise Fermanagh’s progress.”
Knowing the ruling was in place though, why play him?
“We took the decision the morning of the game that we would not be replaying the game and if it cost us the points, then whatever will be will be, we would deal with the consequences. 
“It’s nonsense and it is an area that needs to be looked at.”
Monaghan believes it’s a ludicrous situation they find themselves in.
“Paddy came to me and told me he was togging out and we said; who are we to stop a player that wants to play for his club. 
“The CCC have done a brilliant job getting games played and have put more emphasis on games for club players but what about games for county players? 
“Players like Paddy who has only played a few times for the county.”
The man at the centre of this dispute has also voiced his frustration:
“With no disrespect to the Fermanagh management, whom I’ve the greatest respect for, I hadn’t got playing in the championship up to that point and I was just mad to play football. 
“You need to be playing matches to stay sharp. 
“It’s definitely frustrating and if the county board want to keep players playing for the county, they need to change what they’re doing” claims McGovern.
The following Tuesday night at training, McGovern made Pete McGrath aware of the situation by telling him he played the second half for his club. McGovern adds;
“I went to Pete and told him and he said if it doesn’t affect him it didn’t matter. 
“I’ve a lot of respect for Pete and I know the management have to make a decision to restrict players playing for their club and it’s only fair before a county game but the Wexford game was the day before our club match, what about the players that didn’t get playing?”
On any given day there will be 15 players named, a maximum of six substitutes used and five men who get playing no football at all. 
Should the fact their name appeared in a match programme limit their involvement for their club?
If Kinawley had chosen not to play McGovern on June 26, the sum total of his competitive match action would have been 30 minutes between June 10 and July 15. 
Is that enough football for any player, never mind a player at the prime of his career?
“I’m not the only player that feels like this, I’m speaking on behalf of a few players,” said McGovern.
“ Being part of the county set-up has really helped me at club level but the fact is, no matter how much you train you need to be playing matches.”
Asked what he hopes the outcome of this whole scenario would be, McGovern says; “I’d like to think the rules would be looked at. 
“Not for the sake of the two points but for all players not getting game time.”
Fermanagh CCC will address Kinawley’s decision to not replay the fixture in due course but that issue seems to be a small fish in a larger pond of discontent which might well need addressing too.