By Michael McMullan

CHRISSY McKaigue is in favour of bringing back the Ulster senior hurling championship as a starting point to raise the level of the game at inter-county game in the province.

Speaking at the launch this this weekend’s AIB Ulster Club Final, the Sleacht Néill dual star also sees and amalgamated team in the All-Ireland ‘A’ College scene as another avenue in the growth of the game.

The last Ulster final took place in 2017, with Antrim winning a 16th successive title, but was shelved in favour a three-year trial of a tiered championship at Al-Ireland level – incorporating the Nicky Rackard, Lory Meagher, Joe McDonagh and Christy Ring Cups.

McKaigue, who won a Nicky Rackard Cup medal in 2017 and captained Derry in the Christy Ring Cup 12 months later, said that while he is longer playing inter-county hurling, it was a ‘sad day’ when provincial championship was taken away.

He ‘vividly’ recalls going to watch Ulster teams in the All-Ireland Quarter-Finals.

”They were massive days out, because you were getting to see an Ulster side in a game of real magnitude in Croke Park against a big team,” said McKaigue, who laments the loss of the Ulster Final at Casement Park.

“They were big days too because the winner of Ulster had the carrot of not only being an Ulster champion, but there is also the carrot of going to play in an All-Ireland quarter-final against one of the best teams in the country at that time.”

While no longer playing inter-county hurling he would be in favour of a return and ‘a lot of’ the player would be of the ‘same persuasion’.

Another development he would like to see is a return to a combined Ulster Schools’ team in the All-Ireland championship.

“I think that would be great. It would give the players and the management team the exposure of playing against the very, very best in the country,” said McKaigue, who won both Mageean and O’Keefe (All-Ireland ‘B’) titles with St Patrick’s Maghera, a feat repeated by his younger brother as captain.

“It (the ‘B’ All-Ireland) is great and it should be respected, but there is something to be said for being able to compete at the top grade, because that is where the real learnings can be sometimes.”

He admits to not being ‘an expert on the topic’, but is still well-placed to comment on the progress.

“I am talking here on past of experiences of playing school hurling and round my own club, where boys are playing (school hurling)…that would only be my opinion and I stand to be corrected on them.”