Allianz National Football League

Round 1: Sunday 28 January, Doire v An Iarmhí, Owenbeg (2.30pm)*

Round 2: Sunday 4 February, An Longfort v Doire, Pearse Park (2.00pm)

Round 3: Sunday 11 February, Doire v Uíbh Fhailí, Celtic Park (2.00pm)

Round 4: Saturday 24 February, Fear Manach v Doire, Brewster Park (7.00pm)

Round 5: Saturday 3 March, Ard Mhacha v Doire, Armagh (7.00pm)

Round 6: Sunday 11 March, Doire v Loch Garman, Owenbeg (2.00pm)

Round 7: Sunday 25 March, Sligeach v Doire, Markievicz Park (3.00pm)

Allianz National Hurling League

Round 1: Sunday 28 January, Doire v An Dún, Owenbeg (12.30pm)*

Round 2: Sunday 4 February, Dún na nGall v Doire, Letterkenny (12.30pm)

Round 3: Sunday 18 February, Doire v Maigh Eo, Celtic Park (2.00pm)

Round 4: Sunday 25 February, Doire v Ard Mhacha, Owenbeg (2.00pm)

Round 5: Sunday 4 March, Cill Mhantáin v Doire, Aughrim (2.30pm)

*Hurling and Football Double Header

Throw-in at Croke Park is 1.15pm. Live coverage on TG4 from 12.45pm

1-Oran Hartin-Limavady

2-Oran McGill-Glen

3-Conor McCluskey-Magherafelt

4-Sean McKeever-Dungiven

5-Simon McErlain-Magherafelt

6-Padraig McGrogan-Newbridge

7-Conleth McShane-Bellaghy

8-Oisin McWilliams-Swatragh

9-Dara Rafferty-Drumsurn

10-Paddy Quigg-Kilrea

11-Richie Mullan-Dungiven

12-Martin Bradley-Ballinascreen

13-Ben McCarron-Steelstown

14-Lorcan McWilliams-Swatragh

15-Mark McGrogan-Newbridge

16-Odhran Lynch-Magherafelt

17-Callum Brown-Limavady

18-Declan Cassidy-Bellaghy

19-Jon Paul Devlin-Ballinascreen

20-Tiarnan McHugh-Drumsurn

21-Fergal Mortimer-Craigbane

22-Conor Quinn-Bellaghy

23-Odhran Quinn-Bellaghy

24-Matthew Smyth-Ballinderry

25-Alex Doherty-Glen

26-Damon Gallagher-Bellaghy

27-Peadar McLaughlin-Kilrea

28-Cormac Murphy-Magherafelt

29-Ryan Scullion-Ballinascreen

30-Lorcan Spier-Bellaghy

31-Tiarnan Walsh-Swatragh

Derry GAA are pleased to announce that Damian McErlain has been appointed as Derry senior football manager for a three year term.

The coaching personnel on the new management team will include Killian Conlan, Gavin McGeehan and former Derry goalkeeper, Barry Gillis.

Over the past decade, through their work with our minor and other underage squads, Damian and his team have demonstrated their ability and commitment to creating an environment which helps players achieve their potential.

We look forward to working in partnership with the new senior management team as they help progress Derry inter-county football into the future.

Derry senior football manager Damian McErlain commented:

On behalf of myself and the management team, we are delighted and honoured to be entrusted with working with our county’s senior footballers for the next three years.

We are massively looking forward to working with the county’s best players and the other stakeholders involved in creating the environment to fulfil the potential that’s within Derry football.

We know the talent that exists within the county and we’ve developed three strong minor teams to further bolster that. We now need to ensure that we have the right environment for the players to develop further.

We’ve a big couple of weeks ahead with the All-Ireland minor final to look forward to, and we’ll get down to work with the senior job once that occasion has passed. Until then it’s all about Derry minors trying to win an All-Ireland title and nothing else.

