Derry minors fall to Wicklow despite spirited second-half revival

The Derry minor hurlers endured a difficult start to their Ulster Cup campaign on Sunday afternoon, falling to a far bigger and more physical Wicklow side in Darver, County Louth. The Garden County ran out convincing 1-21 to 1-12 winners, with a dominant first-half display proving decisive.

Wicklow’s inclusion adds a fourth team to the traditional Ulster hurling trio of Derry, Down and Antrim in a new-look premier tier of the provincial competition. The expansion is part of a broader restructuring of underage hurling in Ulster, with 14 teams competing across multiple grades this season alongside enhanced co-operation with the Leinster Council. 

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 features Fermanagh, Cavan and Monaghan, joined by Louth and Longford. Antrim will again compete in the Leinster Minor Championship while also fielding a second team in the Ulster Cup.

The top two teams in the premier tier will contest the provincial final, with the runner-up progressing to the Leinster Tier Two Minor Championship, which will take place later in the springtime.

Disappointment was the prevailing emotion in the Derry camp after the final whistle. A sluggish opening saw Wicklow surge into a 0-12 to 0-6 lead before Arklow’s Bill Connors struck for goal to extend their advantage to what proved an unassailable margin.

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The Oak Leafers responded immediately through a well-taken goal from St Finbarr's Máirtín Óg Bradley and produced a much-improved second-half display, but the deficit was too great to bridge as Wicklow closed out the game comfortably.

“It was a game of two halves. We just didn’t impose ourselves enough in the first half,” said Derry manager Danny McGrellis after the game on Sunday. "Our challenge games weren’t up to the pace we needed to be at to compete today, but we got to grips in the second half."

“There was a great response in the second half. It was an underwhelming first half, to say the least, but we showed great character to get back into the game and play the hurling we were trying to play. The changes we made off the bench had an impact, which is brilliant.”

It proved a punishing afternoon for the young Derry side, with Wicklow’s size and power a constant problem. To compound matters, talented Kevin Lynch’s duo, Dylan Irwin and Pearse Murphy, both picked up concerning injuries in the closing stages.

With fixtures arriving in quick succession, McGrellis has little time to dwell on the defeat, as Antrim, outright favourites for the competition, visit Owenbeg Centre of Excellence next week. The Swatragh man knows another slow start against the competition favourites would be costly.

Following the clash with the Saffrons, Derry will conclude their round-robin campaign with a trip to the Ards Peninsula to face Down, who were beaten by Antrim in Belfast on Sunday.

“This week we’ll be focusing on our injuries and seeing if we need to bring in replacements and get them up to speed,” McGrellis said. “We'll be putting a big focus on getting a good start rather than giving away a half."

“Antrim will bring a different challenge, and we’ll have to be ready. We can’t give them the start we gave Wicklow. We’ll need to be tighter and more physical, and we can’t allow them to play their slick hurling.”