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In terms of management I suppose Rory Kavanagh would be touted but people complaining about our style of play would want to be worried about the club game as well. Rochford I'm not convinced has brought anything since 2019. It's gotten very stale unfortunately, I thought Bonner was a breath of fresh air and the drawn game v Kerry in Croke Park 2019 was one of my most enjoyable days following Donegal in many a year. We played brilliant stuff that day.

But I suppose circumstances have meant we've not had a proper run since that year and in the intervening championships we seem to have become much more conservative and cautious in those big games. The Cavan defeat in 2020 I think was hugely damaging to the team and to Bonner.

I have heard those rumblings about Murphy before and I think maybe it's the case that he likes to drift out but if he was getting a clear instruction from management to stay inside for a certain amount of team in each game, from knowing his personality I would be very surprised if Murphy would just ignore that.

Fair point about the club game and how players in Donegal are developing, but surely that cycle has to break soon as well? I've been away for years, but I'm not sure I'd be too bothered sending my kids down to the local club if all they were learning was tactical blanket defense shite instead of just learning and playing the man-on-man game I grew up with. Surely people on the ground must be getting tired of this?

Back to Sunday, I don't think I've ever been as disillusioned about watching Donegal as I was during that game. Was texting about this with a mate from Cavan during it (he was in Clones and he thought it was awful shite!), and even if we had managed to sneak it, it would have been possibly the least satisfying Ulster win I'd ever experienced. Because I think it would have just papered over the cracks. Even as Ulster champions, we'd be going nowhere in the AI series. We're too easy to shut down, and we're far too fearful and risk-averse to compete with any of the leading contenders.

Whoever we get in the qualifiers, I'd love to see Bonner just take it as a free hit, make Murphy stay up on front with McBrearty and Brennan, and f**king go for it. Start pumping in some fast, long ball along with the running. Because what we're doing now has to end. We're not winning an AI anyway, so if we go out in the qualifiers instead of the QF, so what?

More shite on here than in Clones. And some very sour grapes because Derry outfoxed Donegal. I mean like, how dare we beat Donegal using the tactics Donegal used for years?! It actually was quite an enjoyable game overall and the atmosphere in Clones was brilliant. Much of the play and defensive blocking and dispossession was top class stuff - Paul Cassidy and Niall Loughlin. Some of the points Donegal scored were excellent - Murphy, McHugh, Mogan and Thompson. Some of Roger's runs were as exciting as any I've seen. Get off the players' backs or go watch Limerick v Kerry next year. Sunday was no different than a few Monaghan v Donegal finals in recent years. Also higher scoring so take off the blinkers.

Based on all this wisdom, Dublin are outside the top 8 in ireland since they got relegated. It may be difficult to grade teams in championship but that is where every team wants to be atbtheir best. How anyone could think league position tells you where you are, well only counties that flop in championship would think that.

League positions will dictate from now on. Cavan will not allow a slip to Divison 4 again in a hurry.

Progress back from a place we never should have been to a place we never should have dropped below?

Bit to go yet before pride is fully restored.

As a matter of interest, what would be your 'success criteria" for Derry under Gallagher in the next 12 months? Or under any manager?

The year we were relegated from div 3, Armagh were promoted to div 2. I'd take where Armagh are now.

Any further questions?

As a matter of interest, are we above Armagh now?

Sobering up sufficiently to reply to this.

But if you're gonna quote me, use this one.

There are occasions where I am happy to admit I know f**k all about football.

Today was one such occasion.

Such occasions are very common.

Anyhow, neither team's season is over, but I'd prefer to be where we are. But I'm also mindful that another 70 minutes could end our season.

This is positive news!! Both sobriety and hope!!🤣🤣
On another note re Ard Mhacha, best wishes to Niall Grimley - very serious neck injury apparently and a long road to recovery. Shows again the sacrifices our players make to play the game we love.

Is Brendan Rogers the best footballer and hurler in Ulster and has that ever happened before?

Yes and not sure - but I know that in the 1970s (1975/76?), Peter Stevenson played Railway Cup Football and Hurling for Ulster on the same weekend or the same day!! Rogers on a different level though and the fact that he plays defence in football but attack in hurling adds to his exceptional versatility. Some pup!

Progress back from a place we never should have been to a place we never should have dropped below?

Bit to go yet before pride is fully restored.

As a matter of interest, what would be your 'success criteria" for Derry under Gallagher in the next 12 months? Or under any manager?

The year we were relegated from div 3, Armagh were promoted to div 2. I'd take where Armagh are now.

Any further questions?

As a matter of interest, are we above Armagh now?

Judging by my research this was the first time all 15 players in an Ulster winning team were from South Derry. I had thought 1958 was the same but it seems Sean O'Connell was on that team. To be fair though Slaughtneil and Glen feel like North Derry in my eyes. Once you hit the Glenshane it just doesn't feel like South Derry to me.

You should take up research full-time. How many players on the 1975 team could see Lough Beg from their house?  It would have as much relevance as this outdated shite. Once you go over the Moyola it just doesn't feel like the Broagh anymore, does it?!!! 

