‘We’ll be ready for the next one’ – Bonner

By Katrina Brennan

WITH ten minutes left of Sunday’s Fermanagh Senior Championship final against Enniskillen Gaels, Erne Gaels manager Declan Bonner was sent to the stands after referee Nigel Sweeney brandished a red card after following a consultation with his linesman Eoin Murphy.

Bonner, who has now turned his attention to this weekend’s replay encounter, was furious with the decision, brandishing it as “total nonsense”.

“I’ve had this all year with officials here for some reason. I was shouting at Tommy (McCaffrey) for kicking the ball away, I was saying ‘Tommy, f**k we can’t be doing that’, and all of a sudden, he thinks I’m shouting at him, I didn’t even see the linesman.

“I’m dealing with that long enough, honest to God it’s every game I play,” he said, shrugging his shoulders.

The annoyance of Sunday’s decision won’t hinder Erne Gaels’ replay preparations though. Bonner is too experienced to allow that to happen.

Even in the minutes after the following whistle on Sunday, the Donegal man was pumped for the rematch.

“We went into the game as big underdogs but I think we proved there today that we’re a match for Enniskillen, no doubt about that there.

“We had opportunities but as I said we have six or seven days to get ready for the next match now and that’s the challenge ahead now.

“I thought it was a great game of football, real intensity, real championship football but we live to fight another day.”

Erne Gaels led by one at the break in a close fought encounter but there was never more than two between the teams at any stage.

“We were probing, we were getting opportunities, we probably had a goal opportunity in the first half too that we didn’t take but when all is said and done the teams have an opportunity to go back at it again next weekend.”

And Bonner is determined to have his boys ready to get across the line the next day out.

“There’s real belief within the group to go again and we will go again and we’ll be ready for it. These guys waited a long time to get over the line in championship football, it’s another six or seven days to get ready and we’ll be ready for the next one,” he said determinedly.