Derry teams in National League double header this weekend

Following much discussion, clubs agreed that an Under 18/Junior development panel would be established to bring these players on and provide the basis for the current and future senior squads.   This team, taking part in the Division 3 league and Division 4 championship (Nancy Murray Cup), will be made up mostly of minors from the successful 2006 and 2007 All Ireland winning under 16 teams, supported with a number of nineteen and twenty year old players.  The County Minors are also playing in the A competition against teams like Kilkenny and Tipperary.

The main objective of the Junior management team of Donna and Emmet McCloskey, Shauna McCallion and Brendan Quigley is to help develop and bring through as many young players as possible over the next few years to help bolster our senior team as they aim for further glory and senior status.  “It is hoped that if extra attention and support is given to our girls at this stage in their county careers then it will only benefit Derry Camogie for years to come” says Donna McCloskey.

Kevin Kelly, Ulster Camogie Development Officer supports this approach and commends Derry Camogie for their foresight.  “This is a great opportunity for Derry Camogie to raise the level of camogie development in the County.  The girls have proved that they are more than capable of competing with the major camogie powers at underage level and this junior panel will only help to develop them for Senior Inter-County Camogie.  A lot of players step away from county camogie after minor level and there is no doubt that this approach will go far in keeping more of them involved.”

With husband and wife team, Padraig O’Mhianáin and Susan Uí Mhianáin remaining at the helm, Derry Seniors are preparing for their first match in this year’s National League Division II campaign, as they take on Wexford.  Following on from last year’s success in the All-Ireland Junior Championship, Derry would have been fancied to make an impression from the beginning, but the squad has been depleted by retirements and injuries, and Derry are going into Saturday’s game with less than half of last year’s winning team available.

“Preparations have not gone as well as would have been expected”, says co-manager Susan Uí Mhianáin. “A lot of the things that enabled the team to prepare properly in the last two seasons are just not available to us for various reasons, and training has been badly disrupted by difficulties in getting pitches. We have also been hit with a number of withdrawals from last year’s team, and other key players have suffered serious injuries that will keep them out of action for another month or so.”

“However, this gives other players a chance to show us what they can do, alongside the more established players, and we’ve had a number of additions to the panel who will be keen to get a regular position on the team. We faced a similar situation this time last year, with central players missing, and it proved to be the making of the team. We’re hopeful that the league will enable us to try out a few options, and we’re confident that the new players will step up to the mark.”  With the injuries, it is likely that Derry will be missing at least seven of the team that lined out in Croke Park in September.

The Derry Junior team line out against Offaly in the Division 3 league on Saturday.  This Offaly side will have noted Derry’s achievements in 2007 and will be all out to

The Derry games will be played as a double-header (Derry Seniors v Wexford and Derry Juniors v Offaly – venue and times to be confirmed.  Please check website and Irish News for details.