Derry Ladies aiming to make it back-to-back victories

Derry head to Donagh on Sunday (2pm) aiming to make it back-to-back victories and build on their impressive showing against London at the weekend.

Captain Joanne Corr led her county out on to her home pitch in Ballymaguigan on Sunday afternoon against London hoping to get their All-Ireland campaign off to the perfect start. The joy was plain to see when she spoke after a superb team performance as they came out on top 1-15 to 1-6.

Just under 12 months ago they had lost to the same opposition in London by 11 points and two weeks ago they came away from Augher after a heavy defeat to Fermanagh in the Ulster final. It was little wonder it was all smiles among the Derry players as they soaked up the victory, which have been few and far between, this only their third in the championship since they won the Ulster title in 2018, their last was in 2021 over Antrim.

“It has been a long time coming,” said the Ballymaguigan girl, adding: “We have been going through the years never getting the wins, we knew we had to put the shoulders to the wheel today and delighted to have got the victory.”

“We didn’t show up at all [in the Ulster final], we came here today to put in a performance but also we believed we could win.”

London led at the break 1-5 to 0-6, Derry having much more of the possession but failed to make it count with a number of missed opportunities. However, their plan was working as it kept London at bay, but it was all about making it click at the other end as they re-emerged for the second half.

“We set up different and particularly in that first half to keep the scoreline at a minimum but then in the second half we really pushed on.

“The scoreline at half time didn’t reflect our performance, so we needed to step up, be patient in the forwards and make things happen and credit to our forwards they stepped it up.”

Stepped up they did, as they won the second half 1-9 to 0-1 to run out nine point winners.

Big step up

Caoimhe O'Kane takes a shot during the weekend victory over London at Ballymaguigan. (Photos: Tom Heaney, nwpresspics)

The performance overall was much better with the whole structure of the team much more solid. Ciara McGurk at centre back strengthened them down the middle while Caoimhe O'Kane had an outstanding game, while up front the return of Orla McGeough and inclusion of Cara Donnelly andEmma Doherty was excellent throughout and is the player who will string the passes around.

For Corr, that last outing against the Ernsiders did not make for great watching when she looked back on the game.

"I got to half time and I could watch no more, I switched it off, it was not a powerful watch," she admitted.

A game though, the Ballymaguigan girl knows was far from what her side are capable of producing and that they did not turn up in that game

"We didn't do any of the things we had talked about, it was just one of those days where nothing was working or happening for us. In the league we lost by four points and possibly surprised them a little but in the championship, we never turned up."

Fermanagh, are a goal hungry team and showed that with six the last day. They have so much quality in the likes of Blaithin Bogue, Eimear Smyth and Lisa Maguire.

"We know what we are expecting from them this time, know their strong players, the way they will set up and the way they will play, we just need to be ready and play to our best and see what happens."

Derry must keep it tight and cut out offering Fermanagh goal opportunities. They will again be without Aoife McGough through the injury she picked up in the Ulster final. At the other end they wasted opportunities in the first half and left a number of goals behind them in the final too, they will need to be more clinical. They were in the second half against London hitting 1-9, more of the same and they can ask questions of hot favourites Fermanagh.

"We need to take the positives from the London game and build on it now starting on Sunday," added Corr.