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Derry u20s took a hammering today. They were the great white hopes for our county Team. Do questions need to be asked? Why did this team have so many Hamstring injuries?? Why have Tyrone progressed better??? I'm not surprised when you look at the management team. Unfortunately I can't see things changing soon.

15 Days.....

There's the football over for 11 weeks now - pure crap

A great win for the Quigan yesterday.i don't want to talk us up again but we're cruising along nicely. Glen have started well.  Bellaghy getting closer to the drop.

What does everyone think of the league restructuring thus far? Has the standard of football been any better or which teams results have been the most impressive so far?

A point dropped by us last night. A missed penalty and numerous late chances weren't taken to maintain our 100% record. What Bellaghy tones, another defeat against a poor Draperstown outfit?

I see Leitrim named their team for Saturday. Anyone take a guess at the Derry side?

Derry optimist will.

Could indeed be very tight for a few teams this year. Dolan's will be better than last year if pre season is anything to go by. Big numbers apparently, and they'll be hoping Alan Grant is available a lot more this year as he's a serious footballer as well.
Glack to be my surprise package this year. Positive results in pre-season and have a good strong core to the team, commitment though is their achilles heel. Will be interesting to see how they get on this Sunday at home to Ballerin.
Ardmore or Colmcille could go through the season without a win unfortunately. Both will be targeting the other to get points on the board. Commitment could wane if a few heavy defeats are experienced in the first few games. Hopefully not

League: Slaughtmanus
Championship: Glack

Doire colmcille beat Drum today

1 thing I did notice. I don't think there was a North Derry man named on the 26 man panel today .Surely that's strange.

No.

323 people paid in to Celtic park today,8 dogs and 1 cat were Also seen running around but as they didn't pay they aren't included in the final total. Isn't it great that we have A City man involved in our County team. At last,we have something to show for all the money and effort we've spent in that area. Long may it continue. We now need to focus on getting some quality from the rest of North Derry

Big crowd expected in Celtic park this weekend? If it's a good day i'm hopeful there might be 500.

We are a division 4 team playing poor quality opposition.The crowd attendances doesn't surprise me. If there were 1500 supporters at Glen then there'll be less than 500 at Celtic park. 2 interesting things of note from the weekend game. 10 players from Sneil/Glen started the game. And not 1 player from North Derry started or came off the bench. Yes,South Derry is the heartland.

It is good to see Brendan Rogers back on the Derry panel for the game against London. He will be a big boost to the defence when he becomes fully fit.

However there are five players missing from last week's panel against Antrim.The McKinless brothers (Ben did not field this week for St Mary's either),Sean F Quinn,Ryan Dougan and Michael McEvoy are all absentees on the panel announced tonight.Are they injured,Sigerson Cup tied or have  some of them left the panel?

Ben and Gareth are cousins. Gareth is gone

McEvoy will be missing as Mfelt u21 Ulster semi final is also on Sunday.

Seen team was announced this evening. Strong looking

Remind the board of your club, toby.

Quigan

You're a few mile out

So, what club are you a member of, if not Ballymaguigan?

Lol, chill man dear. What do you think of the way McErlean/Conlan dealt with your club man?
[/
Simple question. Still no answer?!

Correct

correction. Lives in Bridge but plays for Quigan. My bad

It is good to see Brendan Rogers back on the Derry panel for the game against London. He will be a big boost to the defence when he becomes fully fit.

However there are five players missing from last week's panel against Antrim.The McKinless brothers (Ben did not field this week for St Mary's either),Sean F Quinn,Ryan Dougan and Michael McEvoy are all absentees on the panel announced tonight.Are they injured,Sigerson Cup tied or have  some of them left the panel?

Ben and Gareth are cousins. Gareth is gone

McEvoy will be missing as Mfelt u21 Ulster semi final is also on Sunday.

Seen team was announced this evening. Strong looking

Remind the board of your club, toby.

Quigan

After Derry's much improved displays this season there should be some very healthy competition for places for the opening league match against Antrim.It is important, however, for management to always put out a very strong side in each of the league games as we can not afford any slip ups. I would expect that the u20 players would not be considered for the League  games except in an emergency situation.Assuming that Brendan Rogers,Paul McNeill and Ryan Bell will not be fully fit, I would suggest the following team to be picked against the Glensmen.
                                                 B McKinless
N Keenan                                  C Mulholland                        K McKaigue
M McEvoy                                   C McKaigue                          E McGill
                                  C McAtamney            C McFaul
P Coney                                     C Bradley                            P Cassidy
E Lynn                                        E Bradley                            S McGuigan
Subs
T Mallon
E Concannon
S Quinn
R Dougan
G McKinless
J Rocks
D Hughes
T O'Brien
J Doherty
N Toner

A much better effort than usual Optimist. But still at least 4 wrong.

Off work for a few days over the Christmas Hols. I've followed Bellaghy's journey and success through twitter and videos from Jerome Quinn.  I've also been reading a few articles recently about Gweedore and their underage success which has fed into the senior side.  As well as that Mal McMullan tweeted about Derry's success in the Ulster Minor Club Comp. 

I decided to look further into the correlation between minor success and senior success. If we look at some of the Derry clubs that have also won the Ulster Minor Tournament, there is a clear correlation to triumph for the Senior teams.

