YM planning for the future

A new coaching double act of Ian Simpson and Kris Dunn have been installed, while the club has no Seconds side next season, because of financial restrictions, but they are hoping to organise rugby training sessions in schools throughout the North West area.

"We are trying to concentrate on our Firsts and we are hoping to develop our youth policy and try to get into the schools in and around the city and maybe out as far as Claudy, but that is still being planned," explained YM committee member Sam Murphy.

"We are continuing with Kenny Donaghey as captain again, with Mark Dougherty as vice-captain. Kenny will be looking to bring Mark on with him this year and pass on his experience and show him the ropes, so that's he's hopefully ready for next year.

"We have also two new coaches, who are within the club in Ian Simpson and Kris Dunn and it's their first forays as official coaches, they have both been training with last year's coach Kevin Gallagher and hopefully they have their own ideas."

The Drumahoe men start their league campaign on Saturday, October 2 at Lurgan and for coach Dunn he can't wait for the action to get underway.

"It's pretty much an entirely new squad with a lot of young boys involved, which we are glad to see and for me and Ian it's pretty much starting from the beginning again and try to get a few wins for a change and then build from there," he said.

"Kevin (Gallagher) put a whole lot of things in place for the two of us, there are obviously some elements which we are going to bring ourselves, but the main ideas and formations will carry on from Kevin's time in charge.

"He was a very technically minded coach and he knew a lot of stuff."

Both coaches also want to make their mark with the Drumahoe club, but Dunn believes there are more pressing matters before that.

"First off we just want to steady the ship and I'm not sure there's as much pressure on all of us as there was over the last few seasons," he added.

"As I have said we have a full new squad who'll need to gel and bring that fun element back into the game; once they start enjoying their rugby the results will come too."

As for Simpson he agrees that putting smiles back on players faces will ensure YM have a successful 2010/11 campaign.

"The past couple of years were hard, going up into Qualifying One was probably a step too far for the club, because we weren't big enough for it. We enjoyed it while it lasted and last year was a big disappointment falling again but as Chris has said it's trying to get an element of fun back into our game," admitted Simpson.

"First and foremost we want to win games and once we start winning games we'll start enjoying playing rugby. Our confidence will also start going up. Although everyone at the club wants to steady the ship, they also want to bring back success.

"We aren't down here just to play social rugby, we are down here to regroup and bring in new faces, start winning again and hopefully challenging for the league and if not this year then I'll be looking to try and win the league next season.

"We want to get back up into Qualifying Two and then if we can build a stronger base at the club maybe aim for Qualifying One, but we definitely want to get back into Qualifying Two again."

Simpson believes the plan of trying to breach into schools this season can, over time, be a good thing for the club.

"We have talked about this and it's now down to the committee to try and bring in an Under 16 side. That is where City of Derry have got all their strength from, they have a good junior set-up and they have brought on a lot of good young players.

"So we you need to bring our own players through and build from the bottom up; it's no good trying to bring players in every year it doesn't work," concluded Simpson.