Colm Bradley casts an analytical eye over Sunday’s proceedings You only improve by playing teams who are better than you. It is a harsh and uncomfortable truth. Fermanagh found that out on Sunday but they have now been afforded the opportunity to improve. Because let us be painfully clear Monaghan are a better side than Fermanagh, at present. Those last two words are important. At present. There is no reason to think that we cannot close and bridge that gap in the coming years.

So, before entering into an analysis of the game itself lets lay a few things out on the table. Since 2012 Fermanagh have played one top eight side in the Championship in true shape of Down in 2012. Only four of the team that started that day started on Sunday. The reality is that this Fermanagh team had no experience of playing against a top side in championship football and when we take things in that context then it should be fairly obvious that for long parts of the game Pete McGrath’s men played very well.

The way the game is played, especially at inter county level, the first emphasis has to be on getting defensive systems right. Just 12 months ago Fermanagh were defensively clueless against Antrim yet now their defensive system is the best aspect of their game. This is the way things have to be. Teams need to build their foundation on defence or they have no chance. After that foundation is built then other facets of the game can be worked on such as attacking formations and so on.

On the whole this year Fermanagh have married defence and attack well. Conceding very little yet still posting creditable scores. It is why we have been successful.

Yet, it makes sense that all facets of the game become more difficult against the better teams. And that is exactly what happened on Sunday. The first 33 minutes of the game went almost as well as things could be expected for Fermanagh. Defensively we had the measure of Monaghan and the doubling up on Conor McManus was working a treat yet the energy that was expended doing this was savage, all over the pitch.

In addition look at the five points that were scored for Fermanagh. The three scores from play were all brilliant efforts from distance as well as being the right option, and of course the score from distance is a weapon every team needs in its arsenal but the reality is that if each of these shots were taken 10 times how many out of 30 would be scored? Perhaps 10 to 12? Even the two frees scored in that first half were from distance and this demonstrates the biggest problem that Fermanagh have at the minute which is penetration close to the opposition’s goal. This is no fault of the personnel. I actually think Sean Quigley and Tomás Corrigan have the potential to be devastating but it merely demonstrates that against the top teams we have a bit of a way to go in terms of attacking strategy.

If we look at Monaghan in the first half we can see that they had variety to their scores and even though it was sporadic they threatened in the full forward line when the ball went in correctly. The last two scores of the half also painted a picture as they came from hard runs into the heart of the Fermanagh defence. It was like you could see our green wall beginning to be chipped away.

As the game wore on Monaghan kept chiselling at the wall and were having more success. The free kick that lead to Ryan McCluskey being sent off put Monaghan four up with 12 to play so I think it is a bit fanciful to say we would have won the game. However, I suppose stranger things have happened. What the harsh sending off did do was extinguish any hope of victory that may have still flickered. Let us hope McCluskey is back for the next game.

In the meantime however Fermanagh need to soak up all the lessons from Sunday. Monaghan are a top six team. These are the games that bring you on but only if you are prepared to look at the game harshly and see the areas that need to be improved on. Antrim represent a dangerous hurdle but if crossed I think 2015 could be a break through year for this Fermanagh team.