For the second year in a row, Erne Gaels were left as the bridesmaids as they suffered championship final defeat at the hands of Derrygonnelly on Sunday.

Twelve months previously the Belleek outfit were never really in contention as they lost out to Enniskillen and although they were much closer this time around, they ultimately ended up disappointed again.

“That was the aim, to win the championship so it is disappointing not to have done that,” said manager Seamus Ryder.

“If you had told us 12 months ago in the changing room at Brewster Park that we would be back in the final this year and it would come down to the last five minutes we would have bitten your hand off for that chance. We put ourselves in the position but we just didn’t follow through with it.”

Like last year, Erne Gaels started poorly as Derrygonnelly bagged a goal after only three minutes but Ryder felt that his side’s issues were at the other end of the pitch.

“We didn’t get the ideal start but defensively I felt we were very good but at the other end, we didn’t put it on the scoreboard. We had chances to be tagging on points but we were snatching at shots in the first half and making poor decisions.

“I thought our defence; if you look at the knockout stages and all through, Jack McCann was outstanding, Paul McCaffrey as sweeper, Shane Mimna, Ultan O’Reilly, they were all just outstanding in the championship. They did their part on Sunday but we have to be disappointed with our forward play. Our execution of our shots and our decision-making in the forward line just wasn’t up to scratch on Sunday,” he said.

Still heading into added-on time they were in contention and indeed only the width of the crossbar denied them taking the lead in that added-on time period as Ultan Kelm’s effort thumped the woodwork and cannoned back out into play.

As Ryder knows, games come down to fine margins.

“We got down to the last five minutes and that’s what you want, you want to be there with the players that we have.

‘Fine margins’

“We know it comes down to fine margins, Ultan’s shot hits the crossbar and even if we get a point from it we get another chance from the kick out to get a point for a draw but that’s the fine margins and unfortunately for us it didn’t work out the right way,” he added.

In terms of his own position, Ryder says that no decision has been made yet.

“Nothing has been decided yet either way. I want to chat with all the lads in the backroom team to see what the feeling is with them.

“Obviously, it is player-driven so they will have to see if that’s what they want and it’s ultimately up to them to make the decision.

“There is nothing that will be decided in the next couple of weeks, we’ll go away and chat in a couple of weeks’ time and see what myself and the backroom team want to do and what the players want to do. If it all matches up we’ll see,” he said.