By Niall McCoy

DERRY manager Rory Gallagher has said that Sunday’s Ulster Championship quarter-final with Armagh is the chance for Shane McGuigan and Niall Loughlin to announce themselves on the national stage.

Sleacht Néill forward McGuigan has come to prominence over the last couple of seasons having represented his club with distinction in both football and hurling whilst also leading the Derry attack. Gallagher believes that there is more to come, and he thinks that Greenlough’s Loughlin can join him McGuigan as an elite forward.

“A spread of scorers is great but I’d love if we had a spread of scorers and Shane was kicking 1-10 on top of it,” said Gallagher.

“It doesn’t always happen and I think to be brutally honest you’re going nowhere without marquee forwards. Forwards who can win you big games and in clutch moments deliver big scores.

“I think in Shane and Niall Loughlin we have that. I think they’re looking forward to announcing themselves on the inter-county stage.

“Shane has obviously delivered massively at club level and he has had a good run now with the county.

“I remember seeing Niall as a young player playing minor and u-21 and he had a good year for Derry (2017) before he went to Australia for a couple of years.

“He had been brilliant in training back in December but he picked up a back injury and he only got back to start the Cork game. But he has made a big impact.”

Loughlin missed last week’s Division Three victory over Offaly, but he will be fit to play at Celtic Park. Gallagher is hopeful that he will have a full squad available for the contest, or close to anyway.

“We’ll feel that we will be very close to full strength,” he said.

“Karl McKaigue got injured playing in the hurling championship (with Sleacht Néill) and he is going to be out until probably next February or March.

“We left off Emmett Bradley and Niall Loughlin at the weekend for minor wee niggles, they’ll be fine. Shea Downey is on his way back, he’ll be in the squad. We’re hopeful for Jack Doherty. He went off for Glen, Maghera and he has been training on his own and hasn’t engaged fully.”