Chrissy McKaigue accepts that Slaughtneil were not at their "max level" for either of their All-Ireland club semi-finals last month.

The Derry champions retained their Ulster senior hurling and football titles in another remarkable feat last year before eventually falling to Limerick's Na Piarsaigh and Cork giants Nemo Rangers respectively.

McKaigue, who lined-out at centre-back in both defeats, feels it may be time for the club to put their focus into one code if they are to achieve All-Ireland glory.

"As fantastic as it has been in terms of what we have done at Derry and at Ulster level, I just think probably the whole thing caught up with us," McKaigue told 2fm's Game On programme.

"There's a great, almost, romanticism based around the dual component but going forward it's actually very difficult to maintain and sustain.

"Perhaps going forward next year we going to have to look at how we can do things a little bit more, almost, efficiently."

On last Saturday's semi-final defeat to Nemo, the club's hurling captain added: "Definitely fatigue in extra time caught up with us a wee bit and maybe all in all out preparation, for hurling and football, hasn't been as good as what it probably could have been.

"When you go to play the top sides like Na Piarsaigh in the hurling and Nemo in the football you have to be at your max level and we probably just weren't at our max level in either code to be honest."

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