As Charles Dickens said in a ‘Tale of Two Cities’ it was ‘the best of times and the worst of times’.

And that is how it turned out for Declan Bonner and Erne Gaels as they were totally overrun by a rampant Scotstown team who showed why they have been one of the best club sides in Ulster over the past eight years.

But, apart from the difference in power and pedigree, the Gaels looked like a side who were still coming to terms with the sad passing of Mark Lyons-one of their greatest sporting legends.

For Bonner, it has also been a roller coaster time as he reflected on a week of triumph and tragedy.

“It has been a very difficult nine or ten days and a bit surreal in terms of what happened, and it has rocked the whole community," he said.

“From the highs of winning the first county championship in 43 years to Mark’s sad passing, it had a huge effect on the whole group.”

But Bonner was not using tragedy as an excuse for a very flat display in the first-half.

“Scotstown are a serious outfit and we have needed serious energy and a serious display to come anywhere near them.

“I thought we were very lethargic in the first half, and we were struggling on our own kick-outs, and we knew they would come with a serious press and that is what they did.

"But we improved a bit in the second half. It will be some game between them and Kilcoo next week."

Bonner agreed that the game was sealed after Scotstown posted 0-10 in the first fifteen minutes.

“We could just not get our hand on the ball, and they have serious physicality around the middle third.

“We paid the price and we did not bring the energy we had throughout the Fermanagh campaign and Scotstown are All-Ireland.”

But it has still been a great season for Bonner and Belleek.

“You have to praise the players for the serious effort they put in all year," he added.

“The club and committee have been great to us since we came in- in January.

“The lads bought in and it is disappointing to lose but all credit to Ryan Lyons for lining out in the most difficult of circumstances.

“But to win a first title in 43 years is great and there is a good nucleus there, but the energy just wasn’t there today and the lads, who are very honest will be disappointed by that.

“It was very difficult but we thought we might be more competitive but it was just not to be.

“But we have great memories of 2024 with a first title in 43 years and that is wonderful for the whole community, and you saw the joy and the sorrow and the pride in this most close-knit of places.”