Hurlers Look for Final Chance

It's been something of a topsy-turvy 2009 season for Derry's hurlers. After a decent start to the Division 3 NHL campaign, promotion was not forthcoming following a run of disappointing results. The Christy Ring Cup also came and went with a loss to Kerry swiftly following a facile victory over Wicklow. But Brian McGilligan's side still have a chance to save their season in this weekend's Ulster SHC semi-final against Down.

All year, the Dungiven man has lamented his side's inability to defend effectively, and the shipping of big tallies has led to inevitable defeats. After an NHL defeat to Kildare in March McGilligan claimed that "the couple of free goals in the first half tore the arse clean out of it”; following defeat to Kerry in the Christy Ring Cup three weeks ago he made a similar observation saying that after "a couple of silly mistakes and a couple of bad goals, the backside just fell out of it".

There appears to be a problem in the region of the derriere!

Ironically, against London in the Ulster quarter-final it was Derry who relied on a flurry of goals to see off a strong exile challenge (4-10 to 3-12). But Brian still wasn't happy:

"We wouldn’t win a Nicky Rackard on that performance. It was the worst I’ve seen from a Derry team for a long number of years. We were just very lucky to get the goals at the right time."

It's no surprise then that he feels Derry need to show a big improvement to overcome the Mournemen:

"It's going to be a mighty hard task. On the London performance, not a chance."

In Thursday's Irish News, he even goes so far as to say that Derry will need "a miracle" to beat Down. That's one way of getting the player's fired up!

If Derry do manage to win they will set up an Ulster Final clash with Antrim, who will no doubt be fresh after their short-lived appearance in the Leinster SHC.