Derry Club Football & Hurling original

[Brendan]

That lad Sweeney from Faughanvale was a good player. Whatever happened the GK Harkin? From Limavady.

Sweeney had a solid season last year especially, haven't seen him about during the ulster league campaign so maybe carrying an injury. The keeper Oran Hartin always fancied himself out the field so maybe could suit the new rules but doubt he'd be any better than what is already there

[Derry Optimist]

Derry County Board and Derry Senior management team are to be commended  in selecting a Senior Development squad. As many posters have said, when you add the Senior development squad to the already Senior panellists who get little or no meaningful game time with the Senior team in competitive matches, in essence you have now a full Senior reserve county team.

 They can train,play challenge games with other County reserve sides and generally learn what it takes to be proper Senior players who can properly develop their full potential.

At present Senior county players, who do not get game time, soon become frustrated as there are no meaningful outlets  for playing the game that they love so well, either at County level or at club level. So, as has happened in Derry and indeed other counties this year, Senior panellists have already left before the half way point in this year's league. It takes great man management skills to prevent this occurring with an ever increasing regularity.

Another increasing problem that managers have to face is the reluctance of some top class club players refusing to join Senior County  panels. For example there are at least three or four excellent club players in Derry who fall into this category. In fact most connoisseurs of Derry football rate them so highly that they should certainly not only  be on the match day 26 but would be serious challengers for starting positions. Perhaps management could encourage them to join this year's Senior Development panel instead.

All in all a very good development for the successful future of Derry football. Now, if we can get Padraic McGrogan, Conor McCluskey, Donncha Gilmore, Ciaran McFaul, Niall Loughlin, Brendan Rogers, Eoin McEvoy, Niall Toner, Cormac Murphy and Niall O'Donnell fully fit and no new injuries Derry could ruffle a few feathers in this year's championship!!

[marty34]

Will the lads in this development squad be playing league games for their clubs?

I'd presume so?

[Ryan O]

Derry County Board and Derry Senior management team are to be commended  in selecting a Senior Development squad. As many posters have said, when you add the Senior development squad to the already Senior panellists who get little or no meaningful game time with the Senior team in competitive matches, in essence you have now a full Senior reserve county team.

 They can train,play challenge games with other County reserve sides and generally learn what it takes to be proper Senior players who can properly develop their full potential.

At present Senior county players, who do not get game time, soon become frustrated as there are no meaningful outlets  for playing the game that they love so well, either at County level or at club level. So, as has happened in Derry and indeed other counties this year, Senior panellists have already left before the half way point in this year's league. It takes great man management skills to prevent this occurring with an ever increasing regularity.

Another increasing problem that managers have to face is the reluctance of some top class club players refusing to join Senior County  panels. For example there are at least three or four excellent club players in Derry who fall into this category. In fact most connoisseurs of Derry football rate them so highly that they should certainly not only  be on the match day 26 but would be serious challengers for starting positions. Perhaps management could encourage them to join this year's Senior Development panel instead.

All in all a very good development for the successful future of Derry football. Now, if we can get Padraic McGrogan, Conor McCluskey, Donncha Gilmore, Ciaran McFaul, Niall Loughlin, Brendan Rogers, Eoin McEvoy, Niall Toner, Cormac Murphy and Niall O'Donnell fully fit and no new injuries Derry could ruffle a few feathers in this year's championship!!

I'm going to play devils advocate here and say county board shouldn't be commended. Rory Gallagher and to certain extent Mickey Harte played with a bare bones panel and pushed them to the absolute limit and I believe we are suffering for that now. This is the issue with mercenary managers, in no way was the future of Derry football allowed for quick win at all costs attitude and on to the next pot of money. This happened on County Boards watch they are the mainstays in all that. They took their eye off the long term picture for the last 3/4 years because Sam was perceived to be within reaching distant. If they had won that in their opinion they have done everything correctly. The youth structures are in place but development from youth to senior level still appears to be a struggle.

[Estimator]

As previously mentioned by other posters, unfortunately, there is no point grouping Conor McCluskey with players that could be playing C'ship football this year for Derry.

