DERRY must simply take “the hard with the soft” after Wednesday night’s Ulster U-20s penalty shootout final, insists manager Hugh McGrath.
Facing an undefeated Tyrone side, Derry looked to have done enough to win a first title since 2018.
A goal from Ryan McNicholl looked to have been enough to put Derry on the path to victory only for Ruairi McHugh to score a Tyrone goal before compatriot Conor Owens curled in the equalizer.
In the shootout, Derry saw their first three kicks saved by goalkeeper Conor McAneney as Tyrone sealed a fourth Ulster title in six seasons.
“In Derry as a county we have been on the right side of penalties before and sometimes you just have to take the hard with the soft,” said a kindly Oakleaf boss.
McGrath lamented the way his side took the game after controlling key periods, but paid tribute to Tyrone for the way they continued to recover.
He was not involved in any debate around McHugh’s goal when he appeared to be on the spot before Cormac Devlin sent the ball past him.
-“Look, there’s controversy in every decision, you just have to go with it,” McGrath said. “I have to admit I haven’t really seen if there’s a problem with any of them, but we need to listen more.
“We have to be focused throughout and that’s what good teams can do, the first goal they scored was a carbon copy of the last one, able to cut in from the right.”
On a night when Derry were without defender James Murray, arguably their player of the season, due to an injury sustained at the weekend, McGrath was “immensely proud” of his team.
“To think that there are only three or four who will not be in this group next year is incredible,” he said, highlighting the courage, determination and talent of his team.
“Other guys stood up,” McGrath added. “Ronan Walls came in and played really well. Fionn (McEldowney) and Smallsy (Rory Small), the twin towers in the back, were excellent.
“Throughout the game you have to raise your hand and say you’re proud of everything they did.
“They couldn’t finish the job tonight, but there’s no doubt this group will be back at some point.”
