Meenagh confident Derry can get back to winning ways

Derry manager Ciarán Meenagh highlights the importance of rebuilding confidence in the squad.

Speaking after the county’s first win since a 2025 All-Ireland group game victory over Westmeath, Meenagh also spoke of his bond with the group of Derry players.

“It's nice to be back in Owenbeg every night at training and it's nice to be back on the sideline with the lads in front of me,” he said after Derry’s 2-16 to 0-7 victory over Antrim.

Meenagh came in under Damian McErlain in 2019 as Derry climbed back from Divisions Four before staying on when Rory Gallagher stayed on as manager the following season.

“Four glorious years” followed as Derry won back-to-back Ulster titles while climbing back to the top rung in the league.

“I've said before in interviews, I loved those players and that love never died,” he said.

“The opportunity came up. I certainly didn't think that that was going to be the case.

“I served two good years in Down and really, really enjoyed it, served with people that I've massive respect for and feel I've learned from as well.

"I thought when the opportunity came up, it was ultimately the players who wanted myself to build a management team.

“When you have that, you start off in a position of strength. Add all that into the concoction with the fact of all my memories and everything that I have here, it was too good to resist.”

Derry face Meath at Croke Park on Saturday week as the league kicks into action with the visit of Tyrone to Celtic Park a week later. That’s the main focus, but there is a more simplistic target – building confidence.

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“That's the reality of it when you lose so many games over a period of time,” he said.

“The talent is here. There's a lot of very good players who are unbelievably committed but getting these players back to winning ways, and with that confidence coming, I think that can come. But that's going to just take a wee bit of time.

"That's just not going to happen overnight, but it can happen as part of a process.

“I'm pretty confident that I have the buy-in of the players and I'm pretty confident the players, like myself, and the management team, see the bigger picture with all.

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“So yeah, we're confident in time that we can go back to winning ways.”