Mc Gilligan spills his guts!

[imtommygunn]

The standard of hurlers in Derry at a young age is very high - a lot of the reason for that being that St Pats Maghera are competing every year to win the mageean. If you look at the underage team which antrim had/have high hopes for and makes up a large contingent of the walsh cup team they are mostly u21s and they were beat by Derry u21s.

This unfortunately seems to go by the wayside come senior time in Derry and I think the comment from brick about Derry are never going to make it into big time hurling sums it all up really.

If Derry got their house in order they would win the ring cup easily and could compete with antrim which could only be good for both. Unfortunately it doesn't seem that will happen anytime soon. The regularity etc of club fixtures looks appalling and being honest about it - in hurling stakes dungiven (kevin lynchs) are a far cry short of the top antrim teams but are much more physical and so come winter months can compete a lot better. If they got more regular games I think that they could compete in the hurling as well as physical front too.

[ONeill]

BRIAN McGilligan is best known to the national GAA family for the powerhouse displays his uncompromising 6ft 3in frame delivered at midfield for Derry during the 1980s and '90s when the Oak Leaf boys won two Ulster SFC titles, three NFLs and ultimately the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship nearly 15 years ago.

His impact play alongside Plunkett Murphy, Dermot Heaney and Anthony Tohill, who this week heads a delegation in Dubai trying to broker a deal to resurrect the International Rules series with Australian Football League chiefs, earned All Star awards in 1987 and '93.

McGilligan's upbringing in Dungiven provided the full range of Gaelic Games to explore, with the St Canice's club in football and the club's other half, Kevin Lynch's, which specialised in the ancient art of hurling.

He was always a dual player, even at the height of Derry fame when he mixed it with Cork's Shay Fahy, the Gerry McEntees, Plunkett Donaghys, Liam McHales and Dave Forans in pursuit of NFL points and a summer that stretched all the way to September at Croke Park.

Those who know more about him will emphasise a fact, that McGilligan is a hurling man to the backbone as much as he is remembered for helping drive Derry to 'Sam '93', the Clones days and a near monopoly on the National League trophy from 1992 to '95.

Die-hard passion for hurling, a game in his county it pains him to describe as "a dying sport", will bring Brian back to the National League scene this weekend as Derry's new manager, his first start a Division 2B match away to Meath. He accepted the challenge initially as an exciting chance to build on last summer's excellent Ulster U21 title win over Antrim.

"I came in under the pretexts that coming on the back of winning an Ulster U21 Championship last year, we had a great platform to work off," he said.

"You had 25 to 30 boys there, under 21, and all are under the bar this year bar two, plus the bones of a senior team that were over the bar of under 21 so you had a good platform to work off. I was very positive about taking the job on."

Calm before the storm.

McGilligan is determined to make a difference, not bothered in the slightest how many heads he has to knock together to get commitment to improve hurling's lot in Derry, not least those of a county board he accuses of paying "lip service" to the game. Only a few days into the job and he says "hardly anybody" in the board is on speaking terms with him.

The age-old dual player issue has left him with his hands tied behind his back and he believes interest in the future of promoting hurling in Derry has withered to a point he finds unacceptable and refuses to tolerate.

"In the county board, there's hardly anybody who speaks to me but that does not bother me. The thing about it is when I was growing up I was led to believe hurling was part of the GAA, it was one of your games," he said.

"In Derry, nine tenths of the boys are dual players, playing football and hurling for their clubs. We have a county board that says this is a footballing county so tough s*** if you can't put out a hurling team. That is basically what it is and we are going to have bother fielding a team for the National League this year.

"I have contacted a number of the boys who are playing for Derry at the moment. It is not their fault. When players are asked what looks the more attractive, it is very easy for them to make up their mind towards football because hurling basically in the north is what I class as a dying sport.

"You have the GAA in Derry paying lip service to it but players have to face up to the reality of the whole thing. They are not prepared to make a commitment to play both games.

"I was very positive coming in to take the manager's job and had a meeting with the U21s the night of the presentation, asked them were they committed and prepared to give me what I was asking for and they were yes to a man.

"Then suddenly the next week, four or five of them got calls from the football asking them if they would play McKenna Cup and this was more attractive."

