By Michael McMullan

WHILE their 11-point humbling at the hands of Galway in the March’s League clash was “massively tough” it “refocused” Derry ahead of their Anglo Celt winning campaign insists Chrissy McKaigue.

The defeat ended Derry’s promotion hopes, but it was the manner of the defeat that struck the main chords in the camp.

“It was an unbelievably sore thing at that stage, but when you look back in hindsight, it refocused us,” said McKaigue, who pointed to a “scattered” pre-season with Glen and Sleacht Néill’s extended club seasons.

McKaigue, Brendan Rogers and Shane McGuigan were back on Derry duty in their league opener against Down a week after their club hurling exit to Ballygunner.

“We never really played well in the League,” said McKaigue, who will make his 113th Derry senior appearance in Saturday’s rematch with Galway in the All-Ireland semi-final.

“It was only after the League, when we began to prepare properly that you saw our best performances and in many ways it was that preparation before the League is what is driving us now. It is so diligent, so professional, so driven and we haven’t looked back since.”

The four-week gap gave Derry the “best preparation” for the All-Ireland series after coming down from elation of winning the Ulster Championship.

“It gave us a real chance of getting our house in order and that was probably reflective of the performance against Clare, albeit it wasn’t perfect, but it gave us the best chance and then another two weeks to the All-Ireland semi-final.”

McKaigue insists that being competitive is the number one priority in any game regardless of the opponents, something they failed with in their League meeting.

He said Derry are “very gracious” to have earned the right to face “a serious side” in the last four of the race to get their hands on the Sam Maguire Cup.

“We are also very ambitious and aware of the challenge that lies ahead,” he added. “It is going to be a serious battle, but at the same time, as a sportsperson, this is the arena you want to be in, I pull no punches and Galway will be exactly the same, so may the best team win.”

Derry are Ulster Champions for the first time in 24 years, ending a period of underachievement at senior level.

McKaigue puts their recent success down to a number of factors, highlighting the county’s success at underage level, while hailing the work done in schools and clubs over the last decade and beyond.

Naming the litany of underage starlets coming into the senior panel, the Derry skipper references their success in the past.

“They are all there for a reason,” he said of their inclusion on Rory Gallagher’s senior squad, with 16 of the 30 players graduating from the last eight years that brought eight Ulster minor final appearances, three Ulster and one All-Ireland title.

“We needed a signature win at senior level, but I’d like to think now with the ambition in this county and the quality of people and player that that wouldn’t be an isolated occurrence,” McKaigue added.

In many teams, across different clubs and counties, young blood brings freshness, something McKaigue agrees with and cites belief as another important factor.

“They are going up against players now they have gone up against at underage and beaten. They don’t carry any baggage and serious quality along with it, so for me that’s it,” he said.

“They want to be inter-county senior footballers for Derry. It’s not the most important thing in their life, but is one of the most important in their lives.

“For me, that’s what it takes,” McKaigue adds. “You definitely can’t cut it at this level if you are not unbelievably dedicated towards doing it and those are driven to play for Derry. To me, that gives me energy because I think for too long Derry senior footballers have not been of that wavelength and that’s been reflective of the lack of success.”