Conleith Gilligan reckons it's "great to be back" in the Derry football fold.

The Ballinderry attacker spent two years in the intercounty wilderness when Damien Cassidy was at the Oak Leaf helm but has again become a key Derry player under current county boss John Bradley.

Gilligan top-scored in Sunday's McKenna Cup semi-final win over Down. But it wasn't always plain sailing for the player, who says of his axing three years ago in today's Irish News: "Once you go, you make the assumption that you're gone.

"After that, circumstances allowed me to get back and it's great to be back.

"It's nice to be playing in front of big crowds in January. It beats playing training matches at home.

"I always had the desire to play at the highest level that was possible, whether that was club or county, and that's all I really wanted." Tweet

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