I think what most people who want rules changes really want is a time machine back to the 1960s.

No. The football of the noughties. That's where we need to get to. Not the 60s.

Those who don't wish rules to evolve are either a) from a county that is successful under the current rules and doesn't want a reset, even if it's for the best, or b) so institutionalised after a decade of utterly crap football that they now confuse a tight match as entertainment.

60s/00s same thing. I'm going to assume you don't actually play any more. I can tell you here and now there is not one senior county footballer who gives a fiddlers about how entertaining their matches are. Club players ditto, and I'm from neither a successful club or county. It's all well and good proposing rule changes but any realist (ie anyone still playing) will tell you that it will not result in the actual changes you want - just ask Jarlath Burns and anyone else with a fetish for highcatching how the mark are working out. If you need to satisfy your insatiable nostalgic cravings perhaps stick to watching your club's reserve side

Woah lad.

When you're older you'll realise that every generation of athletes tells themselves that they train harder , play harder, and are more dedicated than the ones before. They might even be right too... but the gap is never as big as imagined.

No successful team in ANY sport has put entertainment ahead of results.

But sports themselves don't become successful or sustain interest unless they provide entertainment. And where we ended up in Clones yesterday, for long periods of the match, was no more interesting or stimulating than watching men taking turns to carry a concrete pillar around a yard.

If the rules aren't changed soon by your dinosaurs, the players themselves will start calling for it to happen. The reason being? Empty stadia.

This will happen.

Good point. Clones was really empty yesterday. When you are older you will learn to think before you lift concrete.

Well it's up to Teams in North Derry to provide players who are off the standard, even the city got 2 players on the panel. Which players do you think from North Derry should be on the panel, K Johnson, L McColdrick possible, maybe trials for C Murphy. McCloskey(Banagher) can't think anyone else, Derry suffer when Dungiven, such a strong club team is going so poorly.

Give it a rest ffs. We've just won Ulster.

Fantastic day and super victory. Pride fully restored. Just great for all our GAA clubs and communities. Couldn't believe the crowd we had in Clones. Celebrating on field after with children and grandchildren a memory that will last forever. Doire abú!

Doire abú!!

Some posters would be quite knowledgeable about talking shite.

First time in Clones on Sunday lads, what's the parking situation? Will it still be handy enough to find somewhere down there even with the big crowd or is there certain spots I should be heading for?  Everybody well able to walk a reasonable distance. Thanks in advance

Never been to Clones? You are in for a treat.

Well I've been before but it's probably 10+ years and wasn't there too many times before that. Wasnt driving but from my poor memory the parking situation wasn't great. I get a bit  anxious about these things and will probably worry about that from now until Sunday so trying to put my mind at ease a bit...bit of a fail lol

If genuine, there is a solution - leave at 8am, reach Clones early, carpark in middle of the town, enjoy build up. No rush home.

First time in Clones on Sunday lads, what's the parking situation? Will it still be handy enough to find somewhere down there even with the big crowd or is there certain spots I should be heading for?  Everybody well able to walk a reasonable distance. Thanks in advance

Never been to Clones? You are in for a treat.

Great to see the excitement and buildup around the county. A big day to enjoy no matter what the result. We'll not be far away and certainly fully deserve the chance of a first Ulster title since 1998. Doire abú!

Still no joy on ticketmaster, wouldn't be like Derry to drag out 10k of supporters who hadn't seen them in yrs,

The more Doire 'drag out' the better.

[Loughlin is fit to play]

Too much in the papers, Donegal saying f**k all, I rather we do our talking after we won something.

Funny I was thinking the same thing.
Derry have a chance, nothing more.
Donegal are heavy favourites imo, they have proven big game experience and know how to win. They will be armed with the knowledge of how Monaghan put us under the cosh on the second half so could do that to us for the whole game. They'll be sitting back quietly happy the spotlight is off them right now and on Derry instead.

Can we win a tight game? Or a game we fall behind in early on? Can we change our tactics enough to chase a game in the last 15 mins if behind? All unkowns at this point.
That's not taking away from the manner of performance so far, just a realistic view of a supporter who has seen many false dawns with Derry.

If everything goes well for us on the day, we can impose our game on Donegal and Loughlin is fit to play we have a good chance of competing.
If we cant impose our game, lose a player or two to injury or a card, we will really struggle. But then, any team can say that no matter who they are playing.

Feet on the ground....we qualified for a first final in 11 years (I think). That's real progress given the quality of teams we have beaten. How far we can go remains to be seen but even we lose, pride in the side has been restored and we can look forward with some confidence that things are moving in the right direction.

I'd be overjoyed if we can win an Ulster though.

Any chance of this? I assumed he was out but heard nothing since

Haven't heard anything either.
Looked like a hamstring issue on the day, would be doubtful if he makes a recovery from that in 2 weeks I suppose.
That will weaken us as he was going well. Free taking would be a massive loss but his movement and open play have been very good.

Agree, a significant loss. Though enough time to plan for his probable absence.