Kielt says Derry have set realistic goals

ACCORDING to Derry camog Karen Kielt, the Oak Leafers are not feeling sorry for themselves after watching their neighbours and rivals enjoying successful runs in the championship.

The Ulster Camogie season was limited due to the odd 2020 Covid-restricted season as Antrim and Down reached the Intermediate final.

Derry could only watch on as Down took the title.

Kielt said: “Last year was fairly disappointing, we were put out by Meath in the All-Ireland quarter-final, who were a better team on the day, so we have no complaints.

“Currently Down and Antrim would be the strongest teams in Ulster, and I suppose that’s disappointing for us, but that’s sport.”

But with a new management and no changes to a squad that was strengthened last season, Kielt says that she and her team-mates feel that they can improve on what was a frustrating year.

“Derry have gone through dominant years and have been the team to beat in Ulster so we know there’s no point feeling sorry for ourselves. We still have quality camogie players in the panel and a fairly strong club scene in the county.”

Kielt will remember the glory days of 2014 and 2015 when they won back-to-back Ulster titles. Down have been the dominant team of late while Antrim look like they are a force to be reckoned with as their youthful team proved to have maturity as well.

According to Kielt, it’s too soon to write off her and her team-mates.

“There are plenty of new faces. We haven’t lost any players that finished last season. Derry are on a bit of a rebuild, so we’ve added new players, and new members of management team.

“Paddy Downey and Collette Darragh have joined the management team.

“Going by last year it was great to see Shannon Kearney and Céat McEldowney out playing. That was their first proper year playing senior county and obviously both are more than fit for that level.

“Then obviously you’re looking at girls that have been around for years, players like Grainne McNicholl, Aine McAllister, Megan Kerr, Aoife Ni Chaiside.”

However, she did not make any grand statements about winning big in 2021. As they are a work in progress, she said that their goals were more modest.

“Of course we would love to win an Ulster or All-Ireland, it’s why you play sport at the end of the day, but I think realistically this year, it’s to get everyone playing together, working hard, training hard, becoming better camogie players and competing hard at intermediate level and in every game we play.”

Preparations for the 2021 campaign have been restricted and everyone is training on their own at the moment. Kielt says she can’t wait to join up with her team-mates.

“I am really looking forward to getting back training in a group setting, it’s why we play team sport, so of course it’s nice going back to train as a group.

“Like most other club and county teams we were working away by ourselves, on strength and conditioning programs and running programs, then just trying to get a bit of ball work when you can. Anthony Begley has been doing the strength and conditioning work.”

Ciaran Cunningham is back as county manager and Kielt says he’s been in regular contact.

“The majority of players have worked with him before, I think that helps because it’s not a brand new manager trying to communicate via WhatsApp messages.

“We haven’t met in a group setting, so like all teams at the minute everything is just being done via WhatsApp. So I’m sure the management and backroom team can’t wait to get us back onto the training field.”

And Kielt added that the structure of the season, which will run along the same format as last year, is another reason to be positive.

“I really enjoyed the split-season last year. From a player perspective it’s far better. Obviously the main concern would be county and club clashing over fixtures.

“I don’t think any county player should be put into a position to miss club games.

“It’s not fair on them or the club. There are injury concerns when players are training or playing games five or six times per week.”