Liam Hinphey isn't available to McGilligan's squad for the League. He isn't the only dual player. Sean Leo McGoldrick, Niall Holly and Mark Craig, three of the stars of last summer's stunning Ulster U21 title win over Antrim, were involved in January's Dr McKenna Cup football squad.

"At the moment, we have a hardcore, which is the only way I can put it, of about 15 boys who are giving it their all. These boys all play club football and I cannot question what they have been giving me.

"They are committed to playing inter-county hurling for Derry but they will also play football for their clubs. Nobody has a problem with that and that is the way it should be," says Brian.

"But the way I see it is history repeating itself because whenever I was playing hurling, hurling in Derry would have been classed as a second sport.

"They are going down to Dublin every year and saying we're playing minor, we're playing U21, we're fulfilling fixtures, we're doing everything, we're doing our wee bit for hurling. But they are not trying to promote the game."

Brian believes many clubs are putting a stronger focus on football than before and putting pressure on players to forget about hurling altogether. Derry's seven senior hurling clubs and two junior clubs held crisis meetings recently and are seeking a better deal on competitions. He thinks dual players interested in the game need to draw the line and demand they be allowed to play hurling also.

"A lot of players are not prepared to do that. I have been misquoted saying that they would never make football teams but being realistic, they will make football teams surely but some of them are not good enough to play inter-county football at the standard that is needed at the moment," he said.

"But, yet and all, they could be very good inter-county hurlers playing Championship hurling but then again they are prepared to sit on a subs bench for the whole year with the football team getting five minutes here and there. Until such times as they sit down and smell the coffee, well then we are on a hiding to nothing.

I can't understand why somebody who is put into a chairman's position or a rule book position within these county boards is not prepared to go that extra mile to promote our national game.

"But they are prepared to forget about it and whenever you have a chairman telling you at the end of the day this is a footballing county and until you get 15 boys concentrating solely on hurling, well then you are going nowhere."

He does not accept the excuse of player burn out, which is high on the GAA agenda at present, being used to undermine the future of the county dual player. Taking part in games is not the issue he believes but too much training demands.

"Clubs are bringing in these high profile managers who are getting X, Y and Z for coaching these teams and they seem to think we'll run these boys round the field for four or five nights and have them all lying in the corner with their tongues hanging out as we have to justify something for what we're getting," he said.

"As a result, they are putting more pressure on the players and saying to players 'forget about going to hurling tonight, you're playing club football.'

"I can't fault anybody for that because that's just the way it's going at the minute but part of the blame has to be with the players. They have to stand up to these boys and say 'I am playing my hurling and I am playing my football and that's it.'"

McGilligan, his right hand man Sean McCloskey, and trainer Mickey McCullagh will work to develop a competitive senior team with a squad backboned by that U21 panel, players of the promise of Oisin, Ruairi and Paddy McCloskey, Ben Dodds and Darrell McDermott, who have thrown their collective weight behind the new manager's plans.

Mickey Conway, Ruairi Convery and team captain Kevin Hinphey provide the experienced leadership. Diarmuid Brunton has also resumed his county career. The task of competing in their League section is a challenge Brian sees as very difficult this year.

"We have a hardcore 15 but then again we have another 15 who would walk on the panel who have given their allegiance to football at the moment. We struggled to get a draw with Meath last year with a near full strength squad and they have come on leaps and bounds since.

"Then you've Armagh who are doing big things at the minute because they have a county board prepared to treat the two games, football and hurling, as equals.

"We have a county board in Derry where basically hurling just fulfils a fixture. They are more or less prepared to tolerate it while it still goes on but if it fell belly up tomorrow that would be okay.

"As for this year, all I am trying to achieve is keep hurling going because it's dying here and the way things are in this county at the moment makes my blood boil."

Oirish News

[Maximus Marillius]

Think this whole issue of complaining about hurlers bein used as panel playes for the football is a bit of a joke!! At the end of the day are Derry really gonna get anywhere near Antrim in the hurling either way??

Derry have won 2 Uster titles this decade - that's a quarter of them so far

Bogball, winning an Ulster c'ship in hurling means absolutely zero. No teams of any worth who can compete on the big stage...not one...all would be slaughtered against any of the big teams in the championship.....thats some comparison FFS.

