Derry minor hurlers looking forward to Ulster Minor Cup campaign

The Derry minor hurlers begin their Ulster Minor Cup campaign this Friday evening when they face Wicklow in Darver in the opening round of a newly expanded competition.

Danny McGrellis’ side enter a slightly reformatted tournament following Wicklow’s inclusion, bringing the minor premier grade to four teams. Alongside traditional Ulster hurling counties Antrim, Down and Derry, the Garden County joins the competition this year, a move underlining the strong working relationship between Leinster and Ulster GAA.

The expansion forms part of a broader shift in underage hurling structures within the province. Fourteen teams in total will compete across multiple grades this season. At Tier Two level, known as the Ulster Shield, Derry and Down will field B teams alongside Tyrone, Armagh and Donegal. Meanwhile, the development league will feature Fermanagh, Cavan and Monaghan joined by Louth and Longford.

Antrim will again compete in the Leinster Minor Championship while fielding a second team in the Ulster Cup. The top two teams in the group will contest the provincial decider, with the runner-up progressing into the Leinster Tier Two Minor Championship.

Last year saw Danny McGrellis’ side narrowly miss out on a final place on scoring difference after a dramatic campaign. A thrilling draw with Down ultimately allowed the Mourne men to advance to the decider against a star-studded Antrim side.

Looking ahead to this year’s competition, McGrellis is eager for his players to test themselves in meaningful fixtures, welcoming Wicklow’s addition as a major positive.

“We’re looking forward to the competition. Challenge games are grand, but there’s a safety net within them. We’re excited to see whether the balance of the team is working this year between the under-16s who have come in and the under-17s who were there from last year.

“It’s great to have Wicklow in it and have that extra game because all these lads want to do is play competitive games as often as possible, and having the extra team allows us to have that extra game at a higher level.”

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The panel carries a strong Kevin Lynch’s backbone following the club’s Derry minor championship success late last year. Thirteen Dungiven players feature in the squad, with Anton Farren, Conan Gillan and Cathair Mullan all tipped for big seasons. Two Mageean Cup-winning St Patrick’s Maghera players are also included: Slaughtneil’s Fionn Wallace and Swatragh’s Eoghan Smith.

McGrellis has been delighted with the group’s application since preparations began late last year. In recent seasons, Derry GAA has invested heavily in strengthening its player pathway, focusing on growing participation and building depth for senior hurling in the county.

For the management team, the objective is clear: develop players both on and off the pitch and use the provincial campaign as a foundation for long-term progress.

“We started back a little later this year, but the lads have worked really hard, and they are all developing really well as hurlers, and they are making great bonds as teammates. It’s a great group; they are all very eager, and they want to learn and get better. They are a pleasure to work with and are always looking to improve as much as possible.”

“Our hopes for this year are to develop and improve each player and give them a platform to learn the standards that are required for inter-county level hurling. We want to be competitive in every game we play and try to get as many of these boys through to the under-20 level as we possibly can. By doing that it will hopefully allow Derry to build stronger teams for the future.”

Derry Minor Hurling Squad 2026: Ben Haran, Cathair Mullan, Conan Gillan, Conor McCloskey, Darragh Kealey, James Og Kane, Ruairi Haran, Anton Farren, Dylan Irwin, Peadar Kelly, Aidan Kelly, Pearse Murphy, Charlie O’Kane (all Kevin Lynch), Killian Doyle Kennedy, Eoghan Murray, Eoin McGuigan, Fionn Connery, Odhran Clark, Ryan McKenna (all Ballinascreen), Ben Douglas, Cody McCullagh, Liam O’Kane, Sean O’Neill, Callum McLaughlin, Padraig Campbell (all Banagher), Ciaran Crawford, Davin Hassan, Eoghan Smith, Karl Friel, Shea Kearney (all Swatragh), Cathal Duggan, Johnny McKenna, Sean McPake (all Lavey), Fionn Wallace (Slaughtneil), Cormac O’Kane, Mairtin Bradley (St Finbarrs), and Dara Cassidy (Setanta).