Funston wants AIL campaign to be club’s number one priority

City of Derry skipper David Funston believes this season will make their AIL Division Two A campaign their number one priority.
City of Derry captain David Funston is hoping for AIL success this season for the Judges Road men. INLS4213-175KMCity of Derry captain David Funston is hoping for AIL success this season for the Judges Road men. INLS4213-175KM
City of Derry captain David Funston is hoping for AIL success this season for the Judges Road men. INLS4213-175KM

The Judges Road men travel to Rainey Old Boys and Funston is looking for a positive start to their season.

“I think we have to manage our games a bit better this year and really focus just on the All Ireland and not so much on the Ulster League,” he admitted.

“I think in recent years that we have given too much in the Ulster League and to be honest it’s for nothing, so I think our goal this year, which it is every year, is to do well in the All Ireland but I think taking a backward step in the Ulster League is what is needed.

“We need to keep guys fit because we don’t have the squad to rotate the way we would like to, so I think if we can keep everyone fit for All Ireland games and really put all our focus on that, I feel that’s what’s going to be key.”

The flanker knows he and his team-mates aren’t going to get everything their own way this weekend and they’ll have to be at their best if they harbour a positive result.

“I’m confident that we’ll get off to a winning start, but it certainly won’t be easy,” he admitted. “Any sort of AIL game is always going to be difficult and if you don’t play at your best you are going to struggle, so we need to play well at Rainey.

“We have some new faces and we have lost quite a few players but we still have a good core of players and we are just sort of light in back up for some positions, we don’t have the depth in the squad that we did have last season.

“Nevertheless we’ll still have a good 20 man squad travelling to Rainey on Saturday and if we can stay injury free this season then I’m pretty confident that we’ll do well again.”

Funston also conceded that the return of Richard McCarter is boost for the squad, however he like everyone at the club is disappointed that Simon Logue will be missing for a few months after suffering a leg break recently. “Having Richard back is massive for us, because his control and game management is first class so to have him back this season is brilliant.

“Obviously Simon Logue’s broken leg is unfortunate and is a massive loss for us but we still have Chris Barber to come back in and hopefully he’s going to be fit in the next three or four weeks, so he’ll be a great guy to come back, so we are getting guys back.

“Chris Cooper is another guy who has been out for a while but hopefully over the next couple of weeks he’ll make 
an appearance.”

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