Throw-in at Croke Park is 2pm. Live coverage on TG4

1-Oran Hartin-Limavady
2-Oran McGill-Glen
3-Conor McCluskey-Magherafelt
4-Sean McKeever-Dungiven
5-Simon McErlain-Magherafelt
6- Padraig McGrogan (c)-Newbridge
7-Conleth McShane-Bellaghy
8- Oisin McWilliams-Swatragh
9- Dara Rafferty-Drumsurn
10-Paddy Quigg-Kilrea
11-Richie Mullan-Dungiven
12- Odhran Quinn-Bellaghy
13-Ben McCarron-Steelstown
14-Lorcan McWilliams-Swatragh
15- Mark McGrogan-Newbridge
16-Odhran Lynch-Magherafelt
17-Martin Bradley-Ballinascreen
18-Callum Brown-Limavady
19- Declan Cassidy-Bellaghy
20-J.P. Devlin-Ballinascreen
21- Tiarnan McHugh-Drumsurn
22-Fergal Mortimer-Craigbane
23-Conor Quinn-Bellaghy
24- Matthew Smyth-Ballinderry
25- Alex Doherty-Glen
26-Damon Gallagher-Bellaghy
27-Peadar McLaughlin-Kilrea
28-Cormac Murphy-Magherafelt
29-Ryan Scullion-Ballinascreen
30-Lorcan Spier-Bellaghy
31- Tiarnan Walsh-Swatragh

Throw-in at Semple Stadium is 4pm, live coverage on TG4

The division 2 finals took place in Celtic park with Swatragh defeating Na Magha in the shield final and Omagh St Endas defeating Kevin Lynch H.C in the cup final. There were some fantastic players on show for all 4 clubs. Derry senior hurler Alan Grant presented the trophies to the captains of the victorious Swatragh and Omagh teams.

Finally in the division 3 finals Ballerin, Drum and Castledawson played off a 3 way competition for the title. In tough weather conditions Ballerin defeated the host team, Drum in the final to win the first ever hurling silverware for the club. It is fantastic to see new clubs participating in hurling and great credit must go to the coaches and volunteers in these clubs for the work they are doing to promote and develop the game.

The under 12 go league has been running every Wednesday throughout the spromg and summer months, giving players regular games and an opportuity to develop their skills. All the coaches working in the clubs at this level deserve great credit for the standard of hurlers being produced across the county.

1-Oran Hartin-Limavady
2-Oran McGill-Glen
3-Conor McCluskey-Magherafelt
4-Sean McKeever-Dungiven
5-Simon McErlain-Magherafelt
6-Dara Rafferty-Drumsurn
7-Conleth McShane-Bellaghy
8-Padraig McGrogan (c)-Newbridge
9-Oisin McWilliams-Swatragh
10-Paddy Quigg-Kilrea
11-Richie Mullan-Dungiven
12-Declan Cassidy-Bellaghy
13-Ben McCarron-Steelstown
14-Tiarnan McHugh-Drumsurn
15-Cormac Murphy-Magherafelt
16-Odhran Lynch-Magherafelt
17-Martin Bradley-Ballinascreen
18-Callum Brown-Limavady
19-Alex Doherty-Glen
20-Mark McGrogan-Newbridge
21-Fergal Mortimer-Craigbane
22-Conor Quinn-Bellaghy
23-Odhran Quinn-Bellaghy
24-Tiarnan Walsh-Swatragh
25-J.P. Devlin-Ballinascreen
26-Damon Gallagher-Bellaghy
27-Peadar McLaughlin-Kilrea
28-Lorcan McWilliams-Swatragh
29-Ryan Scullion-Ballinascreen
30-Matthew Smyth-Ballinderry
31-Lorcan Spier-Bellaghy

Ulster Minor Football Final

DERRY 1-22 CAVAN 2-12

By Steven Doherty at Clones

Derry claimed their second Ulster Minor Football title in three years after defeating Cavan by four points at St Tiernach’s Park in Clones.

Despite losing captain Paddy Meade (to injury) and midfielder James Smith (to a black card) Cavan trailed by just four at the break, running in 0-14 to 1-7 down.

But confident Derry, with captain and man of the match Padraig McGrogan sweeping in the second half, never looked in any real danger as they cruised to victory with McGrogan lifting the Fr Murray Cup.

Come from behind wins over Monaghan and Down reunited Cavan and Derry in a repeat of the 2015 final which Damian McErlain’s team won narrowly. Derry’s campaign this year included victories over Tyrone and Antrim as the Oakleafers looked to make amends for last year’s final defeat at the hands of Donegal.

Derry repeated their early blitz against Antrim and raced to a 0-4 to no score lead after just five breathless minutes. Paddy Quigg opened the scoring before a Conleth McShane point was sandwiched by scores apiece by the McWilliams twins Lorcan and Oisin.

