'We're just happy to get the win'

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While Cavan got the win over Fermanagh, U20 manager Larry Reilly was still disappointed with aspects of the performance.

“The last 10 minutes was very nervy but we were in long control for long periods of the game. We lost control around the middle of the field, breaking ball,” stated the Knockbride clubman.

“Fermanagh applied a lot of pressure, we’re just happy to get out of here with a one-point win and qualify for the quarter-final.

“Lee (Phillingham) saved our bacon twice, I suppose you have to look at the other end of the field, we probably missed two open goal chances in the first half so law of averages, I suppose we were the better team in the first half and went in comfortable at half-time, up by three or four points.

“But in fairness to Fermanagh, you don’t come down to Enniskillen and expect to get it soft, they pressed hard in the second half and they probably had a bit of a breeze as well. They pressed us and we made a lot of simple schoolboy mistakes as well which at this level you’ll get punished for.

“And we did get punished but luckily enough, we didn’t just get overly punished and we got away with a one-point win. Look, we’re happy, we’re where we want to be in a quarter-final and we’ll take it from there.”

The wintry conditions of late have not been conducive to good football, Reilly agreed.

“I suppose you have to look at it from the point of view of conditions, since last December when we started, we are playing in these conditions. We played Donegal on a wet sodden Breffni Park, we played Armagh and the game was only called at 2 or 3 o’clock, again today the game was only called at 2 o’clock so it is heavy, mucky conditions, it’s not what you’d like to be playing in as in championship, fast flowing football.

“It is where it is, in the months of March and April you’d expect things to be improving but it is what it is, the same conditions for Fermanagh and that’s the way it is.

“Everyone in the country at the minute I think is having trouble getting pitches. It’s so condensed at the minute, the National League is only over and championship is starting, the U20 Championship is in the midst of it, club league games, club U20 football starting this Sunday, Cavan Minor League.

It’s so condensed at the moment, the majority of football is being played in February, March and April and then we’ll have a quiet 10 weeks and get into championship again with clubs in August, September. It’s the same for everybody just at the moment playing in these conditions, it’s probably disheartening for a championship.

“At this age group, you’re looking for fast, fluid football and unfortunately, in conditions like this, it’s hard.”

Reilly felt some things the team and management tried worked out well and other areas still need improvement.

“When we got beaten against Donegal, you have to make changes, when you get beaten against Armagh, you have to make changes. I suppose tonight in the first half things worked and the boys clicked and we got the scores. Granted, we also had a large amount of poor wides as well which we’ll have to address and look at in the next week because you just won’t get away with that in a quarter-final.”

Next up is Derry tomorrow night (Wednesday, 7pm) in Owenbeg.

“Derry is a top side, we’ll be complete and utter underdogs, that’s to be expected. We’ll go up and we’ll give it a shot and we’ll take it from there,” he said.