Derry Club Football & Hurling original

[restorepride]

Last Sunday was one of my happiest sporting experiences as a long-time Derry football supporter.Undoubtedly all Derry supporters thought likewise.I will never forget, initially the relief, and then the huge, overwhelming euphoria when the referee sounded the final whistle.

To see 15,000 Derry fans then  race onto the pitch was a never - to - be forgotten experience.Happiness was in abundance in every face,in every voice as it dawned on us that we had won,in dramatic fashion, the Anglo Celt Cup for the first time since 1998.  That panaromaic overview of exultant,excited Derry supporters will sustain us into the fading sunset of our lives.

Let us rejoice and give credit, first of all, to all the panel of players who made this historic victory possible. Each and every one of them are innately talented, skill - wise.They possess incredible determination and a  workrate which inevitably separates the ordinary from the extraordinary and leads to such magical outcomes as the result of this year's Ulster final.

  Then it must be quickly added that really it was the tactical genius that is  Rory Gallagher who ensured that each player individually worked totally under his brilliant strategies at all times so that collectively the whole team bonded together to maximise their potential.

There  also has  been a huge sea change in the  amount of people who now follow the County football team.True, everyone loves winners and success but the County Board and all its different stakeholders deserve tremendous credit in promoting Gaelic Games and coaching at club and school levels over the years. Sunday's triumph was the cumulative result of everyone pulling in the same direction.Let us build on that further  until this magnificent group of players become the eternal catalyst for the ultimate Holy Grail someday soon in Croke Park.

Lovely post. Keep smiling! 😎

[Derry Optimist]

As I have said in a previous post the whole Derry Senior football panel deserve the highest praise for their magnificent victory in this yeasr's Ulster final.There were leaders all over the pitchbut we should reserve special commendation for the four more experienced players who have had more than their continuous fair share of ups and downs,mainly the latter over the  last seven or eight years.However despite the constant set backs they still continued to wear the jersey on a regular basis and did so on a wholly committed basis.I refer of course to Chrissy McKaigue, Brendan Rogers, Benny Heron and Emmett Bradley..Chrissy has been an outstandind on field general as well as a fantastic man marker  who has continually sacrificed his own game for the collective good of the team ethos.Brendan Rogers  has simply been outstanding and hius

[Brendan]

Does anyone know why the county board chose now to restructure the underage leagues? Doesn't make much sense!

[restorepride]

As I have said in a previous post the whole Derry Senior football panel deserve the highest praise for their magnificent victory in this yeasr's Ulster final.There were leaders all over the pitchbut we should reserve special commendation for the four more experienced players who have had more than their continuous fair share of ups and downs,mainly the latter over the  last seven or eight years.However despite the constant set backs they still continued to wear the jersey on a regular basis and did so on a wholly committed basis.I refer of course to Chrissy McKaigue, Brendan Rogers, Benny Heron and Emmett Bradley..Chrissy has been an outstandind on field general as well as a fantastic man marker  who has continually sacrificed his own game for the collective good of the team ethos.Brendan Rogers  has simply been outstanding and hius

Couldn't agree more. From Div 4 to Ulster Champions. Some journey.

[shawshank]

Last Sunday was one of my happiest sporting experiences as a long-time Derry football supporter.Undoubtedly all Derry supporters thought likewise.I will never forget, initially the relief, and then the huge, overwhelming euphoria when the referee sounded the final whistle.

To see 15,000 Derry fans then  race onto the pitch was a never - to - be forgotten experience.Happiness was in abundance in every face,in every voice as it dawned on us that we had won,in dramatic fashion, the Anglo Celt Cup for the first time since 1998.  That panaromaic overview of exultant,excited Derry supporters will sustain us into the fading sunset of our lives.

Let us rejoice and give credit, first of all, to all the panel of players who made this historic victory possible. Each and every one of them are innately talented, skill - wise.They possess incredible determination and a  workrate which inevitably separates the ordinary from the extraordinary and leads to such magical outcomes as the result of this year's Ulster final.

  Then it must be quickly added that really it was the tactical genius that is  Rory Gallagher who ensured that each player individually worked totally under his brilliant strategies at all times so that collectively the whole team bonded together to maximise their potential.

There  also has  been a huge sea change in the  amount of people who now follow the County football team.True, everyone loves winners and success but the County Board and all its different stakeholders deserve tremendous credit in promoting Gaelic Games and coaching at club and school levels over the years. Sunday's triumph was the cumulative result of everyone pulling in the same direction.Let us build on that further  until this magnificent group of players become the eternal catalyst for the ultimate Holy Grail someday soon in Croke Park.

Grt post DO, and to be honest I'm delighted for people like you, who have constantly been positive and encouraging to the team consistently over the years. Enjoy

[HiMucker]

Jesus there's some amount of slating going on about our lads in the free state . . . were we as bad about Donegal back in 2011/12?

Also the million dollar question. Will our game translate to the better teams at Croke Park?

That's a good question Screen and one we've been chatting about. Though for 'better' I'd have more 'open'. The last decade or more playing against the blanket defence has been Derry's achilles heal (or one of them!). To have progressed to a place where we can go toe to toe with the the likes of Donegal and their experienced / well established defensive setup and prevail is incredible.
Our runners and line breakers didn't get anywhere near the space or chances to do the type of damage they did against a more open Tyrone / Monaghan. They will though in the quarter final, so will be interesting to see how our middle 8 (add in Cluckey and Brendan) and their mobility / athleticism get on at HQ. From being in Div 4 a few years ago to being a team who other counties will fear playing in an All Ireland quarter final is some going... Exciting times.

