Derry Club Football & Hurling original

[tbrick18]

I think you need to look past his age. At end of the day Chrissy is still playing at at level that warrants a start. He kept Clifford to one point from play last day out. He did well v Mayo, still getting up the pitch in injury time to fist over the winning point. Gallen was the best forward in the country this year and I don't think he scored from play against us.

I'm normally one of his biggest critics, but I agree with you on his performance this year.
He was immense against Kerry.
But....age can't be beat. We need to be priming someone else for that position.
If it was me, and he doesnt retire, I wouldn't play him at all until the last couple of league games and instead bring someone through. Keep him for championship and try to gradually reduce his game time whilst increasing game time for his replacement(s).

No shame in that, just the natural order of things.

Why would you be critical of McKaigue generally surely one of Derry's greatest defenders at his peak?

When would you say he was at his peak?

I've mostly been critical from when he played in the half back line.
In his earlier days in the full back line no issues, but he was never a half back. Offered nothing going forward and was too easy to get past when defending. Always felt like he was lost in HB at county level. He also, imo, seemed to be telling lots of others what they should be doing whilst not doing what he should be himself.

A different story when he moved back to the full back line - give him one job of marking someone out of a game and that's what he can do well.  But, in recent years he was more likely to concede a free than tackle cleanly. Was too easy to turn and gets too involved in verbals and that's always a high risk when your a man marker. He's the best option we have right now, but we need to be introducing a replacement.
He was really good against Galen and Clifford this year, was awful against Armagh (but then who wasnt).
I don't want this to be a personal attack on the lad, I don't know him personally. He can still do a job in FB, but time is not on his side. Injuries will be slower to heal, forwards will become faster for him as he slows down. All I'm saying is we need to acknowledge that and plan to replace him sooner rather than later.

Would have my criticisms of things that CMcK does during games but there's not much here* that I agree with. To put it mildly lol

*Apart from the telling other people what to do bit  lol

I've no issue with anyone disagreeing with me...I've been wrong before and no doubt will be again. Its just my opinion that he wasn't good out the field, but is much better in the FB line in a man-marking role.
But you can't argue about age catching up on him surely?

Lads youre all on about mckaigue and age but then agreeing that his performances havent dropped. I think until his performances drop we need him.

For sure in mckenna cup/early league we need to get fringe players games but I would imagine he would be thinking until some young player out performs him then he has a place on the team.

That's basically what I've said
He's the best option we have now, but age is catching up so we need to be preparing now for when he's not there.
Protect him until latter end of the league and play someone new in there to get them experience and bring them on. Some of the u20s from this  year for example.
I'm not suggesting dropping him, but it's sensible to prepare to replace him. We don't want to be in a situation where he decided to hang up the boots and we have nothing coming in behind.

[Mario]

We did find a replacement for McKaigue last year. Baker started every game. When we had everyone fit there were 7 defenders who always start for 6 positions. Personally I don't think that is our priority going into next season.

[Rawhide]

We did find a replacement for McKaigue last year. Baker started every game. When we had everyone fit there were 7 defenders who always start for 6 positions. Personally I don't think that is our priority going into next season.

Baker isn't a replacement. Chrissy grt man marker, Barker one on one v weak, loads of evidence. However he is good at attacking from deep and very mobile. Agree we need to develop a replacement for Chrissy. Makes perfect sense

[Newbridge Exile]

We did find a replacement for McKaigue last year. Baker started every game. When we had everyone fit there were 7 defenders who always start for 6 positions. Personally I don't think that is our priority going into next season.

Baker isn't a replacement. Chrissy grt man marker, Barker one on one v weak, loads of evidence. However he is good at attacking from deep and very mobile. Agree we need to develop a replacement for Chrissy. Makes perfect sense

James Murray would be definitely worth trying out in the full back line but I think he is under 20 next year too so he could affect his availability

[statto]

I think you need to look past his age. At end of the day Chrissy is still playing at at level that warrants a start. He kept Clifford to one point from play last day out. He did well v Mayo, still getting up the pitch in injury time to fist over the winning point. Gallen was the best forward in the country this year and I don't think he scored from play against us.

I'm normally one of his biggest critics, but I agree with you on his performance this year.
He was immense against Kerry.
But....age can't be beat. We need to be priming someone else for that position.
If it was me, and he doesnt retire, I wouldn't play him at all until the last couple of league games and instead bring someone through. Keep him for championship and try to gradually reduce his game time whilst increasing game time for his replacement(s).

No shame in that, just the natural order of things.

Why would you be critical of McKaigue generally surely one of Derry's greatest defenders at his peak?

When would you say he was at his peak?

