Newtownbutler Manager Darren Chapman feels that his side are more relaxed and playing with a little less pressure on them since winning the Fermanagh Championship, which lifts the First Fermanaghs out of the Junior Championship and into Intermediate for 2023.

And he believes that showed in their performance on Sunday as they thumped Antrim champions Na Pirasaigh to secure their spot in the Ulster JFC semi-finals against Cavan side, Drumlane.

“I said after the Championship final that my overriding emotion was relief because we had been carrying the ‘favourites’ tag all year, and that weighed heavily upon us, particularly the first day we played Aghadrumsee.

“But I did feel that in the three weeks leading up to the Ulster Club game, that people were a little bit more relaxed and the quality of the training was higher, and we prepared very well on the back of that,” he said.

And those preparations paid off as Newtown produced an excellent first half display to put the game to bed by the break as they raced into a 3-08 to 0-04 advantage.

“We had prepared very diligently for the game and we had a very defined game plan which the boys executed almost perfectly in the first half, when we got huge dividends of that, which really pleased me.

“We got ragged in the second half and lost our shape a bit, but we were so far in front it was very hard for players to keep that disciplined structure to things. But I would be very happy with the first half,” he said.

Part of that game plan was to put pressure on Na Piarsaigh high up the pitch, and that reaped its rewards on the day.

“That was one of the cornerstones of our game plan – putting them under as much pressure as we could on the ball to try and force those turnovers. We had 14 offensive turnovers in the first half, and we scored very heavily off those turnovers, and ultimately that is what won the game,” he added.

Ryan Carson rolled back the years for the First Fermanaghs with a vintage display at full forward, and Chapman feels that Carson’s experience is also vital in helping to progress the young players they have coming through.

“It is experience in the dressing room, it is experience in the weeks leading up to a big game, at training, and then he leads by example on the field and it just makes it easier for the young lads to follow.

“He is revered by the younger lads in the squad, and when he is in form it just gives them that little bit of comfort in knowing that he is there, and he brings the best out of the other guys,” explained Chapman.

And now Newtown are one step away from an Ulster final, and Chapman is eager for them to grab that opportunity.

“It is a huge opportunity for us to reach our first Ulster Club final and the players are really looking forward to the challenge.

“We really believe that if we perform at the levels we are capable of, we can really take the opportunity to get into the final.”

However, he stresses that it is going to take an improved performance if they are to go through to the decider.

“Sunday’s performance, while it was pleasing in some aspects, will not be good enough.

“From reviewing the video, there is an awful lot of room for improvement – which is good –and we will be reinforcing that with the guys for the next two weeks,” he concluded.