Derry Club Football & Hurling original

[Derry Optimist]

When one analyses the number of players that Derry have used at Senior County level ,in both League and Championship since 2016, as reported in the Derry Post, ie 82 as opposed to Donegal's 58 and Monaghan's 47 one could easily go down the road of excessive negative nuances against the Derry numbers.The fact of the matter is that the numbers are only one factor in a series of four reasons for the decline of Derry football.

Firstly, successful counties which Donegal and Monaghan were during this time do not need to select any great extra number of players for the simple reason that they are successful.

Secondly, Derry club Slaughtneil were very good at both County and Provincial levels  during this period.As a consequence up to seven of their players who would normally be on the County team were not available for many of Derry's League matches.Thus playing so many short of their starting 15 put Derry at a serious disadvantage and they were relegated in two successive seasons.

Thirdly,seeing no chance of any success with the county many of Derry's best players either refused to commit or when they were not selected on a starting 15 decided to opt out.Except for the top five or six counties this attitude is now unfortunately par for the course.

Fourthly, two of Derry's potentially most influential youngsters,Conor Glass and Callum Brown were snapped up the the Australian AFL where they now ply their trade.Incidentally Brown and another AFL emigre Anton Tohill were supposed to return to Australia yesterday from their Derry homes where they had been since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic.

So, whereas it is easy to blame bad managers for not having a good County team we can reaily see that this alone is a too simplistic explanation.It is true that previous managers have made wrong selection and man management decisions.A case in point is the current management's rather harsh treatment of Conor McAtamney.

According to the Derry Post analysis, Conor played more games for Derry than any other player since 2016.However, this year, in the first five games of the league, he only played a total of twenty minutes.Grant it Conor has a tendency to be too enthusiastic sometimes, then concedes possession and a yellow card is given against him.

Nevertheless, he is a great wholehearted player who covers a lot of ground with much hard running.I feel that a diplomatic word between Rory Gallagher and Conor would ensure his return to the squad.After all Derry are not blessed with a surfeit of of brilliant midfielders so we need all of our best players fully fit,totally committed and always available.

So whenever County football returns, we need our best players ready for action.Niall Holly,Conor McAtamney ,Patrick Kearney,the McWilliams  twins,Enda Lynn,Karl McKaigue,Paul McNeill,Kevin Johnston,Jack Doherty, Michael McEvoy and Jason Rocks should be there to join all the regulars.

[toby47]

Anyone know how the meeting went last night?

[toby47]

All systems go

[Derry Optimist]

I see where many social commentators are trying to get GAA clubs, who have the name "John Mitchel" attached to their full name, to drop the latter title because  of his support for slavery in America.

Similarly, I would not be surprised if  other commentators will  follow the lead of some journalists and also ask GAA clubs to drop the names of  famous Irish Republicans/Social revolutionaries from their full club name. If that were to come to pass in Derry it would mean that 10 of our Division One clubs would have to seek new names.

Only Ballinderry,Ballinascreen,Banagher,Dungiven.Loup and Lavey would survive in their present format if that unlikely scenario would ever happen.  Indeed in an ever more annoyingly politically correct world  Ballinascreen and Drum would probably have to erase "St Colm's" from their logos as Colmcille has often been accused of illegally copying  manuscripts from other monks!

Thankfully most GAA people are mature enough not to try and collectively rewrite history regardless of  some individuals not accepting some of the violent deeds committed by some of the more militant Nationalist people that some clubs are called.

In essence  it is highly likely that more clubs, if they were being named today, would be called after famous GAA players or superb young clubmen such as Steelstown have done rather than famous Nationalists or even Saints.


Anyhow hopefully our club and County teams will give us  something more important and entertaining to think about rather than self appointed "intellectual do gooders" who are continually trying to stir up some perceived injustice or even justice which have  no bearing on the great work that so any people do in so many voluntary organisations.

[Derry Optimist]

Now that the GAA have brought forward their season's club games by three weeks, from July 20th to June 29th, that means that the club season has now been extended by three weeks Whereas this   is definitely good for club activities I think that in the interest of fairness   the County  managements should be able to  gain too from this change by being allowed to apply the GAA's own 13 day rule.

This in essence would mean that County managements  should have exclusive access to ALL their players  from October 3rd  onwards instead of October 17th under the original Road map guidelines  which were  issued at the beginning of the month.

As the guidelines have been revised there is now an ideal opportunity to be more flexible and fair to all club  and  county  games right across the board.At present the Armagh Senior County final is on September 11th so that means that Armagh have  a 4 week preparation advantage over  Derry  which has its County final, FOUR weeks later, on October10th/1th.

By bringing forward the Derry County Final,  by just one week, Derry  GAA would not only be obeying its OWN 13  day rule but would more importantly be helping their own management prepare properly for the Championship game against Armagh. As it is we are not giving the management, players and spectators the opportunity to have our players prepared properly.Is it too much to let both club and county players  to have a fair crack of the whip to share the extra three weeks now at the County'd disposal?!

