Damian McErlain wants Derry Minors to sharpen up

Ulster GAA Minor Football Championship Playoffs
Derry vs. Antrim,

Owenbeg,

Today, 1pm

DAMIAN McErlain is ready as the championship now gets real and it begins in earnest today when his side welcome Antrim for their minor football championship quarter final encounter. 
Derry wrapped up their group games with another convincing victory over Fermanagh on Saturday past, conceding just two points over the hour which again was a positive. 
However, while they hit 2-18 which again was a positive the fact they hit 19 wides and failed to take a number of goal chances still leaves work to be done with bigger teams lying in wait if the journey continues. 
“The positive again is defensively we have been very strong,” he said. 
“We have been very frustrated with our wide count not just against Fermanagh but in other games too, something we are working on. 
“Not taking the chances we have created, we had almost full possession there today for the full hour. 
“Against the bigger sides that will come back to bite you. We still have plenty to work on, only out of the group stages now.”
“I thought last week in Donegal in a tight game our execution was much better so hopefully that's the case when we are going full press.”
The league and then the four championship group games has offered McErlain a chance to have a look at his panel but still scratching the head to his team ahead of the knockout stages. 
“Are we one hundred percent fully settled on a side yet? The answer is no. We are still working through that, and lads still grabbing their opportunities. We have a strong panel and these games have given us the opportunity to try different lads. Some have not made the game day panel of twenty four yet who are working very hard at training but it is very difficult to get in there.”
Asked will the mindset of everyone change now as the group is done and dusted and they enter the real championship action. 
“The real thing starts, you could be out of the championship this time next week.” stated the Magherafelt man. 
“We need to ramp it up now, knockout football is much different. Certainly as a management and in training we will be ramping it up during the week, real focus now and no stone will be left unturned. If you don’t get it right you are out now.”
On the opposition who finished bottom of group B, Antrim had just a draw to show from their games, that coming in their opening game against Armagh. They suffered heavy defeats to Cavan and then the last day to Tyrone. 
“We played them earlier in the year in Celtic park, we are fairly familiar with them. They were missing a few lads the last day against Tyrone so they will be much stronger for this one.” 
The Derry boss will have to plan without midfielder Cathal McKaigue. The Slaughneil man looks likely to be a long term absentee as they wait news from a scan on his injury.  
“We are waiting on a scan to see the outcome and when we get that result we will know more and start to work on it. He is a bit away yet so we have to wait.”