Cavan responded superbly when midfielder James Smith countered swiftly before burying the ball past Oran Hartin for the only goal of the half. A Cian Madden point straight after signalled that Derry, despite their early dominance, were very much in a contest.

Stung into action the favourites volleyed back impressively, hitting seven of the next eight points including a brace from Bellaghy’s Declan Cassidy. But once again Cavan fought back and finished the half the stronger. Patrick Lynch hit the first Breffni point for ten minutes in the 20th minute, but that was soon followed up by white flags from Cian Madden, Tiarnan Reilly and a couple of clinkers from the impressive Philip Rogers.

Two rapid fire score from Oisin Pierson left Cavan just two adrift shortly after the restart.

But after that Derry took control, and the introduction of the athletic Callum Brown was their catalyst with the Limavady man’s high fielding ability and his direct running.

Ben McCarron, Paddy Quigg and Declan Cassidy continued as they left off in the first half and found important scores for their side, before Cavan found a crucial lifeline through a palmed Philip Rogers goal in the 42nd minute. A neat Lorcan McWilliams point soon after stretched the Oakleaf lead to 0-19 to 2-9 with ten to go.

A Ben McCarron goal, Derry’s only major, would prove to be the key score of the second half in the 52nd minute.

Cavan battled right to end, with Oisin Pierson and John Cooke adding late scores, before points from substitutes Alex Doherty and Fergal Mortimer wrapped things up for the new Ulster champions – Derry.

Scorers for Derry: Lorcan McWilliams 0-6 (0-3f), Ben McCarron 1-3, Paddy Quigg 0-4 (0-1f), Declan Cassidy 0-3, Conleth McShane 0-1, Padraig McGrogan 0-1, Tiarnan McHugh 0-1, Alex Doherty 0-1, Fergal Mortimer 0-1, Oisin McWilliams 0-1f

Scorers for Cavan: Philip Rogers 1-2, Oisin Pierson 0-4 (0-2f), James Smith 1-0, Cian Madden 0-2, Patrick Lynch 0-1, Cian Madden 0-1, Tiarnan Reilly 0-1, John Cooke 0-1

Derry: Oran Hartin, Oran McGill, Conor McCluskey Sean McKeever, Simon McErlain, Dara Rafferty, Conleth McShane, Padraig McGrogan, Oisin McWilliams, Patrick Quigg, Richie Mullan, Declan Cassidy, Ben McCarron, Lorcan McWilliams, Mark McGrogan. Subs: Tiarnan McHugh for M McGrogan (HT), Callum Brown for R Mullan (HT), Alex Doherty for O McGill (39), Martin Bradley for D Cassidy (47), Fergal Mortimer for P Quigg (55), Cormac Murphy for B McCarron (57)

Cavan: Gary O’Rourke, Evaan Fortune, Paddy Meade, Killian Brady, Danny Cusack, Cormac Timoney, Kevin Hendrick, Ronan Patterson, James Smith, Oisin Kiernan, Cian Madden, Philip Rogers, Oisin Pierson, Patrick Lynch, Sean Keogan. Subs: John Cooke for P Meade (21), Tiarnan Reilly for J Smith (BC 24), Philip Nulty for K Hendrick (39), Niall McCabe for S Keogan (49), Callum Lynch for O Kiernan (51)

Referee: Martin McNally (Monaghan)

Fresh from a second Ulster title in three years, the Derry minor management have dedicated their latest victory to one of Club Derry’s greatest stalwarts.

Miceál Ahern, treasurer of Club Derry for over a decade, has been battling illness of late and was at the forefront of Damian McErlain’s mind as he reflected on his side’s Clones triumph.

“People may know Miceál as the voice of Celtic Park and Owenbeg though his PA work but we know him best as someone utterly dedicated to the difficult task of fundraising,” said McErlain speaking to DerryGAA.ie.

“Days like this don’t happen without the work of people like Miceál Ahern,” he added.

Ahern, a native of Clonakilty in West Cork, was awarded with an honorary county championship medal at Club Derry’s BBQ event on Friday past, a night hosted to raise funds for the county’s minor football panel.

Known throughout the county for his work with the county’s fundraising committee, Ahern is a passionate advocate of all aspects of Gaelic sport and culture, a person who embodies the very essence of a dedicated GAA volunteer, and a tremendous source of positivity at all times.

“On behalf of the playing panel and management team I’d like to wish Miceál and his family well,” said McErlain.

“That one was for him.”