Derry Club Football & Hurling original

[tbrick18]

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.

That's a huge blow for Derry, particularly with McKinless out too.
What injury has he?

[tbrick18]

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)

Perhaps it's to protect players, particularly younger players. If they make an early panel but are subsequently dropped, maybe it protects them from undue criticism?
Younger generation these days do not take rejection very well, so maybe this lessens the blow?
No idea if this is the reasoning, but I do agree, it's frustrating to not know who is on the county panels.

[theticklemister]

Martin Brehony hit the nail on the head....

Downgrading leagues is damaging GAA business


The mere possibility that counties want to avoid deciders harms credibility
Liverpool play Newcastle in the English League Cup final on Sunday. Status-wise, the competition is third of three in England's domestic pecking order and fourth of four for the clubs qualified for Europe.

Not a whole lot to get excited about then, a low-key event which doesn't matter very much to either club or the general public. Actually, not true.
Sky Sports and indeed the rest of the English media will hype it all week, Wembley will be packed and the winners will behave as winners should - openly enjoying the occasion without self-consciously trying to conceal their delight in case rivals sneer at them for celebrating success in a lower-ranked event.
If Newcastle win, it will be their first big silverware day since lifting the FA Cup in 1955 and will be followed by a Geordie carnival, overflowing with lots of 'grown men crying' sentimentality.
Contrast that with the Allianz Leagues, specifically the approach of Division 1 teams in both codes to even reaching the final, let alone winning it.
There's a distinct impression that several counties, especially in football, prefer to finish between third and sixth, thereby missing the final, avoiding relegation and free to begin the championship build-up.
It's not quite as marked in hurling, but you still feel that none of them would care very much if they don't make the final. Tipperary manager Liam Cahill appeared to suggest otherwise after the win over Kilkenny on Sunday, saying they would be delighted to win the title.
However, he also mentioned how the first round of the Munster SHC (two weeks after the league final) was very much in their thinking even now.
That he was asked about Tipp's attitude towards the league is interesting. Still, it was a perfectly valid question.
However, it's never one that arises in other sports, where every competition is treated as important. They are not all equal, of course, but the participants never downgrade any of them by implying that they have eyes only for the super prizes.
It's different in GAA, certainly in football, where avoiding the Division 1 final isn't only deemed smart, but necessary in some cases.
Take Donegal as an example. There has been much public musing, some of it fuelled by comments from Jim McGuinness, as to whether they want to be in the final on March 30.
With an Ulster first-round tie against Derry a week later, there's a view that Donegal would be better off missing the league final and spending the weekend of March 29-30 studying Jim's indoctrination manual while locked away in a Rottweiler-guarded location.
Mayo 2023 are, allegedly, living proof of how reaching the league final can damage a season for finalists who have a championship game a week later. Mayo won the league two years ago but lost to Roscommon in the Connacht quarter-final.
The defeat was largely attributed to the quick turnaround, something of an insult to Roscommon, who had finished just two points behind Mayo on the league table. Besides, Roscommon beating Mayo can never be regarded as a major surprise.
The same applies to Derry beating Donegal. Despite that, it will be put forward as the reason if Donegal reach the league final and lose a week later. Still, it's wrong that the league finals and football championship launch are so close. A two-week break makes far more sense, not just for the teams but also from a promotional viewpoint.
The leagues are being downgraded by a schedule which has - rightly or wrongly - created the impression that reaching the finals isn't good for championship prospects.
Of course, it doesn't apply to all counties. Because of the draw restrictions imposed in Leinster and Munster, you won't find Dublin or Kerry facing a championship game a week after the league final. It's a case of success begetting privilege.
There's an obvious solution to all of this. Playing the All-Ireland finals in the second half of August would allow the season to breathe again. Instead, it's squeezed into six months, with the leagues the main casualties.
It's utterly illogical from a promotional viewpoint, but that doesn't seem to register among the decision-makers.
Other sports are working assiduously at maximising promotional opportunities - meanwhile, the GAA allow the leagues to be undermined by scheduling nonsense.
They will come to regret it.

