by Denzil McDaniel.

In reviewing the Super Cup junior campaign, there really is only one place to start. And that’s with the players.

In fact, the players should be first, last and everything in our thinking.

So as regards the boys of 2017, I would like to thank all 18 of them for their fantastic efforts this year for their county. Their behaviour on and off the pitch was exemplary and they did great credit to Fermanagh.

People tend to look at results first, naturally so. And in this regard I would have liked a few more points. Indeed, but for a bit of luck against Manchester United and Strikers in particular, we could well have finished with a very successful week. That said, I thought we nicked a win against Dundalk that was a bit fortunate.

But I hope people look beyond results and see what this group did. Our objectives were to prepare them well to play at an undoubtedly higher standard than they were used to, to encourage them to learn lessons about football and life generally, and possibly above all to give them a good experience that they wouldn’t forget.

I believe we achieved all that, and that was down to the attitude of the players themselves.

In five days, we played against a very talented Northern Ireland side with tournaments against Atletico Madrid, PSG and so on under their belt. We played against a Manchester United under 15 side with players earmarked for future glory at Old Trafford. Against the pick of Dundalk Schoolboys League, then a team from California who were champions in their own US State area, and finally against English League outfit Plymouth Argyle.

From a manager’s point of view, doing all this in five days involves planning and a few difficult decisions. One boy picked up an injury on the Friday before we went, and after discussion with the physio on the Monday I didn’t risk him because it could have ruled him out all week. When he did come in, he was absolutely superb.

I felt another boy had taken a dip in form before the tournament and looked as if he was feeling the pressure. I left him out on the Monday, too, and with a little encouragement he came in against Manchester United on the Tuesday and again was magnificent all week.

Some of the other boys suffered injuries, but with the help of our superb physios Joe McGovern and Mark Foster, we nursed them through and got them on the pitch as much as we could.

By Friday, our skipper Micheal Glynn had picked up a knock. He was super the whole week as a leader and player, and was prepared to come on against Plymouth on Friday. I think he could have swung the game for us, but the welfare of the boy was more important to me than the result.

It was a great week. But there were downsides as well, and as I told the boys on Friday facing up to disappointments is also part and parcel of life, too. A manager can only pick eleven.

Maybe some people should take that on board, and take on board that any decision I and my backroom staff took were honest ones. I’m grateful to those who thanked us for our efforts. Jackie Palmer has been an absolute rock to me over my time as a youth coach, and the feelgood factor that Shifty Malone brought to the group was priceless. Thanks also to Richard McBride, Simon Friel and Aaron Hassard for their support.

The hours they all put in over the last six months on a voluntary basis is a credit to them.

Even at my stage of life, I learned a lot last week. And I leave with mostly positive memories.

I still remember the atmosphere in the changing room last year after the win against Swindon, and this year the buzz in the Ballymena Showgrounds will stay with me a very long time.