It's difficult to say, but I don't think we'll be the walkover some in the south think we will be.
Remember Owenbeg was built to the same dimensions as Croke Park, so in terms of being able to train using the same available "space" we should be in a good place.
Kerry won't have come up against the intensity Derry currently bring and we've seen it before (albeit a long time ago) Kerry can struggle when they saunter out of their provincial championship and then meet a defensively set team who bring a whole different level of intensity.
Dublin I'm still not sold on, they are not what they were but they are still formidable. I wouldn't be convinced on their management.

It all feels a bit like the same type of commentary that came out when Tyrone burst onto the scene in 03. The southern media didnt rate them, then they played against them and had now answers.
I'm not sure we're at that stage, but I also don't think Kerry or Dublin will beat us by 20pts.

But lets be realistic, we are in bonus territory. Whatever happens the rest of the year, its been a success and should lead to better times ahead. Provided we can keep Rory and the team together.

I don't think we can play Kerry or Dublin unless it's the AI final, as they are both on the other side of the draw, so lets not get ahead of ourselves lol. Great to be even having these conversations.

[onefineday]

Is Brendan Rogers the best footballer and hurler in Ulster and has that ever happened before?

Yes and not sure - but I know that in the 1970s (1975/76?), Peter Stevenson played Railway Cup Football and Hurling for Ulster on the same weekend or the same day!! Rogers on a different level though and the fact that he plays defence in football but attack in hurling adds to his exceptional versatility. Some pup!

Unbelievable athlete, the Downeys and Mckeevers, etc are other good examples but I think Rogers surpasses them all for being at the top in both codes, and such a humble likable character. I ran into Damper there few years back in Birr

its an interesting debate, being a top player in an excellent club team in hurling against being a top player in a county hurling team, which Mc Keever and Downey were. Derry beat Antrim to win the Ulster and then put in a fantastic performance at the All Ireland semifinal stage. Derry would get beat out the gate if they played Antrim in hurling now. You see the problem, judging how you play at club level is very different to judging them on the inter county stage especially judging them in an All Ireland semi-final in Croke park.

Downey never played in any of Derry's Ulster winning teams.  I'm not sure if he ever lined out for Derry at all when they were playing Div. 1 hurling.

McKeever on the other hand was some operator, but possibly more of a master of the darker arts than the finer ones!

Fairly sure Derry never played div 1 hurling, did play/survive in d2 for a year though. That's when d2 was the second tier of 8 teams.
Pretty sure they never played an all Ireland semi either, it was a quarter Vs Offaly you're thinking of, got an awful hammering the next year Vs Galway. That aside, the Downey's didn't play county hurling when Derry were winning ulsters. McKeever came back when his football career was coming to an end. A fair few of that 93 team were handy hurlers, but they committed to football.

[Newbridge Exile]

I think it wad Division 2 but I definitely  remember Derry playing Cork in the hurling league at Lavey about 88/89 , McGilligan , Scullion and McGurk in addition to the Downeys would also have been very good hurlers from the 93 AI team

[nrico2006]

Derry were in 1B 20 years ago with Tipp, Limerick and Wexford amongst others.

[Fear Bun Na Sceilpe]

I think it wad Division 2 but I definitely  remember Derry playing Cork in the hurling league at Lavey about 88/89 , McGilligan , Scullion and McGurk in addition to the Downeys would also have been very good hurlers from the 93 AI team

I was at that game in Lavey

[Ghost]

Derry were in 1B 20 years ago with Tipp, Limerick and Wexford amongst others.

I recall them getting a couple of heavy enough beatings off a Cork team containing the likes of Joe Deane. Assuming that was div 1b too?

[Champion The Wonder Horse]

I think it wad Division 2 but I definitely  remember Derry playing Cork in the hurling league at Lavey about 88/89 , McGilligan , Scullion and McGurk in addition to the Downeys would also have been very good hurlers from the 93 AI team

I was at that game in Lavey

Was at it too, very close game. Would have sworn it was div 1. There was a line going round at that time that Niall Mullan was the only man ever to play in all four divisions of the NHL.

Think I remember a game against Kilkenny in ballinascreen too.

[screenexile]

I think it wad Division 2 but I definitely  remember Derry playing Cork in the hurling league at Lavey about 88/89 , McGilligan , Scullion and McGurk in addition to the Downeys would also have been very good hurlers from the 93 AI team

I was at that game in Lavey

Was at it too, very close game. Would have sworn it was div 1. There was a line going round at that time that Niall Mullan was the only man ever to play in all four divisions of the NHL.

Think I remember a game against Kilkenny in ballinascreen too.

Think that was U21s??

[Champion The Wonder Horse]

I think it wad Division 2 but I definitely  remember Derry playing Cork in the hurling league at Lavey about 88/89 , McGilligan , Scullion and McGurk in addition to the Downeys would also have been very good hurlers from the 93 AI team

I was at that game in Lavey

Was at it too, very close game. Would have sworn it was div 1. There was a line going round at that time that Niall Mullan was the only man ever to play in all four divisions of the NHL.

Think I remember a game against Kilkenny in ballinascreen too.

Think that was U21s??

Probably.

Trivia question. Who are the two Derry men who won football All-Stars and ulster senior hurling medals?

[restorepride]

I think it wad Division 2 but I definitely  remember Derry playing Cork in the hurling league at Lavey about 88/89 , McGilligan , Scullion and McGurk in addition to the Downeys would also have been very good hurlers from the 93 AI team

I was at that game in Lavey

Was at it too, very close game. Would have sworn it was div 1. There was a line going round at that time that Niall Mullan was the only man ever to play in all four divisions of the NHL.

Think I remember a game against Kilkenny in ballinascreen too.

Think that was U21s??

Probably.

Trivia question. Who are the two Derry men who won football All-Stars and ulster senior hurling medals?

Kieran McKeever and Tony Scullion?