“We are disappointed but the fact is we were beaten by a better side. Physically they were bigger than us and were a better footballing team than we were. I think that we have probably lost to the eventual winners, they were strong in every section of the field,” stated O’Neill.

    O’Neill does feel that his side have done well to get as far as they did having reached the Ulster Minor league final and the Ulster Championship final, in which they were defeated by Armagh and Tyrone respectively, before bowing out of the All Ireland to Dublin. He also believes that the run will stand to the players in the future.

    “Although we are disappointed to be out of the competition the players definitely deserve credit for having got as far as they did bearing in mind the players we were missing through injury. They have had a good year in which they have reached two provincial finals, in the league and in the championship, as well as an All Ireland quarter-final, the first Fermanagh minor team to do so. This will stand the players in good stead for the future be it with club or county.”

    The minor players set themselves two targets at the start of the year and O’Neill says that they have exceeded them.

    “The players started out at the beginning of the year with two aims. One was to remain unbeaten in the league and the other was to win in the first round of the championship. They achieved both those aims and far more besides.”

    O’Neill finished by stating his high and low points of the campaign.

    “For me the highlight of the year was beating Down in the Ulster semi final while the lowest point was the unconstructive criticism from people who should know better.”