[THEALBION1878]

do we know any of the names on the development squad? a good idea if used correctly.

[GTP]

Do we know who is in the senior, under 20 or minor squads?

[Derry Optimist]

GTP has just asked the very pertinent question."Do we know the names of all the members of the Senior,U20 and minor County panels?" The answer is simple. "we do not".

This has always been a bugbear with me. If we respect the national importance of our games, the players and the supporters, the County Board should insist that all management teams under their jurisdiction, including Development panels, should publish the names  of all team members at the beginning of the season.

It is only right and proper for the status of the games themselves and the respect of players and supporters that this should be done. What better way to market our games than to release this information.

A far as I remember former minor manager Damien McErlain was our only manager who consistently published the names of his panel at the beginning of the season. Now I only hope as our u20  manager that he will continue his good work in this regard.

[GTP]

The under 20 panel already exists as they have played a couple of challenge games. The minor team have won a match in the Ulster League, and I have seen neither team or panel named.
Derry LGFA seem to put out a release for panels from under 14 up although not sure they are easy to find, but at least players get a bit of recognition, and I presume feel valued.
Maybe I am being naïve in thinking players and their clubs would take a bit of pride in them being selected for the county and supporters actually knowing it.
Seems to be a problem across the counties and whilst I am sure the PROs are doing their best it does seem a simple thing to put a squad up somewhere and try to generate a bit of interest.
On an optimistic point the tweaks to the new rules might suit Derry since we don't have a big reliance on the roving goalkeeper.

[Wildweasel74]

Is Rory McGill Lavey on the county panel? I take it C Murphy is injured again? Did S Downey drop off the panel, notice he wasn't on the last 2/3 panel lists?

[JE23]

Derry really do an awful job at marketing our teams / games. Compare to Tyrone and we are really embarrassing.

[jb77]

No Rodgers and possibly no McEvoy

[theticklemister]

The under 20 panel already exists as they have played a couple of challenge games. The minor team have won a match in the Ulster League, and I have seen neither team or panel named.
Derry LGFA seem to put out a release for panels from under 14 up although not sure they are easy to find, but at least players get a bit of recognition, and I presume feel valued.
Maybe I am being naïve in thinking players and their clubs would take a bit of pride in them being selected for the county and supporters actually knowing it.
Seems to be a problem across the counties and whilst I am sure the PROs are doing their best it does seem a simple thing to put a squad up somewhere and try to generate a bit of interest.
On an optimistic point the tweaks to the new rules might suit Derry since we don't have a big reliance on the roving goalkeeper.

Maybe the respective managers don't want to have their teams known to others.

On that, the GAA as a whole, is a strange beast. We shoot ourselves in the foot in promotion of our games. There is a culture not to let any other team know they are doing.

Their lack of player availability to the media is shocking.

We have a league here where the marketing system of the GAA refuse to promote ( hopefully Allianz is on its last legs with their continuing insurance of Elbit systems). The finals are a week before the Championship for some teams and managers who are on the cusp of winning this competition, openly state they don't want to win it.

The GAA should put in place laws where counties have to release players for media duties.

[GTP]

Maybe the respective managers don't want to have their teams known to others.

I was thinking this, but a list of players would hardly be giving away state secrets and the minors don't seem to have got a mention anywhere despite playing an official match. But it probably is the reason though I doubt it will contribute to any success they have.
Minor being an age group with unprecedented success over the last two years should be publicised more. And it would also be a reason to promote the u20s, with supporters given the chance to see our Ulster and All Ireland minor winners maybe win something and progress towards senior football. (if any of them are on the panel)

[toby47]

No Rodgers and possibly no McEvoy

Some hole in the team.

Imagine last year saying we will be playing meaningful games without -
Chrissy
McKinless
Rodgers
McEvoy
McCluskey

And then you consider Chrissy is gone full time, and McKinless/McCluskeys seasons are over.

3 Weeks to the Donegal games and Rodgers isn't fit, McEvoy carrying a niggle again, McFaul played very little, Murphy is injured with a groin injury, Gilmore is out.

Is Eunan Mulholland still on the panel? Any of the Downeys?