All-Ireland SFC Quarter-final/Fermanagh v Armagh: The rise of Fermanagh this year under Charlie Mulgrew (pictured right) has been a truly remarkable feat. A significant indent in a summer of predictability.

The warning signs were there in the Ulster championship when they stayed within four points of Tyrone, a contrast to last year's 19-point demolition at the hands of Mickey Harte's men in the All-Ireland quarter-final.

When they overturned Meath in the qualifiers - for a second consecutive season - people really should have begun to pay attention, but it took two more victories, over Cork and Donegal, before they got the credit for being a decent football team.

It must be remembered all this was achieved despite losing several of the key players that carried the team in recent campaigns. Their presence in the last eight again this year, along with three other Ulster counties, is further evidence of the province's current domination in the game.

And yet, they cannot get a break. After pushing Tyrone to the limit they pull Meath out of the hat. They beat them. Then they send Cork football back to the drawing-board with an impressive final-quarter blitz and, in doing so, record their first victory at Croke Park.

They feared no one thereafter and became a model example of the benefits of the qualifier system. Once the shackles of Ulster were removed, they blossomed, with no history to burden their minds. But as their momentum began to build, Donegal arrived like the grim reaper.

A fourth round qualifier in Clones was too familiar an environment and they were expected to disappear before August arrived.

However, the new guard dragged a team with the potential for All-Ireland success into a typical Ulster dogfight. Belief appeared to be the decisive factor and with the game on a knife-edge, Donegal cracked, with both Brendan Devenney and Stephen McDermott seeing red.

Surely, that was punishment enough. Surely, they would catch a break and get a crack at Mayo or Westmeath in the last eight? Collective groans must have sounded around the county as Armagh popped out of the bowl.

"There are no really easy games anymore, anyway," says Mulgrew. "There are some teams a few steps ahead, but this is not that great a gap. Every game is different and since we got drawn with Armagh we have been preparing for a huge challenge. They are a fine side. We can't look behind or forward, but just at what we have."

If Fermanagh's run was to end today in miserable circumstances, the conquest of Donegal enables them to hold their heads high. It was a prized scalp, especially considering so many players have defected in recent times, a senior player in every line of the team. The loss of so many Gallaghers and Brewsters was particularly hard felt.

Two of the main cogs in the county's fortunes for several years, Raymond Gallagher and Paul Brewster, hung up their spurs. Rory Gallagher has long since departed in search of a Dublin jersey, while Tom Brewster went to Australia. If an elite football county lost such talent expectations would be non-existent. At least, Tom Brewster has since returned to keep his famous football family tradition alive.

Youth has been the key to rejuvenation - seven of the current side are under-21. Burgeoning talent like Mark Little and James Sherry has helped fill the void. Shane McDermott has become a leader of men at centre back; Stephen Maguire is kicking the frees; while Martin McGrath and Liam McBarron have developed into seasoned pros in midfield.

When former manager Dominic Corrigan walked out in the pre-season, citing a lack of resources, Fermanagh looked to be going nowhere. The march to the All-Ireland quarter-final last year seemed like a one-off. The overwhelming defeat that day to Tyrone and the resulting retirements left the county in despair over the winter.

Ironically, Donegal man Mulgrew was offered the promotion from club to inter-county level at a time when Brian McEniff was scouring the north-east in search of a native to replace him as county manager. Mulgrew slipped through the Donegal net and into the grateful arms of Fermanagh.

Yet, he refuses any plaudits.

"The success is all about the players," he insists. "They are an excellent group with a fabulous attitude. They are honest with each other. That is what got them here. They decided to regroup and that is not something a manager can do. Myself, Syl (Mulrone), Seán (Maguire) and Philip (Courtney) are just here to facilitate them."

More than anything, Mulgrew brought in a clean slate. He refused to discuss those who had departed. He also paid little heed to what went wrong, or right, last year as that wasn't his team. Also, internal wranglings were of little interest.

"I've had no problems with the county board. Some resources are just not there and we just have to get on with it. The support has been excellent. I was happy to take the job, managing at inter-county level is the next step up, something that always interested me."

Unfortunately, they now have to deal with the challenge of Armagh. Despite all the progress, the safe bet would be to back a heavy victory for the Joe Kernan-managed side.

Defeat, statistically speaking, would mean Fermanagh would have merely equalled the success of last year. But another fact is the 16 points they have averaged in their four championship outings in 2004.

This will be the kind of statistic that will have concentrated the mind of Kernan this week.