By Michael McMullan

RORY Gallagher wants Derry to “make an impact” on the Ulster Championship this season, but there more pressing matters on the horizon.

The Oakleafers will play the winners of All-Ireland champions Tyrone and Gallagher’s native Fermanagh, in the championship, a game he says is the long-term target.

“Right now, none of that is relevant to us. We want to be much better than we were last year,” he said.

Derry welcome Monaghan to Owenbeg for Friday’s McKenna Cup opener.

“We want to improve our squad, we want to play at a higher level and we want to produce higher quality performances,” he added.

Gallagher’s real target is their opening two NFL games, a home clash with James McCartan’s Down and a trip to Offaly, who have added former Kerry star Tomás Ó Sé to their backroom team.

That takes them into the break, which will be followed by Cork’s visit to Owenbeg.

Gallagher spoke of serious improvement in the Derry camp last season ahead of their championship clash with Donegal, a game they lost by virtue of Patrick McBrearty’s 74th minute winner.

“We were so disappointed because was expected to play better and we expected to win,” he said, with the benefit of a winter of reflection.

“You wouldn’t be disappointed if you lose and you are not good enough and I believe it is a game we left behind us given the way we controlled for large parts of it.

“The key for me and everybody involved in the setup is to really knuckle down and improve. I believe that playing at a higher level than Division Three, no disrespect to it, will give us a better opportunity to improve, providing we do everything right.”

Looking ahead to Friday and the start of the season, Derry won’t be able to call on their Sleacht Néill hurling contingent who continue their All-Ireland preparations, while Steelstown duo Ben McCarron and Donncha Gilmore’s priority is Sunday’s Ulster clash with Moortown.

“We have been focusing on the other players a lot more,” said the Derry boss. “It’s about integrating them all back in. To be fair to the Sleacht Néill hurlers, they have been about a bit since we came back and pre-season is about getting bodies right.”

Gallagher confirmed Anton Tohill’s inclusion in the panel, while there is also a call up for Magherafelt’s Shane Heavron who last featured in the 2016 season under Damian Barton.

Enda Downey, Aidan McCluskey and Jack Scullion have been called up from last year’s u-20 crop, leaving the squad sitting around the 40 mark.

Mark Doherty, Lachlan Murray, Eoin McEvoy, Dan Higgins, Calum and Matthew Downey join Donncha Gilmore from the 2020 All-Ireland minor winning team.

“I am happy (with the panel), there are a number of the younger lads in there,” said Gallagher. “Some of them are still at school, but they are in an out of it so they are getting a wee taste of it. We may look at trimming it slightly, but all the players that we want to have in, we have in.”