Derry boss Mickey Harte refuses to underestimate Donegal championship challenge 

Mickey Harte admits that Derry’s National League Division 1 final win over Dublin will heighten expectations even further in the Oak Leaf county this summer. 

However, the three-time All-Ireland winner has warned his players that if they don’t scale those same heights reached at Croke Park on Sunday, come April 20 at Celtic Park, then Jim McGuinness’ Donegal have the potential to unceremoniously pull the rug on their ‘three-in-a-row' Ulster ambitions. 

There is no doubt that Harte and Derry are also genuine All-Ireland contenders now as well. 

They went tow to toe with the reigning champions on Sunday and, after an absorbing 3-18 to 2-21 draw, after extra-time, Derry took the title on penalties. 

But Harte was erring on the extreme side of caution after when attentions were switched to championship. 

"It's a fine line between winning that and using it positively for the future, or it being a noose around your neck to say, 'you're the Division One champions, you beat Dublin, Ulster should be your oyster' or 'you should be able to win Ulster'.

"We cannot begin to even think about anybody other than Donegal from this moment in time. 

We got this title now set aside, but it has to be all focus on Donegal because if we are not prepared and don't play as well as that then it will be an anti-climax in the first round of the Ulster championship."