Dungiven
Ulster Minor Champs: 1990 ; Ulster Senior Champs: 1997
County Champions: 1991 & 1997

Bellaghy
Ulster Minor Champs: 1991 & 1994 ; Ulster Senior Champs: 1994 (Finalists '96, 98, 05)
County Champions: 1994, '96, '98, '99, 00, '05 (Finalists: '95, '01, '03)

An Lub
Ulster Minor Champs: 1993 & 1995 ; Ulster Senior Champs: 2003 (Finalists '09)
County Champions: 2003 & 2009 (Finalists: 2002, '05, '06)

Ballinderry
Ulster Minor Champ: '96, '97, '01 & 08 ; Ulster Senior Champs: '01 & '13 (Finalists '06, '08)
County Champions: 1995, '01, '06, '08, 2011-13 (Finalists: '99,'00, '03, '10, '14)

Slaughtneil
Ulster Minor Champ: '98 ; Ulster Senior Champs: '14, '16, '17
County Champions: 2004, '14, '15, '16, '17 (Finalists: '08, '12)

Kilrea
Ulster Minor Champs: 2007
County Finalists: 2011

Of the Derry winners in the St Paul's tournament only Kilrea have yet to make the breakthrough at senior level.

Even looking at sides that have won the county minor title, an appearance in the Senior County final normally follows as well. Since the year 2000 the following teams have played in the county final:
Bellaghy (W2 L3), Ballinderry (W7 L4), An Lub (W2 L4), Slaughtneil (W5 L2), Glenullin (W1), Dungiven (L1), Coleraine (W2 L1), Kilrea (L1), Ballinascreen (L2), Lavey (L1)

Most of those teams have had victories in minor and u21 competitions prior to their appearance in the senior final. I believe only Glenullin and Coleraine didn't win county titles at either those two age groups.

The sides that have won minor or u21 (recently) and haven't made an appearance (yet) in a senior county final are Magherafelt and Glen.

Which takes me on to another comparison. Between the two most recent winners of the Ulster U21 tournament. Gweedore and Glen.  Glen won the competition three consecutive years prior to Gweedore's win.

There was a lot of emphasis on the age profile of the Gweedore side that won the senior championship and how that was the impetus for their senior side. Looking at Gweedore's victory in the Ulster Club C'ship, would those in Glen not wonder why they haven't reached a County Final (Yet) never mind a winning the Senior Ulster Club.

The Gweedore side that won the U21 title in Feb:

Gaoth Dobhair: Charles Doherty; Ciaran McHugh; Gary McFadden; Ryan Kelly; Conor McCafferty; Niall Friel; Neasán Mac Gíolla Bhride; Michael Carroll; Odhran McFadden-Ferry; Naoise Ó Baoill; Cian Mulligan; Daire Ó Baoill ; Seaghan Ferry; Gavin McBride; Eamonn Collum
Subs:
Conor Boyle

The Gweedore side that won the Seamus McFerran:
GAOTH DOBHAIR: Christopher Sweeney; Gary McFadden, Neil McGee, Christopher McFadden; Niall Friel, Eamonn McGee, Odhran McFadden-Ferry; Daire O Baoill, Odhran MacNiallais; Cian Mulligan, Naoise O Baoill, Daniel McBride; Eamonn Collum, Kevin Cassidy, Micheal Carroll
Subs: J Carroll, S Ferry, P McGee, J Boyle

I'm open to correction, but that's 8 players that started both finals. And one that came off the bench in the Senior Final. That is some influx of young players into the senior side in one season. Which is some achievement for the club.  I'd say if you compared the U-21 winning sides from Glen with the team that played against Lavey in the senior semi-final this year, you'd find a similar scenario.

Glen's underage trophy cabinet compares favourably with Gweedore's, and those lads would be further down the line in terms of playing senior football.  Is there a reason why their underage success translated into senior success? (yet)

What other factors come into play?

I know that TFAL is all about tradition and history playing a part.  Teams that have a history of winning or have players that know how to win.  McEntee also alludes to that in his Irish News column today.  Its also been referenced on the main Ulster Minor Club thread.

The loss of talent (ie Conor Glass) can play a part too.  Whether that be to University, drinking in Belfast, losing interest, moving away, Job, marriage etc.  Are there other talented players from those successful sides that have been lost to any of the above?

Age profile of the team – "The right mix of players" The youth of the Gweedore team was talked about a lot, though having Cassidy, McGees, McNiallais in the side was more important. Any club in the county would gladly take those players and expect success.

Final thought on this long ramble: How many people on here would back Glen to win the John McLaughlin, before Bellaghy or Lavey?   (Using these two clubs as they've fit the profile of history/tradition, as well as having won underage titles recently)

(*This is not a takedown of Glen, this is just looking at the link between underage and senior success – plus I'm off work for a few days and very bored*)

You mentioned Gweedore having 8 starters who tasted U21 success - from the team which was beaten in the Derry semi-final, Glen had 14 starters who had recent Under 21 success. Philip O'Connell is around 32, the next oldest 24 then right down to 18. Compare that with the 3 McGee's, Kevin Cassidy, their keeper, McNiallais, McFadden and 1 or 2 others, all who provide a very experienced spine. A vastly different age & experience profile to Glen.
The defeat to Lavey was disappointing but Glen will learn from it and move forward.

Concentrate your energies on your own club. Screen have also won recent minor titles with no senior success to show. The biggest parish in Derry if not Ulster, 20+ miles square, 99.9% nationalist, no bordering clubs fighting for players - if you're that bored over the holidays, take a long look at your own club ...

That made me laugh.Credit to the Dodger