Ballinamallard manager Harry McConkey has admitted that he is glad to see the back of a fraught season that failed to live up to expectations.

A final day defeat to Institute confirmed Ballinamallard in eighth place in the final NIFL Championship table, 19 points adrift of a top two finish.

After a season disrupted by injuries, suspensions, late goals and inconsistency, McConkey is hopeful that the experiences ensured by the squad will stand them in good stead in the future.

“The best thing to be said about this season is that it is over, but nothing is ever wasted and there are lessons that we can learn from it,” he said.

“Overall, it has been a very, very disappointing season but I don’t think that we should get too down about that. There is a good core of players here now and I feel they can build on the experiences they have had this season. All those last minute defeats, I think it has been nine times we have conceded after the 85th minute mark, they know the pain of all that.

“The fact we have played some great football and never ever looked out of our depth against the top teams, but for one reason or another, individual errors or lapses have cost us, and we know we need to cut that out. Next year we can use all of that to a positive effect.”

McConkey, who joined the club in 2018 for his second stint as manager, is set to meet with the club committee this week to discuss plans on a way forward.

“It has been a very disappointing season for myself as a manager,” he conceded. “The results have not been good enough and not what I feel the club deserves. I look forward to meeting with the committee and we will have a real good look at the way we want to go, but I am very much of the mindset that we can build on the learnings we have made this season. We all need to take a deep breath and look objectively at what has gone wrong this season and how we can address that in the months before August, and then get set to go again.”

With club captain Richard Clarke announcing his decision to leave the club, the summer transfer window will be crucial to the team’s hopes of an improved 2023/24 season.

McConkey knows it will be a challenge to assemble a squad capable of fighting at the top end of the Championship table, but he believes holding onto the club’s best players will be vital.

“If you can retain your players then that is a key factor, as Loughgall showed this season,” he said.

“You need to keep that continuity to get your core values and your style of play across to the players, but we have had to constantly change players. We can’t afford to put players on contracts that would secure them, and we can’t stop players who want to move on to the next level. We have found some very good players, but they are clearly ambitious and you cannot hold them back.”

“We have been able to give experience to young lads who had to come in because of injury, and it is always vital that we have players from our local community coming through our youth section, but we also know there is a level of quality needed to get you into that top two spot, and we have to now look at that in this next transfer window.”

The manager had been hoping to close out the season on a high note with victory over Institute in Richard Clarke’s last game for the club, but McConkey admitted that he was disappointed with the result and the performance.

“We had nothing to fear and I wanted the players to play with freedom and expression, but to be honest I got exactly the opposite,” he said.

“There were some great performances, like Jamie Ray who was very deserving of getting the opportunity having trained so hard alongside Jack since January, and I thought young Stevie Drumm showed great energy and was brave and linked up well with Macca at times, but apart from that I saw very few plusses out there.

“ I thought that we were quite nervous at the back, and lacking cohesion in midfield. We didn’t take care of the ball like we normally do, and up top and in the wide areas where we wanted to threaten we did nothing. They had huffed and puffed like ourselves and there was no great flow in the game.

“In terms of clear cut chances I think they deserved the points, but neither team played particularly well and didn’t retain the ball and build up good phases of play. It certainly wasn’t pleasing on the eye. They put it up to us and in the end deserved their win, but I was disappointed in the nature of the performance. How we left the pitch for Clarkey is not how I would have wished it for him.”

Clarke joined the club in 2017 having previously played for Omagh Town, Newry City, Glentoran and Crusaders. Having won every major trophy including the Premiership and the Irish Cup he quickly became a fan favourite at Ferney, and his manager is in no doubt about the size of the task in finding someone who can fill his boots.

“Richard has been an exceptional role model and exceptional to work with as a manager,” said McConkey. “He is so well respected around the game, and we will find it impossible to replace a number six like that.

“In the Championship there has not been one like him for years and it was no surprise to me that he got into the Championship team of the year this season. His attitude in training, his presence, and his words in the changing room have all been invaluable to me.”

Ballinamallard end of season awards:

Players’ player of the Year – Peter Maguire

Supporters’ Player of the Year – Aaron Arkinson

Manager’s Player of the Year – Richard Clarke

Young Player of the Year – Peter Maguire

Top Scorer – Patrick Ferry (13 goals)