By Michael McMullan

AFTER a tough league campaign blooding players, Derry’s win over London on Sunday was a welcome boost going into Sunday’s Ulster Junior final showdown with neighbours Antrim.

That’s the take of Oakleafers’ skipper Annie Crozier who insists that, while underdogs, they aren’t there to make up the numbers. There is a desire to win the Ulster title and bridge a seven-year gap from their 2018 final victory over the Saffrons.

“We’re absolutely delighted,” Crozier said of beating London. “That’s the game we targeted from the start of the year, so we’re just glad we got over the line. It gives us a wee bit of a lift going into the Ulster final.”

Half Derry’s team made their debut in the league. It’s a new start. Results were tough to take but, in many ways, it was a new beginning. There was the hope it would offer a helping hand when championship rolled around.

“It was just nice to see that, as a team, it clicked on Saturday,” she added. “Everything we’d been working on was coming together. It was nice to get the victory having seen that.”

The Derry club scene has been buzzing in recent seasons. More clubs have started ladies football. Ballinderry and Lavey both won Féile titles within years of inception.

Last autumn, Crozier’s own club Ballymaguigan ended a string of final defeats to land the senior title. She welcomes the freshness.

“It’s always been a struggle for numbers especially at the county set-ups, you’re trying to get girls out,” she adds, believing the talent is in the county. And it’s growing.

“When it comes to senior, it’s just hard getting the girls. Seeing now that there’s so many girls’ teams and so many girls playing football like it shouldn’t be an issue in a few years.

“Whenever you see the success of the u-14s, 16s, and minors coming up through, it’s exciting to see.

“It’s getting to a point where we have to restart, build it all from the start so it’s good. It’s refreshing.”

For now, it’s about the transition from minor players into senior. The same space and freedom afforded to the talented underage star is soon closed up.

“You’re not going to get moving or playing as easily whenever you’re a senior,” Crozier said. “It’s a completely different level.

“It’s about getting girls to find their feet and getting used to that style of play. We had the league then to get girls up through. Hopefully, as the championship goes on, we can build on that.”

In terms of Sunday, Antrim are a stiff test and were comfortable winners over Derry earlier in the competition.

Their eye for goal also helped them all the way to the Division Four title.

“We’re not there just to show up, just to make up numbers,” she said. “We’re obviously going out to try and win an Ulster title.

“I know Antrim are probably strong favourites and probably strong contenders for All-Ireland so it’s not going to be an easy battle but yeah we’ll go in and give it our all and we’ll see how it goes in the day.”