Derry Club Football & Hurling original

[belfastsaff]

Any truth in the rumours that our senior football captain is taking the reigns at Desertmartin this year?

Supposed to have been confirmed last night !!!

This true ? If the case a blow to Derry.  Wouldn't be too many counties who are really serious about it who would have someone in this position who has a load of other commitments.

who would that be

[toby47]

Any truth in the rumours that our senior football captain is taking the reigns at Desertmartin this year?

Supposed to have been confirmed last night !!!

This true ? If the case a blow to Derry.  Wouldn't be too many counties who are really serious about it who would have someone in this position who has a load of other commitments.

who would that be

It wouldn't happen in a top county. Fair play to McKaigue if he can make it work. He might need a few more days in the week with Slaughtneil football & hurling, Derry football & managing a senior team.

[Smurfy123]

Gallagher the biggest bluffer on the inter county scene. Offers nothing in terms of developing teams. Sets up a blanket defence. Spoofer

[JoG2]

Gallagher the biggest bluffer on the inter county scene. Offers nothing in terms of developing teams. Sets up a blanket defence. Spoofer

I'm no fan of Gallagher, but Derry were as far behind Donegal on the blanket defence as they were on the scoreline tonight.

[Derryboi]

It was 4 points to 2 at half time.both teams playing that blanket defense shite as far as I could see.donegal just better at it than we were.donegal division one and derry division 3.cop on lads. Derry have played 2 teams in as many weeks,higher divisions than them,and made a good account  of themselves and with out the full compliment of players available.ie,Niall Holly,Colm Mcgoldrick,Shane McGuigan  Enda Lynn,Chrissy McKeague,Karl McKeague ect.so ffs,let's just wait a while before we write derry off altogether.

[TheOptimist]

Football played like that is just boring, in my opinion.

[JoG2]

Football played like that is just boring, in my opinion.

I'd agree 100%. It's very early days and we're not sure what kind of a groove, setup wise, Derry will settle into under Gallagher. He wouldn't have been my choice but I'll definitely get behind the team and management. But you've the Down pollution coming on here and lambasting the setup, and who obviously wasn't within a country mile of Celtic Pk last night. Defensive football or not, has RG not been involved in 5 out of the last 7 Ulster finals? Who's the spoofer??
From the 2 games so far, the setup hasn't changed drastically, but again, it's very early days. Last night, Donegal had 15 men behind the ball when defending, 100% of the time. For the majority of the game, Derry had Bell and another left up the field. It's absolutely brutal to watch and stifles any kind of of open fast flowing football.

If the ball into Bell is good, he'll make hay. Padraig McGrogan has been very impressive so far. Declan Cassidy, McCluskey too from what I've seen of them this year & Shea Downey was excellent against Monaghan. Danny Tallon was the probably the pick of the bunch last night. Very early days, and though the team are together often during the week, there hasn't been that much pitch work done apparently.

Looking forward to the league. 4 very winnable home games and a couple of very tricky away games to Down and Cork.

[ONEDerry]

A couple of positives last night in particular the performances of McGrogan and McCluskey. McGrogan was very good. Disappointing to see more of the same from the so called experienced players. Kicking at best  50/50 balls into packed defence, carrying the ball into the tackle and getting turned over plus giving away so many score able frees. Trying to get this advanced mark so many times obviously wasn't working and could be seen from early.  Patience just not shown or the craft to break it down or win frees. There were a lot of young heads in the Donegal squad last night who showed more of this and many of them haven't played much at senior,  if at all.
It's very early days and a lot of players to come in but would say the McKenna performances last year showed a lot more promise.  For the huge number of training sessions that were written about in the Irish news that players have been through you can't really say you see different looking players on the field. At some point you'd expect lads to be stronger and especially move a lot quicker.  The speed getting  back when Donegal scored the goal stood out as a contrast to what they did when they lost it.

[Derry Optimist]

The only meaningful information that  we can obtain from Donegal's easy victory over Derry, in the McKenna Cup on Wednesday night, is that Donegal have a much stronger all  round panel of reserve players than Derry have.It does not mean,however,that  many of the inexperienced players who played for Derry on Wednesday are not good enough to be starters on Derry's first fifteen in the near future.

For new players to be tested properly no more than three should start a game together with the remaining twelve experienced players.

For any team to make real progress they must have three or four quality players who  are ball winners in the middle third ,can score and be equally good both defensively and offensively.Unfortunately we do not seem to have any budding Anthony Tohills  or Fergal Dohertys in the county.This makes the task of management and the team all the more difficult. Still with the exception of most Division One sides,  almost all other counties have the same problem.

Goalkeeper Odhran Lynch,C McCluskey,P McGrogan,S Downey,Conor Doherty,P Hagan,O McWilliams,D Cassidy  and Ben McCarron are all potentially very good inter county players at Senior level and if they are gradually introduced in the League,no more than three at a time, can make a real impact  for the positive development of Derry football.

As it would appear that Michael McEvoy,Jason Rocks,Paul McNeill,Enda Lynn and Benny Heron will not be available for the League, I would select the following for  the opening encounter with Leitrim.

T Mallon
P McGrogan
B Rogers
K McKaigue
L McGoldrick
C McKaigue
N Keenan
C McAtamney
N Holly
E Bradley
C McFaul
P Cassidy
S McGuigan
R Bell
N Loughlin
Subs
O Lynch
G McKinless
C Mc Cluskey
S Downey
Conor Doherty
O McWilliams
C Bradley
Jack Doherty
D Tallon
B McCarron
P Hagan

[Derryboi]

Going by Danny Tallon's performances over the two opening games of the McKenna cup,I think he has earned a starting place in Gallagher's first 15 v Lietrim. He has the potential to be a great link player,plus he is a good ball carrier and can run at defenses.IMO.

[Derryboi]

https://www.derryjournal.com/sport/football/derry-must-develop-new-culture-to-succeed-warns-rory-gallagher-1-9197001 ........interesting article.wat youse think of that statement? Is he right or wrong??

[DoireGael]

Going to NYC for St Patrick's day. Does Derry have a representation? https://www.irishecho.com/2019/04/a-banner-for-martin/ it would be great see it when I'm over or get in contact with them

[oakleaflad]

Quiet on here recently. First game of the league coming up on Saturday evening. What sort of a first 15 are we predicting?

[BuzzKill (Version II)]

I see online that apparently the leagues are changing again this year. League will run off as normal with 11 games. Then it will spilt in half (top 6/bottom 6) where clubs will have another 5 games to decide promotion/relegation.

Also hearing that some of these games will be starred* and without county players.

Anyone able to confirm?

Also hearing that the backdoor championship is coming back?

[toby47]

I see online that apparently the leagues are changing again this year. League will run off as normal with 11 games. Then it will spilt in half (top 6/bottom 6) where clubs will have another 5 games to decide promotion/relegation.

Also hearing that some of these games will be starred* and without county players.

Anyone able to confirm? [/b]

Also hearing that the backdoor championship is coming back?

Highlighted correct, confirmed at Owenbeg last night. No back door in championship though