[imtommygunn]

I dunno but if I were from Derry then I'd have been over the moon those few times they won the ulster there. Having not won it in years surely that was a big deal??

[Maximus Marillius]

I dunno but if I were from Derry then I'd have been over the moon those few times they won the ulster there. Having not won it in years surely that was a big deal??

I am sure as a hurler in Derry ye would have been.....and credit where it is due....but on the wider scheme of things I refer to my previous post

[tbrick18]

Can anyone post the article?

At the risk of offending hurlers (and I'm sure this will), Derry are never going to make it into big time hurling. The best they can hope for is the occassional Ulster title. Compare that to the football...there is potential with the footballers to compete at the highest level both in Ulster and nationally.

Galvin is a hurler, but that aside, Derry hurlers have taken 2 ulsters since the footballers have!!

True, but in the grand scheme of things how does the Ulster Hurling championship compare nationally with other provincial championships?
Now the Ulster football championship is arguablly the most esteemed provincial championship to win. So my point is, at a national level winning an Ulster Hurling championship (the best the county Hurlers could hope for) is not regarded very highly at all, whereas with the football you could get beat in an Ulster semi and still be considered one of the favorites for All-Ireland honours at the highest level.

[tbrick18]

Think this whole issue of complaining about hurlers bein used as panel playes for the football is a bit of a joke!! At the end of the day are Derry really gonna get anywhere near Antrim in the hurling either way??

Derry have won 2 Uster titles this decade - that's a quarter of them so far

Bogball, winning an Ulster c'ship in hurling means absolutely zero. No teams of any worth who can compete on the big stage...not one...all would be slaughtered against any of the big teams in the championship.....thats some comparison FFS.

Good God! I find myself agreeing with Max!!!!   

[imtommygunn]

Hmmm I can see where you're coming from but I wouldn't necessarily agree with your opinion but each to their own.

Personally being from Antrim I think anything less than an ulster title is a complete and total failure of a year and I would say that is the general opinion held in Antrim. We struggle with southern teams but I think with the right approach some southern teams - offaly / wexford can be competed with and possibly beaten.

I think what keeps it going here is the fact that about half the county play hurling and no football at all.

Derry could do better. They are producing good minor football and hurling teams every year so there should surely be a right few who wouldn't make the football and would make the hurling. Dungiven seem to hold the ulster club hurling in high regard too and I would say that , perhaps more so than any football title, that is what Dungiven people aspire to.

[lynchbhoy]

kevin lynchs are a far cry short of the top antrim teams but are much more physical and so come winter months can compete a lot better. If they got more regular games I think that they could compete in the hurling as well as physical front too.

would agree with you ITG on this for the KL 2006 side, but in last years ulster final, they were far from physical - certainly no more so than Dunloy (who were more physical imo)
the skill levels are rapidly improving as as they do, so do KL's chances in the ulster championship IMO.
Also thin a run in the ulster league would help immensely - but part of the problem they couldnt participate last year was the county boards football fixtures etc clashed !

I agree with what McGilligan says (and most people would to his face).
I laugh at the notion that none of the county board are talking to him, he is a man who speaks his mind and wont hold back - this will not go down well with any county board. Just wait to see the whole thing blowing up if Brian keeps feeling that they are being ignored or treated as second class citizens. !

He's dead right. Fair play to him.

[lynchbhoy]

Think this whole issue of complaining about hurlers bein used as panel playes for the football is a bit of a joke!! At the end of the day are Derry really gonna get anywhere near Antrim in the hurling either way??

Derry have won 2 Uster titles this decade - that's a quarter of them so far

Bogball, winning an Ulster c'ship in hurling means absolutely zero. No teams of any worth who can compete on the big stage...not one...all would be slaughtered against any of the big teams in the championship.....thats some comparison FFS.

an ulster title is an ulster title - whether its football or hurling.
There maybe onl two teams to beat (currently) in Ulster to win the hurling, but its similar in football is it not ?
Only a couple of teams capable of winning the ulster. So whats the difference.
Let me explain it to you - the diff is that people with a preference for football believe there is greater value in winning the ulster title in football. Conversely the reverse is true for people with hurling preferences.

