Devenish joint manager Marty O’Brien said the pain of last year’s Intermediate Championship defeat drove them on this year as they went one better this time around by seeing off Tempo last Saturday night at Brewster Park.

The Garrison side lost to neighbours Erne Gaels in last year’s decider but they dominated matters on Saturday night to deservedly lift the cup.

“It’s night and day from what we were feeling here last year, the lads lived that experience last year and we took it with us this year too,” said O’Brien.

“We knew what it was like coming to a final and we knew what we had to do. Last year it was a last minute goal that killed us but we killed ourselves probably in the first 45 minutes but this year the lads hit the ground running.”

Devenish had controlled the ball for long periods in the first half but only went in at the break with a two-point advantage.

However, they kicked on in the second half and Ruairi Maguire’s goal finished off the game as a contest.

“We were unlucky a couple of times in the first half when we had the ball but off the ball the work was savage.

“I thought we bossed it all over the pitch, it just took us a while to get into our stride and kick a few scores and the goal really put it up to Tempo at that stage.

“With about 15 minutes to go we were eight points up so we were comfortable and we have players who are fit to carry the ball and fit to hold on the ball.

“Look, we are delighted. We had a disappointing league campaign but we knuckled down and we knew we could rattle this championship and I think we were definitely the best team in the Intermediate Championship this year and we deserve it. The boys put in a massive amount of work,” he added.

O’Brien admitted that relegation could have seen the players go into their shell but instead they dug deep and turned it around for championship with five wins on the bounce securing the title.

“I said to the lads that there are teams within the county and teams all around the country who might have folded. We had a couple of lads who moved over the the UK, we have a couple of doctors on the team and boys with young families but the commitment was second to none.

“Even the last four or five games in the league, we lost heavily to St. Pat’s and the writing was on the wall from that but we turned around and beat the Gaels, we drew with Roslea and we beat Belnaleck and we felt we were strong coming into the Intermediate Championship. It was lads knuckling down and putting the effort in on the training pitch.”

And O’Brien says that it is a big step for the club to be back in the senior championship and he can look to how the last two Intermediate champions have faired in the higher level as a gauge.

“As I said, I thought we were by far the best team in the Intermediate Championship this year with the performances that we put in.

“Senior is obviously a massive, massive step up, there is some serious quality up in that senior championship, but if you look at this year’s senior final, Enniskillen and Erne Gaels, it is the two last Intermediate champions are in the Senior final, so although it is a step up, there is not an awful amount between the two sections in Fermanagh.

“Next year is a bit of a swap in that we will be in Division Two for the first time in a long time but we will be back in the senior championship and we have a few young lads (coming through) and a strong squad there,” he concluded.