Fermanagh U20 manager Maurice McLaughlin admitted that the six minute period before half time was his side’s undoing as they made their exit from the Ulster U20 Championship at the hands of Derry last Wednesday night.

After a slow start Fermanagh had clawed their way back to within three playing against the breeze but Derry then hit 1-03 in that spell before the interval to take the game away from Fermanagh.

“We were disappointed by the margin of the defeat,” said McLaughlin.

“We had a very bad start to the game and put ourselves in a position but we got back into the game and we were only three points down playing against the breeze so we would have felt we were well there after 24 minutes. But we turned over a couple of balls and they scored 1-03 and it’s a long way back after that against a team of that quality.

“That period late in the first half was critical, it just left too big a gap.

“We felt with the breeze if we had gone in three or four points down you would be there or thereabouts but it was not to be.”

And he acknowledged that it was always going to be difficult chasing the game against a quality Derry side although he was pleased with the way his side battled through to the finish.

‘Architects of our own downfall’

“We felt at times we may have been architects of our own downfall by turning over ball when we needed to have more control and when you do fall behind against a team like that, that’s where it becomes very difficult because you are chasing the game and you have to go at it and you put yourself in a position where you are going to be turned over.

“It was always going to be uphill in the second half but the one thing I must give credit to our lads is that they never stopped playing and never stopped trying right to the very end,” he added.

McLaughlin was though impressed with Derry and believes they will go far in the championship.

“There is no doubting the quality of this Derry side. There are five or six of them in with Rory (Gallagher) at the seniors and they have power, pace, movement and physique. They really are an exceptional side and you would fancy them to go far into the competition.”

A number of the Fermanagh players are also involved in Kieran Donnelly’s set up and McLaughlin would expect more to join them in the years ahead.

Step up

“Ronan is obviously there at the minute and Fionan, Diarmuid and Aoghan are in there too and there is no reason that a number of the others can’t make the step up in the coming years.”

On his own future, McLaughlin is in no panic to make a decision.

“It’s too early to make a decision, I will take time to think about it and decide then,” he commented