Derry Minors seek to bounce back against Roscommon in All Ireland last eight
Electric Ireland All Ireland Minor Football Quarter-Final
Derry minor manager Kieran Glackin has urged his players to set aside their Ulster Final disappointment and seize the opportunity in front of them when they take on Connacht champions, Roscommon in Saturday's All Ireland quarter-final in Breffni Park.
A blistering 15 minute spell from Tyrone at the start of the second half ended Derry's provincial dreams in Letterkenny last Friday but Glackin believes his squad has enough character to bounce back against a Rossies team who defeated Galway in Tuam to clinch the Connacht title.
"We met up again on Sunday and got right back into training this week," explained Glackin, "Of course everyone was very disappointed with our second half performance in the Ulster final but we explained that there was still a big opportunity ahead of them.
"We couldn't get too down and in fairness the boys didn't. They've then have been training hard this week to get ready. This was always the prize for reaching an Ulster final, that there was still an avenue for you no matter what.
"And that's what we talked about. We put it into real terms for the players as to where they were sitting. They're in an All Ireland quarter-final, one of the last eight teams in Ireland, so this is a serious opportunity and we need to try and keep moving forward."
Roscommon enjoyed a superb Connacht championship, twice defeating Galway en route to a title that was one leg of an unprecedented hat-trick for the county following similar success at senior and U20 level. However that provincial final success came on May 8th meaning it has been five weeks without a competitive game for the Rossies.
"Roscommon are unbeaten in Connacht," added the Oak Leaf boss, "They strolled through the Connacht championship but had a tighter final. The scoreline was tight but they were quite comfortable winners in the final in my eyes.
"We played them in a challenge match way back in February so we know they're a good team with a lot of good players, a team who will fancy themselves as a very, very strong group. We have to concentrate on getting our own performance right and making sure we bring the level of performance we're capable of on Saturday."
Derry came through tough games against Down, Cavan and Donegal to reach last week's final and Glackin is confident his players won't allow one disappointment to define their season.
"The lads have come through a really hard road," he added, "They worked really, really hard to get to the final. There was never an inevitability that we were going to be in the Ulster Final, they boys put the effort in and earned it, so they cannot allow that one period in last week's game define their season.
"We're hopeful they will be up and at it again, and confident enough in themselves to bounce back and bring a performance on Saturday."