“Naturally, we were extremely disappointed not to bring the cup home to Fermanagh especially for the supporters who had supported us so well on the night and throughout the cup run,” revealed Harry before putting some perspective on the run to the final.

    “Last year, we lost 5-2 to a poor RUC side in the first round of the Intermediate Cup, this year we have not been beaten in open play and have scored 15 goals and only conceded 2 in the run to the final. We have beaten teams such as Donegal Celtic and Dundela and I feel these performances are a measure of how far we have come.

    “As a player coach, you wonder as to whether your players will perform on the big occasion and I feel we did. We stood up and matched the Welders and outplayed them at times. Without doubt, the key moment was their equaliser shortly after we scored, at a time when we should have been looking to consolidate. It was a horrible goal to concede and you could not say that it was well created. But again we did not fold and fought hard to the end and I believe that you do have to learn to lose before you can learn to win, and these boys will come back stronger for the experience.”

    It is also a sign of the Ballinamallard progress that this cup defeat does not mean the end of their season. Indeed, they have two more ‘cup finals’ left. Two wins in their final two league games will land win the Irish League Division Two title.

    Harry expanded: “Assuming Moyola get the points against Lurgan Celtic, then two wins will land us the title. I have alwaays said that we must be humble in success and strong in adversity and that is what we need now. We must beat Tobermore and then Portstewart on May 17, it does give us something to focus on and it ia again a measure of how far we have come that the cup final defeat is not the end of our season.”