Maurice McLaughlin: 'We didn't win but we can take a lot of positives from it'

Aodh Ruadh manager Maurice McLaughlin was disappointed with Saturday night’s second-round championship defeat to Dungloe in Rosses Park on a 1-12 to 1-8 point scoreline.  

But the Fermanagh U-20 manager was dwelling on the positives from the game when speaking after the four-point defeat acknowledging the youth in the side with many Ballyshannon men making their debuts last Saturday.  

“We are disappointed and there is no doubt about that. But we will also take a lot of positives out of the game,” was his immediate reaction afterward to the 1-12 to 1-8 defeat.  

“We have a young team with a few championship debutants last weekend. We knew it was going to be very tough coming down here, especially without Eamon (McGrath) and Philip (Patton). They were big losses.” 

Despite Dungloe taking an early lead, Aodh Ruadh fought back as they trailed by one point at the break, but McLaughlin admits that the goal for the Rosses men was a real killer and something his side found hard to recover from. 

“Dungloe are an experienced and mature side and at home they were also going to be tough,” he said.  

“They got off to a flying start and went six up, but thanks to a well-worked goal finished by Johnny Gethins we got back into the game. And we were only a point down at half-time and felt we were in with a shout.  

“But the Dungloe goal at the start of the second half was a sucker punch. All of a sudden, we were four points down and chasing the game. 

“But fair the lads, they battled away in the second half. They kept themselves in the game and I told them afterward that there were a lot of positives to be taken out of the game and we go again on Tuesday night.”