Skipper thrilled with cup victory

The skipper conceded the four week enforced break due to the inclement weather meant they struggled, particularly in the first half of their AIB Junior Cup semi-final tie.

"It was a hard battle. We knew at the start they had a very strong pack and a lot of their game was based around their forward play so we were very keen early on to work hard and try to dominate that area in order to be able to release our backs and get some running going," he said.

"It took us quite a while to wear them down, basically until the beginning of the second half when I think our fitness began to pay-off. We have been working hard over Christmas but after five weeks of eating Christmas turkey, it was good to finally get a run-out and I am quite pleased at our performance.

"It is very difficult to be without a game such a long period of time. During that bad weather we had to train indoors and you can't do much with the ball so it took a while just to get ourselves back into the 'groove' as it were and get things flowing again but we are delighted to have had such a difficult game as our first one back. We are very pleased with the result."

McKillop now can't wait to face old rivals Armagh in next month's final in Athlone.

"We now have the final to look forward to and we are delighted to be there. We'll give it a good shot.

"With the teams in Ulster, we all know each other so well I think it's good to go down to places like Leinster and Connacht and take on teams we don't know too much about. It gives us a chance to focus on ourselves and what we need to do.

"Against all the teams we have played from Connacht or Leinster we have managed to get a reasonable level of dominace at set-pieces and in the pack which has released our backs so hopefully we can continue to do that."