By Shaun Casey

STEELSTOWN know what winning in Ulster feels like and what it means. As recently as 2023, they were crowned Ulster Intermediate champions but the task this year for Thomas Cusack and his charges is a steep one.

They’re now stepping up to senior level, where they want to compete and really show their worth. The Derry champions surrendered their domestic title last season but were back in 2025 to reclaim the throne.

Making the climb to senior level isn’t always easy but Cusack insists his side are all looking forward to the challenge. They take on Lurgan of Cavan this weekend in the opening round, on their own home soil.

“Derry didn’t go up to senior until we won the Ulster Intermediate in 2023 and then we didn’t win the championship last year. Ballymaguigan beat us in the final, so this is our first year playing Senior Ulster,” said the Steelstown boss.

“This is where we want to be, this is the journey we’ve all been on. Everybody wants a challenge; the girls want to compete against the best and give it a shot. We’ve won the Derry Senior Championship, the shackles are off, it’s about going out and playing now.

“We have a home draw and any day there’s an Ulster game around the club there’s always a good buzz around the place; there’s always special memories formed when there’s an Ulster Championship game at your own club.”

That recent provincial history means the Brian Óg’s are going into the campaign with their eyes wide open. They’ve experienced the competition before and taking on last year’s beaten finalists will be a good barometer of where they are at.

“At intermediate level, we competed in Ulster a few times and travelled all around the country. That gives us the experience and we’re just hoping that experience will maybe pay off,” Cusack explained.

“It’s a different level now. Lurgan reached the Ulster final last year and they’re very strong. It’s a big test for the girls and I just hope that they can come up and meet it.”

Cusack admits that he doesn’t know a whole pile about the Cavan champions but credits his team with the knowhow and the game smarts to work things out on the field themselves, something they’ve done down through the years.

“To be honest we know very little about them so we’ll just have to see what happens on the day. The girls will have to work it out as well, we can’t be shouting on from the sideline,” he continued.

“Throughout the years, the girls have always worked things out themselves on the pitch, in terms of what way we’re playing and how we need to adjust. It’s a challenge and Lurgan probably don’t know a lot about us, so it goes two ways.”