Derry manager Paddy Campbell wasn't making an issue of Derry's recent hectic schedule after their Ulster U17FC extra-time loss to Cavan on Saturday evening.

It may have been a case of the Oak Leafers having to go to the well once too often after they were forced to play extra-time for the second weekend in-a-row. After staging a tremendous comeback to edge out Monaghan in the preliminary round last Saturday week, they had to endure extra-time once again, plus two further five-minute periods in Kingscourt before eventually succumbing to the hosts by a point, 1-14 to 0-18.

"We're very disappointed, but I couldn't be more proud of the lads. We've played four weeks in-a-row (in both the Ulster U17FC and Ulster U17FL) and our lads puts in a huge, huge performance," Campbell told the Irish News.

"To ask us to play for two weeks in-a-row and the league two weeks in-a-row before that leaves me thinking that fixtures aren't set out right at all, but we can't use that as an excuse.

"The boys did their very best., their commitment during the year has been top class and their performance and character has left me so proud of them. We'll regroup, we'll come back, we're not gone yet. The lads deserve another crack at it." 

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