Tyrone go into Sunday’s Ulster U20 Final against neighbours Derry as underdogs and according to Darragh Canavan they will have to play better than they have done in the championship to date if they are to beat the holders.
In the opening round they led Down by ten at the break and had the wind to come in the second half but in the end they just managed to limp over the line with two points to spare.
Last weekend they hit the opening four points against Cavan and that proved to be the margin of victory but according to the son of Red Hand legend Peter, they have plenty of work still to do.
“It was all about the win last weekend,” said Darragh.
“We scraped through in the first round against Down and we weren’t at our best against Cavan either so hopefully there is a half decent performance still in us. It was great to getting playing in Clones especially before the senior game as there was a massive crowd and it was a real good experience for all the lads. You don’t know how many days that you are going to get like this and we definitely enjoyed it, it was a good win.
“I think that we made it hard enough for ourselves at times as we kicked a lot of ball away and a lot of ball wide or short and that is something that we will have to work on before the final with Derry.
“That display won’t be good enough in an Ulster final I think so we have things to work on still yet although it’s the best way for us to be going into the final and no matter how you play there is always room for improvement.”
Two years ago Derry reached the last ever All Ireland U18 minor final and while they ended up well beaten by Kerry that day, a number of their players added Ulster U20 medals to their collection twelve months ago.
Darragh has experienced defeat against Derry in the championship in the past and knows how difficult it will be against a side who were favourites for the Ulster title before a ball was kicked.
“As minors we lost to them in the championship so we are well aware of how good they are and how difficult that they will be to beat,” said Darragh.
“They also have the experience of winning this title last season and that will stand to them but we will knuckle down at training this week and prepare as best as we can for the challenge and hopefully we will get the win.”
Centre half forward Darragh kicked three wonderful points from play as well as one from a free in last weekend’s 0-13 to 0-9 success over Cavan but typically he heaped praise on the rest of his teammates including Peter Og McCartan and Michael Conroy who both came off the bench to score a brace of points each.
“Peter Og and Michael came on definitely added something and that is the good thing about this squad, its much more than the starting fifteen,” he said.
“All of the twenty four play their part whether they are on the field or not, supporting the boys before the game and at half-time, telling us what we are doing right and what we are doing wrong and its just wonderful to be part of it all.”
