By Michael McMullan

DERRY manager Johnny McGarvey said their focus is on a performance in Saturday’s Christy Ring Cup final but they must also embrace playing in Croke Park.

The Oakleafers are bidding to end their search for their first title in their fourth final in five seasons and the third during McGarvey’s tenure as manager.

After giving Meath a considerable head start in the 2023 final, Derry came up short after a roaring comeback and were beaten by Kildare in last year’s final.

Their league defeat to Kildare was their turning point of the season and the Lilly Whites have pushed on to reach the Joe McDonagh Cup final.

McGarvey saw enough in the Kildare performance to suggest this side had turned the corner and one-point defeat at the hands of Meath in the Christy Ring Cup group stage has been their only blemish so far.

“I suppose relief that we got back because I suppose the group’s tough every year,” the Derry boss said of returning to another final.

“We’re not really looking at it in terms of it’s a third final or anything. It’s a new panel, there is a 17-player turnover from the first year that I was here. It’s not really relevant.

“Even last year, we don’t really see that it’s relevant to this one. We’re taking this one as it comes. It’s a new team, it’s a new squad. We’re delighted to be in the final. We know we’ve a task on our hands now to get this done.”

Many of the Derry panel have played at Croke Park before in previous finals, with the county u-20s, in club or school action in HQ. It won’t be a novel setting on Saturday but McGarvey feels his side should use the iconic venue to energise their title bid.

“I think we need to embrace it,” he said. “I think as a youngster, running about and playing hurling, I think that’s what you want. You want to play in Croke Park and you want to win with your county and your club and all the rest of it.

“If you play soccer in England, you want to play in Wembley. If you play for Barcelona, you want to play in the Nou Camp. If you play hurling Derry, you want to play in Croke Park. So no, we’ll embrace the fact that it’s CrokePark and just can’t wait to get there.”