Derry hurlers aim to build on Nicky Rackard Cup success

DERRY senior hurlers will look to build on last year’s success in winning the Nicky Rackard Cup when they play Armagh in the opening round of the Guinness Ulster SHC in Casement Park on Sunday.

The Oak Leaf County last won the provincial championship in 2001, while Armagh have yet to inscribe their name on a cup being played for since 2000. Hurling would be very much the poor relation in both counties but, according to Derry PRO Gerry Donnelly, “as long as we have people interested in the game we’ll play it.

“I’ve got to be very realistic here and say, barring some kind of miracle, Derry will never be up there with the likes of Cork, Kilkenny and Tipperary when it comes to hurling.

“There is an enormous amount of promotional work being done in the county for the game and we have hundreds of youngsters playing, but the standard is poor and doesn’t look like improving in the immediate future. The premier counties I have mentioned continue to push the boat out further every year and are always looking to improve their standards. We won the Nicky Rackard Cup last year which was a magnificent achievement for the county.

“It gives us the opportunity to compete in the Christy Ring Cup this year, but as regards ever winning the Liam MacCarthy Cup, we can forget it. The gap in standards is far too wide for us to bridge. We’ll settle for competing at our own level”.

On paper Armagh appear no match for Derry. While hurling in the Orchard County is promoted by a separate county board which is doing all it can to keep the game alive, there is a huge gap in standards between them and Sunday’s opponents.