Silly Goals Cost Derry

He wasn't happy three weeks ago when Derry suffered a four point defeat against Meath, and the mood of Derry hurling boss Brian McGilligan has brightened little after last weekend's NHL defeat to Kildare by an identical margin.

After the game against the Royals the Dunigiven man claimed that his Derry side were guilty of hurling "you would see U12s at". A harsh criticism that has reared its head once again in light of Saturday's reverse:

“This is one we left behind. A couple of bad mistakes cost us. The ’keeper was at fault for two of them, the corner-back was caught flat-footed, ball blocked down and it’s in the back of the net. It’s the basics, you wouldn’t do it at U12 hurling but a lot of these boys are not much older.”

Those U12s are getting a hard time of it!

Three goals conceded in a twelve minute period of the first half was the chief reason for this defeat. Having opened a six point lead early on, the Oakleafers were soon chasing a sizeable deficit that they couldn't claw back. "The couple of free goals in the first half tore the arse clean out of it”, said McGilligan; and you can't say fairer than that!

Derry were aided by a magnificent scoring haul of 13 points from Michael Kirkpatrick, and it is a match they should have won. Defeat however, consigns Derry to the lower reaches of Division 3A, with promotion hopes dashed. McGilligan though is happy to look towards bigger challenges later in the year:

"Overall I’m happy enough with the way we’re performing at the minute. We’re just trying to get it together for the Christy Ring Cup. We’re trying to get a settled team. In our minds we think we have a settled team but then you see boys showing well. The door’s not closed on anybody yet."

McGilligan will hope the silly mistakes so prevalent in Derry's previous two games will have been eradicated by the time the summer comes around.