RICHIE Mullan feels there is more depth to the Derry squad this season as they aim for an elusive first Christy Ring Cup title.
The centre-back will play in his third final in four seasons when they face Kildare on Sunday.
Offaly cruised to a 21-point in the 2021 decider. After giving Meath too much latitude 12 months ago, Derry’s comeback fell two points short.
Mullan thinks of Derry’s 2023 model leaning heavily on his older brother John and Cormac O’Doherty for scores. This season’s upgrade has been significant.
Underage star Ruairí Ó Mianáin has landed 3-30. Dara Mooney has also bagged three goals. John Mullan and Cahal Murray have each found the net twice. Wing forwards
Darragh McGilligan and Corey O’Reilly had used their wands to great effect. Christy McNaughton gives them something different. A strong focal point.
“The scores coming from everywhere through the 15,” said Mullan, himself tagging on 0-5 from defence.
He epitomises flexibility. As an U12, he was goalkeeper at Croke Park as Kevin Lynch’s took All-Ireland Féile honours before playing much of his hurling up front.
Now, stationed at centre-back, he sees the inner workings of Derry’s attack ebb and flow in front of him.
“It’s good to have that depth and the boys are adding that bit of quality. Whenever they come on, they always keep boys on their toes,” Mullan added.
“Our overall strength as a squad has definitely got a lot better depth. Last year, we were probably working with a panel of about 26 or 27, that’s with everyone fully available.”
Now, north of 30, the squad it gives the selectors food for thought. On match day, there are 26 viable options all expecting to play.
“Then you have likes of Ruairí (Ó Mianáin), who hasn’t been part of the group before,” Mullan added.
“He’s a breath of fresh air. He can do anything with the ball if you give him the right one. He’s definitely taken a bit of the burden off Cormac now.”
Derry’s early season was all about league placings and making sure they started 2025 in the third tier. They’ve ticked that box with the league silverware tucked away.
The Christy Ring Cup came into view and Derry laid one section of their pathway at a time with Croke Park tucked away in the background
“At the start of the year, we’re still probably a bit playing within ourselves but we’ve sort of got away from that the past couple of games,” Mullan said.
Defeat to Kildare left Derry playing knock-out hurling since. Beating London was a must. They needed to inflict a score fest on Sligo and hope London didn’t turn over Kildare in Ruislip. Derry kept their end of the deal and everything fell into place.
In terms of performances, the only blip in the season was a league draw in Wicklow when the Oak Leafers took squandermania to a whole new level. They missed enough to win two games. Even their league final win over Tyrone was a slog.
Now there the pieces of the engine are purring that bit easier. Ruairí Ó Mianáin playing up top gives another option.
Collectively, Derry needed to find the balance between first time hurling and taking an extra millisecond of poise before pulling the trigger.
“We’ve stepped up the intensity in training. So we’re moving the ball far sharper,” Mullan said.
Clinical is the word. The final pass they didn’t pick to create goals against Kildare appeared. Corey O’Reilly’s pass made the killer goal for Christy McNaughton to see off London was the perfect example.
Goalkeeper Oisin O’Doherty also added his two cents. Anyone bearing down on goal needed to go low.
“We scored four goals there against Sligo and I think every one of them hit the deck before they hit the net,” Mullan added.
“It’s one we’ve definitely worked on and got better at but I think there’s still a lot of room for improvement from everybody.”
One obvious area of focus this weekend is getting out of the blocks. Last year, Derry were seven down in last year’s final and later 13 points adrift before reaching for the gearstick.
Their comeback was a more aggressive version of gallant. It was full on but it was too late.
“You always had that feeling that we left ourselves too much work to do,” Mullan said of a game they’ve not delved into with any great depth.
“We didn’t perform in the first half last year and it ultimately cost us. So we need to make sure it doesn’t happen again.”