[Silver hill]

Don't think Armagh have a hurling championship to accommodate, hence the ability to run off a football championship in a shorter timeframe

[Fear Bun Na Sceilpe]

Don't think Armagh have a hurling championship to accommodate, hence the ability to run off a football championship in a shorter timeframe

They do .

[Rich Ricci]

Now that the GAA have brought forward their season's club games by three weeks, from July 20th to June 29th, that means that the club season has now been extended by three weeks Whereas this   is definitely good for club activities I think that in the interest of fairness   the County  managements should be able to  gain too from this change by being allowed to apply the GAA's own 13 day rule.

This in essence would mean that County managements  should have exclusive access to ALL their players  from October 3rd  onwards instead of October 17th under the original Road map guidelines  which were  issued at the beginning of the month.

As the guidelines have been revised there is now an ideal opportunity to be more flexible and fair to all club  and  county  games right across the board.At present the Armagh Senior County final is on September 11th so that means that Armagh have  a 4 week preparation advantage over  Derry  which has its County final, FOUR weeks later, on October10th/1th.

By bringing forward the Derry County Final,  by just one week, Derry  GAA would not only be obeying its OWN 13  day rule but would more importantly be helping their own management prepare properly for the Championship game against Armagh. As it is we are not giving the management, players and spectators the opportunity to have our players prepared properly.Is it too much to let both club and county players  to have a fair crack of the whip to share the extra three weeks now at the County'd disposal?!

Do you never get bored writing constant drivel about the county team? Gone line out another team there sure.

[Silver hill]

Don't think Armagh have a hurling championship to accommodate, hence the ability to run off a football championship in a shorter timeframe

They do .

Sorry. I'll rephrase. A very limited hurling championship with a small number of clubs participating

[lenny]

Now that the GAA have brought forward their season's club games by three weeks, from July 20th to June 29th, that means that the club season has now been extended by three weeks Whereas this   is definitely good for club activities I think that in the interest of fairness   the County  managements should be able to  gain too from this change by being allowed to apply the GAA's own 13 day rule.

This in essence would mean that County managements  should have exclusive access to ALL their players  from October 3rd  onwards instead of October 17th under the original Road map guidelines  which were  issued at the beginning of the month.

As the guidelines have been revised there is now an ideal opportunity to be more flexible and fair to all club  and  county  games right across the board.At present the Armagh Senior County final is on September 11th so that means that Armagh have  a 4 week preparation advantage over  Derry  which has its County final, FOUR weeks later, on October10th/1th.

By bringing forward the Derry County Final,  by just one week, Derry  GAA would not only be obeying its OWN 13  day rule but would more importantly be helping their own management prepare properly for the Championship game against Armagh. As it is we are not giving the management, players and spectators the opportunity to have our players prepared properly.Is it too much to let both club and county players  to have a fair crack of the whip to share the extra three weeks now at the County'd disposal?!

I agree with this and was thinking the same myself. With the gaa now allowing games 3 weeks earlier it should allow Derry to give the county team one extra week which would make a fair difference. It would still allow for plenty of meaningful club action.

[Fear Bun Na Sceilpe]

Don't think Armagh have a hurling championship to accommodate, hence the ability to run off a football championship in a shorter timeframe

They do .

Sorry. I'll rephrase. A very limited hurling championship with a small number of clubs participating

1 club less than Derry. Derrynoose, Killeavy, cú Chulainn, Middleton, craobh Rua Keady, Seán Traceys as far as i know

[Silver hill]

Don't think Armagh have a hurling championship to accommodate, hence the ability to run off a football championship in a shorter timeframe

They do .

Fair enough, but not too many are proper senior dual clubs apart from possibly Killeavy? That's the difference really when Derry try to organise their championships. Only Antrim in Ulster would have the same problem
Sorry. I'll rephrase. A very limited hurling championship with a small number of clubs participating

1 club less than Derry. Derrynoose, Killeavy, cú Chulainn, Middleton, craobh Rua Keady, Seán Traceys as far as i know

[Dire Ear]

Anyone in here know where Gerry McElhinney ended up : was at Plymouth or Peterborough?

[Derry Optimist]

Congratulations to Iarlaith Donaghy on being selected as the top Schools' Gaelic footballer in Ulster.Last night, in a poll conducted from All Ulster schools, he was announced as this year's Danske Ulster Schools' footballer of the year.

During the past year he,as captain of St Pius X  from Magherafelt, played a huge part in his school reaching this year's MacLarnon Cup final.The final which was originally scheduled for St Patrick's Day will now feature as a curtain raiser to the MacRory Cup final which will now take place in October. Here St  Patrick's College, Maghera will take on St Colman's Newry in the Blue Riband of Ulster Schools football.

Iarlaith is currently a  Derry underage star and a prominent member of St Michael's GAC Lissan.So heartiest congratulations to himself,his family,his club and his County.What a signal honour to be selected as the number one player from over 100 elite footballers throughout the province.

No doubt we will see much more of Iarlaith when he develops into a mature and talented footballer for the Derry Senior County team.

[restorepride]

Anyone in here know where Gerry McElhinney ended up : was at Plymouth or Peterborough?

Gortin?!