MAGHERAFELT lost their Derry Senior Championship title last year as Sleacht Néill beat them in the final, but according to one player the club are developing and improving and looking forward to trying to make a tilt at winning back the title.

The O’Donovan Rossa club have returned to collective training and they are keen to work hard to get back to the decider later this year.

For Conor McCluskey though, it is not going to be easy.

“The Derry Championship is always very difficult. There are easily six teams who could win it every year. It is a challenge and it is one that you look forward and you relish. It is hard to get past the first game such is the competitive nature of it.

“There could be surprises. Lavey are coming through. Glen are always pushing. Sleacht Néill and Ballinderry have championship pedigree. Coleraine are recent winners as well. So it is very competitive.”

After a long winter of isolated training, McCluskey said that getting back to collective training was a relief.

“You have to do what you can to keep yourself ticking over. The element of the unknown made it hard to stay motivated.

“The past three or four weeks that we have been out it has been great to be on the field, and to train together. The social element of it has been a big part of it too.”

The goals for Magherafelt are simple according to McCluskey.

Last season they reached the county final but were unable to defend their title and lost to Sleacht Néill.

“They were very controlled and measured and they knew how to dictate the game. Hopefully we will be able to bounce back from last year.

“The management have taken it as this is a new year and a fresh start. There has been no talk of last year.”

McCluskey said that he’s put the loss out of his mind.

“Sadly it is not my first final defeat so you just have to take it in your stride. You have to look forward to the next year.”

Magherafelt will want to get back to a county final but doing that is difficult. Could there be changes to the team for the 2021 campaign?

“There are always going to be new players coming in, there will be dips in form, and boys will come into form. So things will always be changing. I wouldn’t be surprised to see changes on the team to freshen things up but I can’t say for certain what will happen.”

McCluskey has his own goals for the campaign ahead.

“I would like to contribute more on the scoreboard. I know I am a defender and that is my primary focus. I have to look after my man. The forwards are doing a lot of work for us now so we also have to ease the scoring burden on them as well.”

He does think that they can improve this year.

“Last year was another year of championship experience so that will help. It helps build the team’s togetherness.

“We didn’t win but we didn’t go backwards massively. Every year changes, and every year you have to evolve if you want to stay around the top, especially in Derry when it is so competitive.”