Former Derry star Conleith Gilligan believes that new senior football manager Mickey Harte “senses an opportunity” with the Oak Leafers.

It was confirmed this week that Harte would be taking the reins of the Ulster champions for next season after stepping down as Louth boss on Monday night.

Speaking the BBC Sport NI, Gilligan feels that the chief objective for Harte, coach Gavin Devlin and the rest of the management team will be to steer the group towards a third consecutive Ulster SFC title.

"It's the Ulster Championship now that will decide whether Derry go further,” said the Ballinderry clubman.

"Mickey Harte had always shown real desire to win the Ulster Championship. In the new system it probably means a little bit less but it'll be a case now of how much Derry want to win three in a row.

"Knowing Mickey Harte I would imagine that is a given.

"Gavin will be no stranger to Derry club football so in a lot of ways there is a lot of symmetry and a lot of things fit.

"There are a lot of relationships already there and it will be interesting to see how that all pans out."

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