Derry captain Oisin McCloskey says his players must react to the ‘kick up the backside’ they received in Sunday’s close call against Tyrone.
The Oak Leafers went into the Ulster Hurling Shield final as hot favourites, but struggled to shake off their tenacious opponents, winning in the end by five points to secure a return to the Senior Championship in 2018.
But for the accurate striking of Ruairi Convery, who scored 12 points, a major shock could have unfolded at Pairc Eire Og in Carrickmore.
“This gave us a serious kick up the backside and we’ll be working hard this week to get ready for Louth,” said McCloskey, as Collie McGurk’s side turn their attentions to Saturday’s Nicky Rackard Cup opener.
McCloskey admitted that complacency may have played a part in Derry’s failure to establish control of the game.
Tyrone, who play their league hurling at a lower level, showed no fear and were in contention right up to the closing stages, after a Justy Kelly goal brought them to within three points with five minutes to play.
“It was a serious match, and I suppose there was a touch of complacency, if we’re honest about it.
“We need to speed up our hurling. We know of we play a fast enough brand of hurling, we can win these matches. We should be winning these matches.”
Derry are targeting the Nicky Rackard Cup, but face a tough group that includes Armagh and this weekend’s opponents Louth.
“The target is to win it. Armagh are playing well by all accounts, so we know we have to raise it another few gears yet.”
While disappointed with his side’s performance, Banagher clubman McCloskey was not surprised by the quality of Tyrone’s display in the Shield decider.
The Red Hands brought a high level of intensity to the contest, and had their own ace finisher in Damien Casey, who struck ten points, several of them from deep inside his own half.
“We knew what Tyrone are like, they’re a dogged team, always are, and they brought us back down to earth.
“In the second half if was a 50-50 match, but thankfully we upped it a gear and did enough to get through.
“They hurled well, they were more than a match for us, and better than us for long spells of the game. We were glad to get out of it with a win.”
The game was hanging in the balance, with the scores level, when Gerald Bradley broke through for a Derry goal on 48 minutes.
That score gave the Oak Leafers a lead they never lost, and a vital cushion as they closed the game out.
“The goal probably made the difference in the end,” said Bradley, who also paid tribute to veteran Convery, whose clinical conversion of frees, as well as a delightful sideline cut score, kept the score-board ticking in spite of Derry’s struggle to find fluency.
“A lot of those frees weren’t easy, and they made the difference. We were delighted just to get out of there and back up into the Senior Championship.”
