"We have to learn from it" says Fermanagh manager Daly after Leitrim League semi-final defeat

Fermanagh manager James Daly was in understandably downbeat mood after Sunday’s Lidl LGFA Division 4 semi-final in Bawnboy, feeling that his team had done enough to win the game in normal time.

“I’m disappointed surely, we had the game won in normal time but we showed our inexperience,” reflected James after the 1-12 to 1-10 loss, adding “dodgy passes when the ball should have been kept through the hands. They got a turnover off us which they shouldn’t have got and they went down and got a free in front of the goals, that was the equaliser. 

“But we’ll have to learn from it and try to move on. There’s a lot of positives, the last time we played this team they beat us by twenty odd points but now we’re disappointed we’re not going to be playing in a league final”.

LEITRIM'S DUBLIN DOUBLE DATE

League Finals: Leitrim Hurlers to take on Cavan in Abbotstown next Saturday in Allianz NHL Division 3B Final while Leitrim Ladies face Antrim in Parnell Park on Saturday April 16, in Lidl LGFA Division 4 Final

When it was put to him that the team struggled on their own kickouts, he readily agreed: “Without a doubt, it’s something we have worked and worked at. We did much better in the first half but in the second half they seemed to come to grips with us. 

“It all comes down to a wee bit of desire and a wee bit of fight out the field, there were kickouts there on the ground to be won but we didn’t go there and win them. It’s back to the drawing board on that, we have to try to do a bit more to help our goalkeeper”.

Having come into the game as underdogs, the Fermanagh boss was happy with how his team fared against the favourites: “We’re happy with where the girls are at, maybe fitness for a couple of them only coming back in there. By the time we get to the championship now in a month or so, hopefully we’ll be in a better place.

“The girls played some good football today, it’s a work in progress and I hope come championship time that we’ll be that bit better. We will get better at it; we’ll train hard and work hard at it and we’ll get the girls ready down the road. But it’s not just one thing, there’s a lot of things that need to be a wee bit better”.

Leitrim emerge from extra time thriller to book place in Lidl LGFA Division 4 Final

LEITRIM 1-12 FERMANAGH 1-10 (AET)

The return of Blaithin Bogue was a positive: “Blaithin is a great target woman, she got some good scores today, kicked a few wides but that’s rustiness after coming back”.

He also highlighted Brenda Bannon’s display: “Brenda covered a lot of ground, she always does, today her work rate was very good, she supported well, I’m very happy with Brenda’s performance today”.

Daly finished in more upbeat form, declaring: “We’ll get positive, we’re not positive at the minute, we’ve just lost, that’s an Intermediate team we should have beat there today. We’ve a lot of good players in this team.”