LOOKING forward positively to the new Tailteann Cup rather than harking back regretfully to 'what might have been' against Tyrone will be the Fermanagh approach, insists Ryan Jones.
The experienced Erne County midfielder acknowledged that the All-Ireland Champions were, overall, convincingly the better team in Brewster Park on Saturday evening. However, he took solace from his side's strong first half and impressive late rally, and hopes to carry those aspects into the second tier competition.
Although Fermanagh's All-Ireland involvement is over before it started, because they're a Division Three side, Derrygonnelly man Jones had no complaints about that:
"That's where we're at. It's a competition where all the players in it will feel it's a level playing field and if you can get a run going then anything can happen. The great thing is that you'll be playing against teams at your level.
"Of course you want to be playing in the All-Ireland Championship but we had the chance in Division Three to prove we are at that level… We are still a wee bit short. We've a lot of young players coming in for the first time this year, so it's a bit of a building process.
"Definitely we'll give it our best shot. End of May, I think, is when it kicks off. We have a lot of things to work on but we'll take the positives out of it, and look at what caused us trouble and try to rectify it for the Tailteann Cup."
The 31-year-old insisted that Fermanagh showed flashes of promise for the future, this year and next, against the reigning Sam Maguire Cup-holders:
"I know we were playing the All-Ireland Champions and people would have said that's way off our level - but at times we matched them. Just that third quarter, they showed they are another level from us.
"The big thing for us is try to gain momentum in this Tailteann Cup, build on it, and then maybe next year push on and try again to get out of Division Three."
The hosts were just a point down at half-time, 0-8 to 1-6, with the breeze to be in their favour for the second half, but Tyrone blew them away by reeling off 1-8 after Fermanagh had levelled matters shortly after the re-start.
"We actually talked at half-time about their push in the third quarter, we wanted to target that, but all of a sudden there was five, then six in it. I suppose that's what a quality team, the All-Ireland Champions, do to you. Once they get their purple patch they make it count, they were very clinical."
In contrast, Fermanagh didn't find the net until the 66th minute, through Josh Largo Ellis, then Ryan's brother Conall goaled just two minutes later, but Jones accepted it was too little, too late:
"First half, we felt we played good, controlled football, and that was against a slight breeze. Second half, with the breeze, sometimes you think you can kick on, but Tyrone controlled the ball, took the sting out of it.
"At times we tried a few long ones in, we felt we could have got a bit of joy in there - some days they come off for you, but today they were solid in their full-back line…
"Aye, we got two goals near the end but, at that stage, really and truly they were only consolation goals.
"We had a chance where Josh [Largo Ellis], I think, came flying through and tried to square it, that maybe was a real, real killer for us, took the momentum out of us…
"We didn't lie down, but it's still a defeat. Honestly, we came here thinking we could cause an ambush. We were coming in under the radar but Tyrone have seasoned players, they know how to take the sting out of a game, and they were worthy winners."
Conor McKenna was the game-changer, coming on for the second half and visibly lifting the previously limp Red Hands, but Jones noted that the Eglish man is just one of many threats that Tyrone pose:
"Conor McKenna is a quality player. He was one of the main men for Tyrone last year. He didn't start so I'm sure he was gunning to get on and prove what he's worth - and that's what he did.
"He's a man in there you have to watch, but Tyrone have quality footballers all over the pitch, so it's not like you can just mark a couple of them and let the rest have the ball - they all come at you in droves.
"That third quarter is what you would call 'the championship quarter' and that's when they really put the foot down and pushed on."
That's the task for Fermanagh now, to bounce back and make progress, and Jones believes they have the young players capable of doing so:
"Some of them are Hogan Cup winners, Josh, Brandon [Horan], Darragh [McGurn]'s in great shape - those boys have been proving themselves in training and they've no fear, they just go out there and get at it. The physical conditioning of those boys is brilliant.
"This was a taste of what's to come for those boys, they're still only early 20s and if they keep themselves eager and keen then they've a bright future ahead."
