Focus shifts to All-Ireland for Derry insists McGoldrick

The highly anticipated tough contest between Derry and Down in the NWP Recycling Ulster Senior Championship Final never materialised in a wet Owenbeg on Saturday such was the sheer dominance of the Derry team who retained the Senior title. Derry were eager to avoid the troubles of 2012 as they narrowly defeated Down in the Ulster Senior Semi-Final last year.

The final scoreline of 5-15 to 0-02 will be difficult to take for the Down side but Derry captain Gráinne McGoldrick believes that the Down side are equipped to bounce back and look towards a Premier Junior title . “Down have some fantastic players and I think they have missed some players through injuries and other reasons and I think they are still a force to be reckoned with and I think there’s an All-Ireland Premier Junior title there for them when they get everyone available”.

Eoghan Rua forward McGoldrick was expecting a tough battle and with the conditions on Saturday she was impressed by the character of her side in a home Ulster Final . “We are the sort of team who likes a big pitch with dry conditions and 23 degrees heat but you don’t often get that! We have been doing a lot of strength and condition and whilst the girls may not look overly strong there is plenty of strength in the panel and we also have plenty of running machines and that combination worked well today in those tough conditions”.

Derry now go into the All-Ireland Senior Championship this coming weekend with a game against Clare on Saturday and Gráinne believes the Derry squad are well equipped for the Senior Championship . “The Clare game is one we have been looking forward to and I think we will be able to compete well with them. We have to now focus on that game and its onwards and upwards from here”.