DERRY’S championship resources have been strengthened by the return of the experienced Sean Leo McGoldrick to the panel.
The Coleraine man hasn’t played for the county since the final National League game of 2016 against Armagh, and hasn’t played championship since the previous July’s defeat by Galway.
McGoldrick, one of seven siblings that have all represented Derry at senior level in football, hurling or camogie, returned to training on Tuesday night.
“Sean Leo has given tremendous service to Derry for many years and that’s experience any panel in the country would welcome,” said manager Damian McErlain.
“Sean Leo indicated that he couldn’t commit to our National League panel for personal reasons which we fully respected. His circumstances have now changed and this enables him to join our panel.”
Having made his inter-county debut in 2008, he holds a League winner’s medal from that year, and he developed into one of the country’s best wing-backs at a stage.
He had played right up until he opted out ahead of the 2017 season due to work and family commitments.
The 31-year-old wasn’t expected to return this campaign, but his reintroduction will add a welcome dash of experience to McErlain’s youthful Oak Leaf corps.
They are due to face the winners of the preliminary round clash of Donegal and Cavan in their Ulster opener, hoping to improve on a spring that saw them relegated to Division Four.
