Fermanagh may have beaten Wexford by nine points on Sunday at Brewster Park to ensure they would play Division Three football again next year, but manager Pete McGrath focused on a disappointing second half in which Fermanagh played second fiddle to the Model County for long periods.The first half was dominated by Fermanagh as they produced some superb attacking football with midfield dominance providing the launchpad for this.

By the break, the game was more-or-less over with the Ernemen 12 points to the good but McGrath was concerned that they let the visitors dictate matters in the second half with Wexford netting three times in the second period after getting a grip on matters in the middle third.

“The first half was very, very good but the second half followed a familiar pattern. It was the same down in Limerick although not to the same extent, but we lost our way. Ok, we were 12 ahead, and maybe the game was won, but the players expect better of themselves and I expect better of them. At the end of the day, if we are going to get anywhere, we are going to have to be able to sustain performances and not let the opposition start dictating when we are in a position of total control.” Fermanagh were punctured through the centre of the defence on too many occasions in the second half and McGrath stresses that it is something they must eradicate.

“There is still an issue with the middle and opposition at a higher level with suss this out and they will kill us,” commented McGrath.

He added: “I’m very enthusiastic and ambitious for them and that’s why if you win a game by nine points you are happy with the result but I’m dismayed and feeling unfilled by the poor display in the second half and I’ve told them in no uncertain terms that there is a lot more work to be done and better teams would pulverise us if we sat back and let them dominate and dictate the way Wexford did.” However, McGrath feels that it is better these mistakes are made now than in the Ulster Championship when Antrim come to Brewster Park.

“Maybe the lessons from this game are very timely. You are better having these lessons in front of you now and these warning signals that the players can look at and work on; better that now than on June 1.” The former Down boss though believes that the league has been fruitful for his side and he states that once they get Sunday’s game against Offaly out of the way, the focus will switch completely to that Antrim encounter.

“I said at the very start of the whole campaign that we needed a competitive league; that we needed to be winning more matches than we lose and we needed very positive signs. All of those things have happened and now we have to move on from hopefully another win against Offaly and then our sights will be firmly set on Antrim on June 1. This team has the quality and they have shown that in all the matches this year at different times. There are times though that they lapse into mediocrity and those are the issues that need to be tackled, and will be tackled,” he said.

The game also marked a return to action for Barry Owens and McGrath felt that Owens made a positive impact but was under-used by the side in the second half.

“People know what you will get from Barry Owens; he will compete and we have got to use him more. He contests, he is strong, he will lay the ball off and he was unlucky not to get another goal when he hit the sidenetting. There were times in the second half when maybe we hadn’t got the opportunity to run the ball, it’s then that you put the ball in but we didn’t do that and we lost possession.” McGrath is also hoping that Eamon Maguire will be able to return on a permanent basis. Maguire was named in the starting team but was unable to make it back from England, where he is currently working and McGrath is eager for Maguire to gain employment at home.

“Eamon couldn’t get home, he hoped to get back but he couldn’t. I spoke to the county chairman before the match and it is a priority that we get Eamon Maguire sorted out with employment this side of the Irish Sea,” he said.

And he is hoping that a couple of other players will be added to the squad once the league is over.

“There are two or three others who are hopefully joining us the week after next but I would rather delay their names until they are actually physically in the changing room.”