Derry Club Football & Hurling original

[shawshank]

regardless of whatever version, they have had no fall out over Derry football as they haven't worked together previously at senior club or county, its about whats best for Derry, end of. 

[tbrick18]

Jesus.
The youthful argument doesnt stand with Lynch still on the panel.
Heavron could play in defence or attack....how they couldnt find a place for him on the team I do not know.
IF this version is true, we are in trouble as that is a seriously bad judgement call.

Dermot McBride plagued by injuries, I dont know if he'll ever be back at the level he was at. But his presence is definitely missed.
From a screen point of view, Carlus McWilliams and Benny Heron still to come back in, both injured or recovering from injuries as far as I know.
Carlus could strengthen the half back line.

I know there is not 1 team in Div 3 I could say we would definately beat. That's a worry. But, it's the level we are at regardless of reasons behind why we are there.

[Wildweasel74]

Danny H could play at 6; or wing forward or corner forward playing as sweeper! To be honest on yesterday performance he could have picked his spot! He within the best 6-7 players in Derry over past 2-3yrs!  Their def aint 24 lads in front of him@ same goes for Bell; McKinless; too!  Its been 10yrs since a manager actually picked the best players in the county or had them wanting to play for him! I rather see Derry go with the best players on offer for the county now!  Our 5 and 3yrs plan for teams having been going on 10yrs and we are actually getting worse! We played in a Division 1 final just 4yrs ago; so i like to think we can inspire to get out of div 3!! On another matter; you think we hadnt heard of John Heslin the way he wasnt man marked yesterday!! I see a theme starting to emerge there with the opposition danger men!!

[South Derry fan]

To pick a panel of only 29 player's for the season ahead knowing you where going to be missing the  Slaughtneil/University players for McKenna cup and possibly the most of the league in Slaughtneil's case was daft at best. Closing the door on experienced inter county players and thinking that filling out your squad with u20s is going to work in a competitive div 3 is also questionable. To hear that Danny Heavron was told they couldn't find a place for him is laughable. But as its still only January we need to give the new management team a chance and get behind them in the up coming games and pass judgement at the end of the season. Just a thought Here's a few names that certainly could help the current panel
O Duffy.
D McBride.         
Sean Leo.
G McKinless.   
N Holly. 
R Bell.   
D Heavron.
E McGuckin.
C O'Boyle
   

[TheOptimist]

Going on scoreline alone, our score would have won a lot of matches.
Defensively we are still all over the place. No kickout strategy and a lack of cohesion (albeit early days and minus the Slaughtneil defenders).
For any hope of promotion, we need to win all our remaining games I feel, which is a big ask.

I really don't understand the omission of Heavron, Bell etc. I'd love to hear an explanation from anyone close to these players or management.

Kielt sent off again. I do pick on him a bit on here, but he really does let the team down time and again with discipline and inconsistency on level of effort.

Not a promising start to the year or to McErlain's term in charge.  Doom and gloom on the first weekend of the league.

No doubt, come championship I'll still think we can pull something out of the bag. When will I learn though. lol.

Personally I think we have no chance of promotion, but at the same time think we will have a bit too much to be relegated to division 4.

Could not make yesterdays game due to a family christening but had a fair idea from the team line up/three McKenna cup games I was at that Derry weren't going to get a result yesterday. Johnston is not a full back (Plays WHB/MF for his club), but at the same time when you look at the bench there is no real full back on the panel, this will be a big problem until the Slaughtneil men are back. Mooney, who also I rate highly and think will be a great addition to the county panel over the next few years is also not a corner back.

Damien McErlaine was nearly caught out last year in minor AI semi-final when he let the Dublin no.11 have the freedom of the park, then in final gave Clifford acres of space. I feel he is defensively naïve. Westmeath scored 2-17 against us, a team that came up from division 4 last year, I worry for what waits for us further down the line if we don't get sorted defensively ASAP.


As for Heavron & Bell, I can tell you neither were asked to be apart of the panel this year.

