Pete McGrath expressed satisfaction with Fermanagh's fitness after they progressed to the McKenna Cup semi-final.
Despite suffering a one-point loss to Donegal in Ballyshannon, the Ernemen qualified for a last-four joust with neighbours Cavan on Wednesday night by virtue of their superior scoring difference.
"We have used 29-30 players over the three matches, a number of whom are new to inter-county football. So we have had an enormous benefit from the McKenna Cup. We now have a semi-final. That'll bring the team on further and everything is geared to our first game against Louth in the National League," the Fermanagh manager told the Irish Times.
"We have more work done than Donegal. I told the players at half-time that fitness would be a telling factor in the last 10 or 15 minutes. As the game wore on, the work we have done on the training field over the last couple of months came to the fore on a heavy pitch.
"Donegal had Neil Gallagher in the middle of the field; they had Christy Toye. They had Frank McGlynn at centre half-back. That's a very strong triangle. Experienced men; physical men. We struggled against that but we were better in the second half."
Tweet