Mark Connolly 'desperate' to win league title with Derry City

​The experienced centre-half made just 18 starts in all competitions during a year where he tore his hamstring and ruptured his ankle ligaments.

However, that frustration has fuelled his desire to make amends this year and he's returned to preseason looking in top condition having spent much of the close season in the gym.

Daily ice baths and strength work has kept his focus during the past couple of months and the Monaghan man reckons he's now in 'a good place' with less than one month before the Candy Stripes kick-off their campaign at home to Drogheda United.

The 32-year-old former Wolves and Dundee defender will be a key cog in the wheel of any potential title charge this season and he feels he's given himself the best possible opportunity to reach peak physical fitness with his dedicated off-season programme.

"Last year with injuries it wasn't where I wanted to be," he said. "I spoke with the manager at the end of the season and told him I wanted to be fit for preseason and look after myself.

"It was a frustrating year last year. I moved up here and wanted to win stuff and be on the pitch every week. Last year that wasn't to be the case so this year I made that my priority to be ready to go this season. So far I feel good and strong and there's still plenty of time to get stronger and fitter. So far I'm in a good place.

"The older you get you have to be more aware of what you're doing so it was in my head to make sure I came back as fit as I could and I feel I'm in a good place to give myself the best chance this season to mainly stay away from injuries and stay fit.

"I'm feeling stronger and fitter and I've been flat out in the gym," he revealed. "It's just a few changes but I'm really sticking at the gym and keeping an eye on what I'm eating. I needed to keep a routine," he explained.

"With injuries last year it was so mentally draining. I always felt if I stay injury-free I have good seasons.

"The first season I was with Dundalk and here I stayed injury free and didn't miss any games other than through suspensions. I felt I was at my best and getting picked for Team of the Year and Player of the Year. The next season when you're injured you're just frustrated and thinking to yourself 'I never gave myself a chance'.

"I was always trying to play catch-up and it might've been one good game but for another few games you're not fit to go again. This year I feel I'm giving myself a better opportunity and I'm just so desperate to win the league because I know how much pressure is on all of us and the manager this year. I'm just trying to do everything as well as I can.

"I just had to do it. I wanted to back it up and I feel in a much better position now than I did a year ago so that gives me a great opportunity to be on the pitch and help out as much as I can because it's a massive season for all of us at the club. We just want to win stuff. We have a brilliant squad and we all want to win stuff for this football club."

Derry's second pre-season friendly against Sligo Rovers at the Showgrounds ended 5-4 to the Bit O’Red with Pat Hoban (twice) and Daniel Kelly both on target,

Connolly will have been disappointed to concede five as a defender but it’s about getting as many minutes under his belt as possible before the season opener.

"Thankfully we have loads of games to get our match fitness and to be fair all the boys are looking fit and strong coming back and it's all about topping up on the match fitness for us all really.

"Ideally you want the weather to be a lot warmer but that's one of those things in January you just have to deal with whatever's there and get that fitness in the legs.

"You can do all the running in training but it's the match fitness and movements in games that's so important. So the more games we have the better and it will help us for the rest of the season.”