I've mostly been critical from when he played in the half back line.
In his earlier days in the full back line no issues, but he was never a half back. Offered nothing going forward and was too easy to get past when defending. Always felt like he was lost in HB at county level. He also, imo, seemed to be telling lots of others what they should be doing whilst not doing what he should be himself.

A different story when he moved back to the full back line - give him one job of marking someone out of a game and that's what he can do well.  But, in recent years he was more likely to concede a free than tackle cleanly. Was too easy to turn and gets too involved in verbals and that's always a high risk when your a man marker. He's the best option we have right now, but we need to be introducing a replacement.
He was really good against Galen and Clifford this year, was awful against Armagh (but then who wasnt).
I don't want this to be a personal attack on the lad, I don't know him personally. He can still do a job in FB, but time is not on his side. Injuries will be slower to heal, forwards will become faster for him as he slows down. All I'm saying is we need to acknowledge that and plan to replace him sooner rather than later.

Would have my criticisms of things that CMcK does during games but there's not much here* that I agree with. To put it mildly lol

*Apart from the telling other people what to do bit  lol

Is that not a positive sign of leadership talking others through the game, I would have thought that theres at least one person in every defence that does this?

[screenexile]

Jesus lads it's the first Championship weekend in Derry and there's no atmosphere around it at all. Glen starting with half a team against their biggest rival in what should be the biggest game of the weekend but nobody really cares about. (I'm not blaming Glen btw they'll have a full team out when it matters)

What is the point of this format? They'd be better going back to a back door rather than this round robin shite!

[Brendan]

I must be the only person that enjoys it teams play a bit more open before the packed defences start when it comes to knockout. thought it was an entertaining enough game tonight few feisty moments and some really good scores

[screenexile]

I must be the only person that enjoys it teams play a bit more open before the packed defences start when it comes to knockout. thought it was an entertaining enough game tonight few feisty moments and some really good scores

I wasn't at it but 11 points a piece and one goal doesn't sound particularly open. 

[Brendan]

I must be the only person that enjoys it teams play a bit more open before the packed defences start when it comes to knockout. thought it was an entertaining enough game tonight few feisty moments and some really good scores

I wasn't at it but 11 points a piece and one goal doesn't sound particularly open. 

True but a hell of an improvement on last year's semi final, 4 points to 1-5 was it?

[Mario]

Jesus lads it's the first Championship weekend in Derry and there's no atmosphere around it at all. Glen starting with half a team against their biggest rival in what should be the biggest game of the weekend but nobody really cares about. (I'm not blaming Glen btw they'll have a full team out when it matters)

What is the point of this format? They'd be better going back to a back door rather than this round robin shite!

The point is to get the county players a bit of football with their teams before the knockout starts. It's not like the old days where county men had involvement throughout the year. For the top teams this is basically league football with the knockout championship in the next phase.

Don't go to group games expecting full blown championship and you won't be disappointed.

[Doire23]

Scanning through some of today's results - Claudy 4-9 Banagher 0-1 on the Derry GAA site seems a bit of a wild one, is it right? One point in 60 minutes doesn't bode well for a team that were inches from the senior league play-off.

[marty34]

Scanning through some of today's results - Claudy 4-9 Banagher 0-1 on the Derry GAA site seems a bit of a wild one, is it right? One point in 60 minutes doesn't bode well for a team that were inches from the senior league play-off.

I see Steelstown only scored 3pts in senior championship the other day.

[Brendan]

Scanning through some of today's results - Claudy 4-9 Banagher 0-1 on the Derry GAA site seems a bit of a wild one, is it right? One point in 60 minutes doesn't bode well for a team that were inches from the senior league play-off.

It's been corrected, was actually Banagher done the hammering. Shows the farce of the thing Claudy still can't be relegated this year

[marty34]

Scanning through some of today's results - Claudy 4-9 Banagher 0-1 on the Derry GAA site seems a bit of a wild one, is it right? One point in 60 minutes doesn't bode well for a team that were inches from the senior league play-off.

I see Steelstown only scored 3pts in senior championship the other day.

Scanning through some of today's results - Claudy 4-9 Banagher 0-1 on the Derry GAA site seems a bit of a wild one, is it right? One point in 60 minutes doesn't bode well for a team that were inches from the senior league play-off.

Is that score not the other way about?

Banagher are decent at intermediate.

[SouthOfThe Bann]

As an outsider what is wrong with Junior football in Derry.

Teams conceding games in championship, hammerings of close to 50 points in some games (last year).

St Mary's Ardmore have conceded both games: Sean Dolan's, Doire Trasna and Doire Colmcille all very weak.

Surely there's potential in the 4 clubs above considering there in the city. (I know Derry City is not necessarily a GAA hotspot).

But the potential is surely there at underage to build something from the ground up considering the large nationalist population.