When Derry county board did back the senior hurling properly, Derry won the ulster and then ran a decent Offaly side very close in the All Ireland q-final/semi-final.
Is it not impressive that they did that.
Derry football supporters find it quite an achievement getting to or winning an All Ireland q-final let alone semi-final.

Dont let your foolish bias cloud reality. 

[Drumanee 1]

i can see both sides of the argument but coming from a football club i will of course put the big ball first,what really annoys me is during the summer months when the club football should be at it's peak matches are being called off because of county matches and when i say county mathes i mean hurling,imo the 2 games should be run indepent of each other and basically it comes down to choice,why should the likes of bellaghy,ballinderry and even lissan for that matter not get football due to a u/21 county match being played in carlow.

[lynchbhoy]

Hmmm I can see where you're coming from but I wouldn't necessarily agree with your opinion but each to their own.

Personally being from Antrim I think anything less than an ulster title is a complete and total failure of a year and I would say that is the general opinion held in Antrim. We struggle with southern teams but I think with the right approach some southern teams - offaly / wexford can be competed with and possibly beaten.

I think what keeps it going here is the fact that about half the county play hurling and no football at all.

Derry could do better. They are producing good minor football and hurling teams every year so there should surely be a right few who wouldn't make the football and would make the hurling. Dungiven seem to hold the ulster club hurling in high regard too and I would say that , perhaps more so than any football title, that is what Dungiven people aspire to.

....and I think Antrim  have underachieved in recent years. Its not long ago where they had Wexford (I think) on the rack in the AI semi or Q final - only to self implode againand let them off the hook.
Antrim the far better team that day but allowed two silly late goals to feck it all up.

[Bogball XV]

When Derry county board did back the senior hurling properly, Derry won the ulster and then ran a decent Offaly side very close in the All Ireland q-final.
Is it not impressive that they did that.
Derry football supporters find it quite an achievement getting to or winning an All Ireland q-final let alone semi-final.

Dont let your foolish bias cloud reality. 

And that Offaly side had many of the greats of Offaly hurling on it, had won the All Ireland 2 years previously and went on to beat Cork (the reigning champions in the semi-final) before losing to Kilkenny in the final.

[imtommygunn]

I would agree Lynchboy and to be honest I think the attitude of Max and brick are bad bad attitudes to have - but I doubt they're alone in Derry. If the correct attitude to hurling were taken you could win the ring cup and be contenders for ulster.

Being realistic at the minute the ulster champions in football or hurling aren't going to win the all ireland. Granted Derry are reasonably strong in the football but, in my opinion anyway, they're just not strong enough in some key areas. In football you'll probably be competing with Tyrone , Armagh, Donegal and Monaghan whereas you've only two in the hurling. Armagh are a wee bit short yet but making good, and admirable, strides.

I would also agree about antrim underachieving. I think a lack of match sharpness cost us against Wexford. Don't think it was late goals - it was a tight enough game which wexford snatched in the last 5 minutes or so.

[tbrick18]

Hmmm I can see where you're coming from but I wouldn't necessarily agree with your opinion but each to their own.

Personally being from Antrim I think anything less than an ulster title is a complete and total failure of a year and I would say that is the general opinion held in Antrim. We struggle with southern teams but I think with the right approach some southern teams - offaly / wexford can be competed with and possibly beaten.

I think what keeps it going here is the fact that about half the county play hurling and no football at all.

Derry could do better. They are producing good minor football and hurling teams every year so there should surely be a right few who wouldn't make the football and would make the hurling. Dungiven seem to hold the ulster club hurling in high regard too and I would say that , perhaps more so than any football title, that is what Dungiven people aspire to.

This is kind of an opposite point of view from the Derry county board. Antrim --> hurling team made up from players that dont play football and the team is more successful as a result. County board (at least from an outsiders point of view) are pushing the hurling more than football. Derry have more football than hurling and as such push the football harder and are arguably more successful. So this isnt simply an issue in Derry, but across other counties too. I'd be fairly sure that Kerry co board dont push the hurling too much. I dont think its even a problem....just the natural order of things.