[toby47]

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)

Perhaps it's to protect players, particularly younger players. If they make an early panel but are subsequently dropped, maybe it protects them from undue criticism?
Younger generation these days do not take rejection very well, so maybe this lessens the blow?
No idea if this is the reasoning, but I do agree, it's frustrating to not know who is on the county panels.

I have heard it all now!

[JoG2]

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.

If the county board started dictating to managers on how they should do their job, you wouldn't need interviews

[Derryfan93]

Any word of how the development squad got on against tyrone on saturday?

Hear tyrone had a strong team out

[THEALBION1878]

will we have McEvoy for the weekend? Both him & Rodgers would be massive losses to our defence.

[JE23]

will we have McEvoy for the weekend? Both him & Rodgers would be massive losses to our defence.

Don't think we'll see Rodgers until the championship.
Also understand Gilmore had a setback at during the week, sounds like his season is over unfortunately.

[THEALBION1878]

will we have McEvoy for the weekend? Both him & Rodgers would be massive losses to our defence.

Don't think we'll see Rodgers until the championship.
Also understand Gilmore had a setback at during the week, sounds like his season is over unfortunately.

unfortunate. the injuries' weve acquired in recent weeks is a clear sign we should of brought more defensive minded players on board. i know you cant predict injuries but surely we could of been better prepared?

[JoG2]

will we have McEvoy for the weekend? Both him & Rodgers would be massive losses to our defence.

Don't think we'll see Rodgers until the championship.
Also understand Gilmore had a setback at during the week, sounds like his season is over unfortunately.

unfortunate. the injuries' weve acquired in recent weeks is a clear sign we should of brought more defensive minded players on board. i know you cant predict injuries but surely we could of been better prepared?

Who player wise and how do you think Tally and Co could have prepared better?

[quit yo jibbajabba]

will we have McEvoy for the weekend? Both him & Rodgers would be massive losses to our defence.

Don't think we'll see Rodgers until the championship.
Also understand Gilmore had a setback at during the week, sounds like his season is over unfortunately.

unfortunate. the injuries' weve acquired in recent weeks is a clear sign we should of brought more defensive minded players on board. i know you cant predict injuries but surely we could of been better prepared?

Who player wise and how do you think Tally and Co could have prepared better?

Yet again this soon shuts them up 🤭

[smort]

https://www.derrygaa.ie down for a couple of days now?

[jmcgdoire]

will we have McEvoy for the weekend? Both him & Rodgers would be massive losses to our defence.

Don't think we'll see Rodgers until the championship.
Also understand Gilmore had a setback at during the week, sounds like his season is over unfortunately.

unfortunate. the injuries' weve acquired in recent weeks is a clear sign we should of brought more defensive minded players on board. i know you cant predict injuries but surely we could of been better prepared?

Who player wise and how do you think Tally and Co could have prepared better?

Shea Downey? I dont think he got a minute in the league

[THEALBION1878]

will we have McEvoy for the weekend? Both him & Rodgers would be massive losses to our defence.

Don't think we'll see Rodgers until the championship.
Also understand Gilmore had a setback at during the week, sounds like his season is over unfortunately.

unfortunate. the injuries' weve acquired in recent weeks is a clear sign we should of brought more defensive minded players on board. i know you cant predict injuries but surely we could of been better prepared?

Who player wise and how do you think Tally and Co could have prepared better?

Not Blaming Tally in this situation. he was put in late and was probably advised in regards to our county championship by the people with him. I'm simply saying surely there is 2 or 3 defenders in the county could of been brought on board in preparation for this scenario. maybe someone else can suggest names? hopefully this development squad can help with this!

[Wildweasel74]

Is Shea Downey still there? He hadn't been on the panel 26 last 3 games.