Derry minor manager Damien McErlain praises his new Ulster minor champions for handling weight of expectation

Sunday's 0-12 to 1-07 victory in Healy Park was Derry's first successful defence of the Ulster minor football title since 1990 and only the fifth time in history the county has managed the feat. It also adds to McErlain's own remarkable record which has seen the Magherafelt native lead his county's minors to provincial finals in each of his five seasons in charge – winning four of them!

“It’s first class. Ulster titles are never easy won, they’re never just handed out," smiled the delighted Derry manager, "Every minor team is a different team. You have to build from start to finish. But I’m absolutely delighted.

"You would be devastated if you lose this match. Of this group there are four or five boys with back to back medals. It’s a brilliant experience for all the players and I’m so proud of them. They work very, very hard. They do whatever is asked of them."

As reigning All Ireland minor champions McErlain acknowledged that Derry have had a target on their backs since the season started but expectations only grew when the 'Class of '24' lifted the league title and defeated final opponents Armagh by 17 points in the group stages. McErlain knows championship football is never that straightforward and said he was fully aware Armagh would be vastly improved from their 'off day' in Owenbeg.

"Everybody said it would be us would win it and that’s a difficult mantle to carry," added the Derry manager, "It takes a good team to carry that and go on and win the championship. There was no complacency there. We knew how hard we had to work.

“Armagh is a good well-conditioned, well coached proper side. There were no surprises at all for us about how good they’d be. The danger is you might think you can score 3-19 every game and it’s another glory day. But our boys understand the game, about how tough it can be and the depths you have to go to to win these matches.

“Omagh is such a big pitch. We felt that we were taking the ball standing a fair bit and not really causing them a threat. And a couple of chances we got in the first half when we cut through them and had half goal chances, but we probably didn’t do enough of that.“The key thing in these games is not to give the ball away and give the opposition energy. We’re pleased with the composure and maturity we showed."

Derry's victory tees up an All Ireland quarter-final against Leinster runners-up Dublin in two weeks' time but despite their shock defeat to Longford last Monday, McErlain stressed you can never underestimate any Dublin team.

“The All Ireland series is a totally different animal. It’s like a restart button. You have three more championship matches if you're very lucky. Look we play Dublin now – it doesn’t get any tougher than that.

“Dublin have a lot of pace. We were down at their game on Monday and they had the opportunity to kill the match in the first 15/20 minutes and didn’t do it. Longford hung in and hung in and got their just desserts at the finish.

“But Dublin – the pick they have, the athleticism they have – they’re a difficult assignment. There isn’t any complacency there from us – you know you’re playing Dublin and there shouldn’t be any complacency.”