THE Mayo of Derry City and Strabane District Council, Alderman Graham Warke, last night hosted a civic reception for the Derry GAA minor team who won the 2020 All-Ireland title.

Due to COVID-19, the team had to wait until this past summer to take part in the delayed competition. They successfully claimed the Ulster championship title at the start of July when they defeated Monaghan by 1-15 to 0-15 in the final, and they secured the ultimate prize two weeks later when they overcame Kerry in the All-Ireland final on a scoreline of 2-12 to 1-14, with a dramatic late penalty from captain Matthew Downey securing the Tom Markham Cup.

It is just the fifth time in history that the Oakleaf county have won the All-Ireland minor title, with previous successes in 1965, 1983, 1989 and 2002.

Speaking at the reception, Mayor Warke said: “It was great to have the Derry GAA team in the Guildhall to mark their success of winning the 2020 All-Ireland minor title. It was a great achievement for the young men, their coaches, and their families, and I congratulated them on their victory. Hopefully they will enjoy more success in the years ahead.”

Patrick McGurk, who was part of the winning team, added: “It was a great achievement for us all. We didn’t really get our time to properly celebrate it and come together afterwards because of COVID, but to come to the Guildhall and to celebrate properly is what we needed. I haven’t seen some of the lads in a while so it’s great to have this opportunity.”

To view a video of the reception, visit the Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council Facebook or Twitter page.