We need to be more clinical says Bonner

FERMANAGH manager Declan Bonner said his side “paid a heavy penalty” for their missed chances and scoring opportunities as they lost out to Wexford at Brewster Park on Sunday.

Despite dominating possession for large spells of the game and producing some promising attacks, the Erne men lacked a clinical edge in front of goal, squandering numerous chances.

Bonner recognised that the Erne side need to become more clinical ahead of the trip to Sligo on Sunday.

“It’s a lot of our own failings which we’ve seen in games over the past six or seven weeks, not completing attacks and not getting scores on the board,” Bonner told the Fermanagh Herald.

“At inter-county level, you’ve got to be putting away those chances and we left far too many chances behind today and ultimately we paid a heavy penalty for those.”

Fermanagh were guilty of kicking 12 wides, as well as a number of shots dropping short.

The Erne boss admitted he felt “there was no fluency” in attack on Sunday, while also urging his side to work on that aspect of their game over the next few weeks at their training sessions.

“Fair play to Wexford, they came at it, they battled and they got the goal,” said Bonner. “I was disappointed with how we attacked, there was no fluency in our attack. We’re coaching every night we get out, but we didn’t see that in the game.

“(The wides) speaks for itself. You don’t hear that in Gaelic football nowadays. It’s disappointing losing in our home patch but as I said to the guys, we have to get ready for Sligo now.”

With his attention turning to taking on the Yeatsmen on Sunday, Bonner is sweating over the fitness of Darragh McGurn, Joe McDade and Ronan McCaffrey who all picked up knocks.

“Darragh was struggling and Joe picked up a heavy knock and most serious of all is Ronan McCaffrey because he’s only just back,” said the Fermanagh manager.

Bonner also said that there’s a number of players still sidelined with long-term injuries.

“Oisin Smyth is still out, we have the long terms like Paul Breen, Ultán (Kelm) is still out, Oisin Kelm is injured, Conor McGee is a long-term injury,” explained Bonner.

“It’s a rebuilding job and we have got to learn and push on. It will also give the opportunity for somebody else to step up and we have to be at the levels next week.”

Bonner is now readying the charges that are at his disposal for Sligo on Sunday. The Connacht side lost 1-16 to 2-14 to Westmeath in their first league match at the weekend and the Erne manager recognises that his side will be up against a tough opponent for their second game.

“It’s going to be tough. It’ll be their first game back at Markievicz Park and we have to get ourselves ready for it now and get some of these bodies back on the pitch,” added Bonner.

“The guys that are on the pitch need to be doing better. I can’t fault the effort or the commitment, we got a lot of ball but it’s what we did with the ball that is disappointing.”