Owenbeg base can 'make a massive difference' to Derry City fortunes says Tiernan Lynch

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TIERNAN Lynch believes Derry City Football Club's agreement with Derry GAA to use Owenbeg Centre of Excellence as its temporary training hub this season can 'make a massive difference' to the Brandywell club's fortunes.

Derry City was given the green light to use the state-of-the-art facility at a meeting of the GAA's Central Council in Croke Park on Saturday - a decision Lynch described as 'unbelievable' as he continues preparations for the opening of the 2025 Airtricity League season next month.

It's a significant coup for the Candy Stripes who have been pulled from pillar to post when it comes to attaining training pitches in the Derry City and Strabane District Council area over the years and Lynch reckons this decision will help 'develop the club's levels of professionalism'.

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Owenbeg will be a 'one-stop shop' for the football club as it comprises four grass and one 4G training pitches, a strength and conditioning gym, physiotherapy suite and first aid rooms as well as full canteen facilities and conference rooms which Lynch believes will help create an environment and culture of high performance.

Derry City FC will train at Owenbeg GAA Centre of Excellence, Dungiven this season.Derry City FC will train at Owenbeg GAA Centre of Excellence, Dungiven this season.
Derry City FC will train at Owenbeg GAA Centre of Excellence, Dungiven this season.

Lynch was 'blown away' by the Oak Leaf Centre of Excellence and Derry GAA's resources at the venue which Derry City is expected to have full access to from as early as next week.

Indeed, the new arrangement will permit Derry City weekly access on Monday to Thursday mornings, meaning no GAA activity is impacted.

While the Brandywell-based outfit continues to explore the potential of building its planned training academy at the Templemore Sports Complex site with ongoing discussions with Council taking place, this temporary partnership with Derry GAA is the perfect scenario for the club.

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"It's unbelievable for us," said Lynch who returned home to the news following a week-long training camp in Cork with the squad.

Derry City manager Tiernan Lynch is delighted to be using Owenbeg as a training base this season.Derry City manager Tiernan Lynch is delighted to be using Owenbeg as a training base this season.
Derry City manager Tiernan Lynch is delighted to be using Owenbeg as a training base this season.

"I just think Derry City as a football club and the size of the club, it needs a base. It needs a centre. Obviously the plans are in place now to build our own and you wish you were going into your own centre, your own training facility but that's all a work in progress.

"I know Philip [O'Doherty] and the club are working really hard behind the scenes to make that happen and I think that's going to happen in the not-too-distant future.

"In the meantime, to have our own base and somewhere we can work out of and help develop our levels of professionalism, I think it's going to make a massive difference to us."

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The ability for all their needs to be catered under the one house in an environment which binds the team together and develops professionalism was vitally important to Lynch who oversaw the growth of Larne Football Club's training base which ultimately proved the catalyst for success at Inver Park.

"I think for any full-time professional club, you need to make sure you have the facilities,” continued the City boss. “You need to give the players every opportunity to perform at their maximum.

"You need to be able to spend time together, every single day whether that's training on the pitch, analysis, gym work, the psychological work we want to do with the players or whether it's just sitting having a bit of lunch together or a cup of coffee, building relationships, spending time together. I think you need a base to do that. Thankfully we now have that.

"The location is not necessarily the big thing in this. The big thing is the actual facility and having our own base and somewhere to go to every single day. I'm hoping that makes a massive difference to us."

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