By Katrina Brennan

“IT was a harrowing first half,” was how Fermanagh manager Kieran Donnelly (pictured) described Saturday’s Division Three opener against Kildare as they prepare to bounce back against Antrim.

The Lilywhites raced into a 0-11 to 0-2 lead before Fermanagh got any sort of foothold in the game.

“It was a tough game. We knew Kildare were going to be going into it on a high, they were back-boned by a lot of those All-Ireland U-20 winners coming into their team.

“There’s no doubt we were ravaged by injuries going into it but it didn’t excuse our start. They just dominated us in the first 10-15 minutes from kick-outs and we just couldn’t get our hands on the ball and there was a simplicity in that.

“They were big all across the pitch and we struggled with that athleticism and size and with the kick-out rule being like that, it’s a tough ask at times when they’re so much physically bigger, so we have to address that area.

“It was a harrowing first half but credit to the players, in the last ten minutes we got it back to seven points.

Looking ahead to round two against Antrim in Ederney this Sunday (2.30pm), Donnelly will be asking for a better return from the kick-outs in particular.

“The big thing with us at the weekend was our inability to win kick-outs and win break ball and that’s where Kildare got on top of us. When we lost those we tended to force a few areas of possession when we should’ve been trying to recycle and try to build up our own momentum.

“We did leave a lot of scores behind us as well. We scored 1-12 but we easily should’ve scored 1-17, we left five or six easy scores behind us.”

The Saffs, who won their opening round game 1-9 to 1-6 against Clare, won’t hold the same physical advantage over Fermanagh as Kildare did and in recent meetings there’s been little between the sides.

“It’s going to be a tough game. I don’t think there’s a massive amount between us but it’s one we’re determined to get right for the weekend. The players are looking forward to it.

“We need to up the performance levels across the whole pitch because we let Kildare through us too easily over the weekend.”

Fermanagh were without the injured Sean McNally, Luke Flanagan and Oisin Smyth. Inevitably that will have weakened the Ernemen defensively and Donnelly was unable to start some of the more seasoned campaigners such as Ultan Kelm who came on after 30 minutes against Kildare.