We beat Dublin in Croke Park. The tactics worked that day.

[Wildweasel74]

The tactics didnt work; we got on top of Dublin last 10mins but it was all playing 1 on 1;  and just got the better of them; mainly through the mcwilliam brothers and big brown! no 11 scored 6 from play and if he wasnt such a greedy bollix missing 3 or 4 when other players were in better position we been beat!

[TheOptimist]

The tactics didnt work; we got on top of Dublin last 10mins but it was all playing 1 on 1;  and just got the better of them; mainly through the mcwilliam brothers and big brown! no 11 scored 6 from play and if he wasnt such a greedy bollix missing 3 or 4 when other players were in better position we been beat!

We outscored the opposition! Joe Brolly has a point this week!

[JoG2]

The tactics didnt work; we got on top of Dublin last 10mins but it was all playing 1 on 1;  and just got the better of them; mainly through the mcwilliam brothers and big brown! no 11 scored 6 from play and if he wasnt such a greedy bollix missing 3 or 4 when other players were in better position we been beat!

Christ, you even moan in a victory over the Dubs!

[toby47]

Going on scoreline alone, our score would have won a lot of matches.
Defensively we are still all over the place. No kickout strategy and a lack of cohesion (albeit early days and minus the Slaughtneil defenders).
For any hope of promotion, we need to win all our remaining games I feel, which is a big ask.

I really don't understand the omission of Heavron, Bell etc. I'd love to hear an explanation from anyone close to these players or management.

Kielt sent off again. I do pick on him a bit on here, but he really does let the team down time and again with discipline and inconsistency on level of effort.

Not a promising start to the year or to McErlain's term in charge.  Doom and gloom on the first weekend of the league.

No doubt, come championship I'll still think we can pull something out of the bag. When will I learn though. lol.

Personally I think we have no chance of promotion, but at the same time think we will have a bit too much to be relegated to division 4.

Could not make yesterdays game due to a family christening but had a fair idea from the team line up/three McKenna cup games I was at that Derry weren't going to get a result yesterday. Johnston is not a full back (Plays WHB/MF for his club), but at the same time when you look at the bench there is no real full back on the panel, this will be a big problem until the Slaughtneil men are back. Mooney, who also I rate highly and think will be a great addition to the county panel over the next few years is also not a corner back.

Damien McErlaine was nearly caught out last year in minor AI semi-final when he let the Dublin no.11 have the freedom of the park, then in final gave Clifford acres of space. I feel he is defensively naïve. Westmeath scored 2-17 against us, a team that came up from division 4 last year, I worry for what waits for us further down the line if we don't get sorted defensively ASAP.


As for Heavron & Bell, I can tell you neither were asked to be apart of the panel this year.

We beat Dublin in Croke Park. The tactics worked that day.

We got by Dublin, we didn't learn our lessons and we played our part in the most one sided all Ireland minor final in years.

Also on your point of hearing 3 versions of why Heavron is not on the county panel. Go through my posts, I don't make stuff up. I have sources close to the panel and know for sure that heavron was given 1)youthful panel approach & 2) no position for him as the two reasons for not being asked up. Come back to me if you have another story that you think is correct, from a proven source.

[restorepride]

The tactics didnt work; we got on top of Dublin last 10mins but it was all playing 1 on 1;  and just got the better of them; mainly through the mcwilliam brothers and big brown! no 11 scored 6 from play and if he wasnt such a greedy bollix missing 3 or 4 when other players were in better position we been beat!

Christ, you even moan in a victory over the Dubs!

May be, but he is correct. But for greed, Dublin would have had two/three goals by halftime. I saw very little in way of tactics from Derry yesterday, no continuity even in who was taking the frees. Sometimes it was under age stuff, I will take this one, please! 

[Wildweasel74]

Not moaning; pointing out tactics didnt beat Dublin!

[JoG2]

Not moaning; pointing out tactics didnt beat Dublin!

