Fermanagh Manager Joe Baldwin was proud of his players’ efforts as their opening game in the Nickey Rackard Cup ended in a five-point loss to Donegal in Maguiresbridge on Sunday.

A Barney McAuley converted penalty ten minutes from time had levelled up the contest, but it was Donegal who pushed on in the closing stages, rattling off five unanswered points to seal the victory against a Fermanagh side that played the closing 20 minutes with 14 men after the sending off of full forward Danny Teague.

“The fact that we are bitterly disappointed to have lost the game tells you all you need to know.

“I think a few things just didn’t go our way on Sunday, and although we’re disappointed, I’m incredibly proud of the players,” said Baldwin.

Donegal are two divisions above Fermanagh in the league but there was little dividing the sides on the pitch as Fermanagh showed that they are more than capable of competing at this level, having been promoted after winning last year’s Lory Meagher Cup.

“I think we knew that anyway, I’ve always stressed to the players to believe in themselves in the same way that that we believe in them,” added Baldwin.

“We maybe set up a little bit more defensively than we possibly should have, but we stayed in the game and it was almost a case of the more we stayed in the game, the more we hoped that they would panic.

“Obviously, the sending off had a huge bearing on the outcome of the game – it allowed them a little bit more space and denied us another scoring threat up front.”

However, Baldwin had no complaints about Teague’s dismissal, and states that maintaining discipline is crucial if Fermanagh want to hold their own in this grade.

“He had to go, and to be honest he was lucky it was not a straight Red [Card] so it was disappointing.

“We have always stressed to the players that discipline is key; it is imperative. It is difficult enough at this level, and we just can’t afford to go down to 14 men while missing the experienced players that we are missing through injury.”

He did though get Barney McAuley back for his first appearance of the season, while there was a debut for Tipperary native Brian Teehan, who popped up with the first Fermanagh goal shortly after his introduction.

“Barney brings a wealth of experience and knowledge and not just that, the man’s a fantastic hurler.

“He played really well, and I’m sure he was tired after with the pace of the game and it was great to have him back on board.

“Brian Teehan, it was his first competitive outing with us, and he showed exactly what he can do. He is good on the ball, he is full of energy, and he stuck the goal away well but there is more to come from him.

“We were tested in terms of no JP McGarry, on top of the injury list that we already have, so the young squad is being tested but we will hopefully be alright over the next three or four weeks,” he said.

McGarry though is unlikely to make this weekend’s derby clash with Tyrone, while Baldwin confirmed that experienced duo Francie McBrien and John Duffy have been ruled out for the season.

“We have a few wee knocks but we’ll look at them this week but hopefully we won’t be too bad.

“I don’t think we will have JP McGarry back, he has ligament damage, and we don’t have Francie and John, they won’t be available for the rest of the year, but we have to get on with it.”

Tyrone come into the game on the back of a big win over Warwickshire, but Baldwin stresses that Fermanagh won’t fear the Red Hands as the Ernemen go in search of their first win in the competition.

“This one’s huge – Tyrone have a very good Manager in Mickey McShane, and had a very good result against Warwickshire, so they will be flying.

“It is a local derby, of course. You think of Fermanagh and Tyrone in the football this weekend, but we have them in the hurling too and we are looking forward to it.

“We know now that we definitely are competitive and Tyrone won’t scare us. We beat them in a challenge game last year, and it is a case of going and throwing the shackles off and having a real go at it and seeing where it takes us,” he concluded.