Enniskillen Gaels manager Bradley knows his team must improve

By Katrina Brennan

WE will wait another few days to determine the 2024 Fermanagh Senior Football Champions following a 0-8 apiece draw between Simon Bradley’s Enniskillen Gaels side and Erne Gaels on Sunday afternoon.

It’s the first drawn final since the 1998 final between Enniskillen and Devenish. The Gaels went on to win that one 0-14 to 0-9, kick-starting their six in-a-row.

As the rain teamed down, Simon Bradley and his management team huddled in conversation before Bradley fulfilled the media requests for interviews.

And the Enniskillen boss made no bones about saying they were disappointed with the outcome.

“We’re a bit disappointed to tell you the truth, we had that chance and Callum (Jones) has been known to kick them in the past but equally Erne Gaels, (and) Shane Rooney had a free and Seamie (Ryder) had a chance there as well, so who is more disappointed? I don’t know.”

It was tit for tat between the sides throughout with neither team really taking command of the game. The closest either team came was when Enniskillen hit three on the bounce at the start of the second half but Erne Gaels reeled them back in.

“Every team gets a wee purple patch and it’s just a pity we didn’t kick on and get one more but in fairness to Erne Gaels they dug in and they came back and they kicked two and they took the lead again and then Ross (Bogue) kicked that long range one.

“We were more happy with the second half performance but there’s room for improvement from both teams,” reflected Bradley.

“Greasy conditions lead to these type of games and I have to say Nigel Sweeney did a very good job; difficult conditions, a lot of decisions, but I thought he got most of them right, so fair play to him,” commented Bradley.

“The conditions made both teams spill the ball a bit more than they normally do. It would be interesting to see how many scores came off turnovers. We certainly gave them three or four at the end of the first half.”

There were a few individual battles that caught the eye on Sunday, none more so than Jonny Cassidy versus Ultán Kelm. Bradley felt the conditions hampered the two county men’s performances.

“The conditions levelled it up for both the boys, they couldn’t really get going. I suppose that’s what the crowd come in to see, those players going up against one another but Jonny will certainly be hoping to do a bit more next week, as will Ultán,” he added.

Bradley will be looking for more from all of his team if they’re to win a second Fermanagh title in three years.

“We’ll have to play a lot better than we did. Would we say we got away with one? I don’t think so, I think a draw is probably a fair result at the end and both teams get to go again next Saturday. “

And his message to the players was simple.

“I just said that’s it, that game is history. So we jog off and we get changed and we plan for next week.”