Derry prepare to move on

NO boisterousness in the Derry dressingroom. The first foothill of this summer's journey had been covered successfully. No point in planting the flag at some spot where you don't intend to dwell.

Gary Coleman, who has rehabilitated himself after a period of distracting turbulence, was quietly pleased both with the unfolding of the game and his own growth as a full back. The early, robust exchanges will fade from the memory before the bruises vanish from the flesh.

"We were expecting that after last year. I thought maybe we'd react a bit quicker, it took us a while to start. We fought back well though. But they battered away till the very end. Maybe if they had scored their penalty towards the end it would have been interesting.

"I was playing out a bit in the first half. Playing deep and running in. In the second half they just converted me to a full back. I was happy with the way I played. Good team performance.

"The goal we scored started at corner back with Kieran McKeever and went the length of the field. It was a good goal. We played well enough. It was a typical Ulster game.

Joe Brolly hadn't enjoyed an afternoon of flowing possession and easy scores. Rather, Colm Hanratty had shackled himself to him. Yet he scooted away to score 1-2. Critical scores.

"He's an excellent player, Hanratty. Sooner or later the chance will come, though, and you have to be alert. A four and a half year old child with bad eyesight could have scored the goal that I scored. That killed them though.

"We were genuinely surprised at their performance in the first hall, they had obviously worked hard at changing their style. There was some fear and trepidation in the dressingroom at half time. The goal reawakened doubts that they must have had since last year.

"Championship football is attrition and that's what we did. We set a pace that they stayed with for 50 minutes. Then they dropped away. We know that we are a lot more seasoned and experienced, but if you don't make these things work for you it's irrelevant. It's a job done. I presume now the Tyrone defence will be lining up to butcher me in the semi final."

Henry Downey had suffered early on as the robust Ger Houlahan nipped a couple of early points and suggested that he might make hay. Downey recovered his composure quickly, though. Henry is always at the heart of this team.

Brian Mullins isn't a man to skip about delightedly, but his face registered the contentment of a man seeing work yield results.

"Impressions? We are through to the second round. I'm happy. I wasn't surprised early on. Championship football is like that. I was a bit taken aback that Armagh seemed to be getting into the game very freely. Their first few attacks the scores went over.

"You don't usually get that in championship was concerned at that coming too easy. In championship you take the scores whatever way they come. Not too concerned. Went in at half time evens."

Mullins was quietly happy with the performance of Gary Coleman at full back. Innovation paying off.

The referee?

"No comment. Not on the record. Plenty off it.

"Physically we are on course. You don't know how things will go mentally. Every match is 50-50. A two horse race.

"Anything can happen. Every year there are shocks. I think we are on course, but sometimes it is too late when you realise you aren't on course."

Over and out from Brian Mullins then until June 30th.