There was disappointment for Fermanagh Ladies as they slipped to an Ulster final defeat to Down in Moy last Saturday - but with the All Ireland Junior Championship series just around the corner, manager James Daly knows they just have to take the lessons from this and move on as his focus turns to making a push for the All Ireland.

“I said to the girls on Saturday evening that we need to get our heads up and go again. We were back training on Tuesday night and we are trying to come up with different ideas for us to work with.

“I think if our transition is better we will be very good and that is something we are going to really work on. I keep telling the girls that the ball is really precious so don’t give it away and that is what we did against Down,” he said.

And he retains great belief that his side have what it takes to get back to Croke Park although the first focus is on getting out of the group stage. Fermanagh will play Carlow, Derry and London and Daly has his sights set on topping the group.

“There is a lot of football to play and it is up to us now to get the girls going again and ready to go for the All Ireland series because it is there for us.

“We have played Down twice - we drew with them and lost to them - and I believe that Down are no better than us. Maybe the fact that they played Division Three football this year stood to them but we just need to be that wee bit more cute and clinical and we will get this team over the line.

“We will take nothing for granted but we want to go and win our three games and finish top of our group and give ourselves a good shot at getting back to Croke Park,” he added.

On last Saturday’s game, Daly admits that there was disappointment and frustration with another final loss.

“The six point scoreline definitely wasn’t a true reflection of the game but it was disappointing.

“We’ve been in four finals in the last year and a half and we haven’t won one of them. It is just disappointing and we are trying to address it and deal with it in training.

“It is the same simple, little things; our transition is sloppy, we give easy ball away and when you do that you will be punished.”

Fermanagh had led at half time but Down struck for three goals in the second half to seal the win.

“There was a bit of a wind and I felt we needed to be more than two points up but when we came out for the second half the wind didn’t play a massive part in the game.

“We felt in good enough shape at half time but then we gave away a sloppy goal although we got one back and we were a point up. We then gave away another goal and we just weren’t clinical enough at times, not just in our shooting but in building the play and being patient instead of trying to rush and force things.”

Fermanagh also had a big penalty shout not given by the referee early in the second half which could have put daylight between the sides.

“Without a doubt [it was a penalty], Roisin O’Reilly was fouled in the wee square and she stood up thinking she had a penalty but had the smarts to turnaround and blast it over the bar. The referee didn’t beat us on Saturday, we just didn’t get that call.

“Look, I can’t fault the girls, they played their hearts out for 70 minutes on a roasting hot day and I think this tide will turn for us but it is an old saying, you have to make your own luck sometimes,” he said.