Coulda shoulda woulda, Derry beat Dublin, that's the bottom line. Without Mackers stepping up we could well of had another reck of years in the minor doldrums

You're never done moaning sir! Smile and the world will smile with ye!

[Uncle Phil]

Going on scoreline alone, our score would have won a lot of matches.
Defensively we are still all over the place. No kickout strategy and a lack of cohesion (albeit early days and minus the Slaughtneil defenders).
For any hope of promotion, we need to win all our remaining games I feel, which is a big ask.

I really don't understand the omission of Heavron, Bell etc. I'd love to hear an explanation from anyone close to these players or management.

Kielt sent off again. I do pick on him a bit on here, but he really does let the team down time and again with discipline and inconsistency on level of effort.

Not a promising start to the year or to McErlain's term in charge.  Doom and gloom on the first weekend of the league.

No doubt, come championship I'll still think we can pull something out of the bag. When will I learn though. lol.

Personally I think we have no chance of promotion, but at the same time think we will have a bit too much to be relegated to division 4.

Could not make yesterdays game due to a family christening but had a fair idea from the team line up/three McKenna cup games I was at that Derry weren't going to get a result yesterday. Johnston is not a full back (Plays WHB/MF for his club), but at the same time when you look at the bench there is no real full back on the panel, this will be a big problem until the Slaughtneil men are back. Mooney, who also I rate highly and think will be a great addition to the county panel over the next few years is also not a corner back.

Damien McErlaine was nearly caught out last year in minor AI semi-final when he let the Dublin no.11 have the freedom of the park,  then in final gave Clifford acres of space. I feel he is defensively naïve. Westmeath scored 2-17 against us, a team that came up from division 4 last year, I worry for what waits for us further down the line if we don't get sorted defensively ASAP.


As for Heavron & Bell, I can tell you neither were asked to be apart of the panel this year.

This to me is as bad as his defensive naivety. Heavron has been one of the best, if not the best, player in the county this past few years and would walk on our first 15. Bell is good enough for at least a squad place too.

As posted above, what was scored would win us a lot of games and hopefully the Slaughtneil defenders coming back will boost our defense. Back line is weak looking at present with no real full back and not enough out and out defenders. Anyone know what the story is with D McBride, G McKinless and O Duffy? All not with Slaughtneil and could offer something, if available, in my opinion.

Anyway I think we'll stay in Division 3. Should have too much for Sligo, Offaly and Wexford without really threatening promotion either. Next game is important to get back on track, away to Longford who are somewhat of a bogie team for us.

Dermot McBride is riddled with knee problems and has a hard time maintaining fitness because of this. No idea what the story is with Danny Heavron? Can anyone shed light on whether there was a fall out? Has to have been a reason other than footballing matters, because he's a class act and would walk onto the team as previously mentioned.

Heavron was never asked up or named on the initial training panel at the start of the season, he had received no contact from management at all regarding his situation. He then received a phone call from Damien McErlaine about a month later saying he was not in his plans this year because he could not find a position for him on the team and he was going with a youthful panel.

I am led to believe (from a very close & reliable source) that Heavron and McErlaine have never fallen out at club level and there is no previous rift between the two and that phone call is the only contact the two have had since McErlaine has taken the senior post.

Christ. You have to hope that Damien knows what he's doing.

[seanyb1]

The lightness of his squad has led to heightened questioning of the decision not to pick Danny Heavron and Emmett McGuckin as part of his panel. Asked why they had been left out, McErlain replied: "I picked a panel and those two lads weren't on it."

just picked this out of Irish news today. Has come from the man himself! http://www.irishnews.com/sport/gaafootball/2018/01/30/news/mcerlain-backs-releasing-players-to-clubs-1244465/

[Estimator]

In fairness, its the manager's prerogative to select the players that he wants for his squad.  In the same manner if a player decides that county football isn't for them, they make themselves unavailable, like so many players did last year.  The difference being the players won't get held to account for their decision, but the manager definitely will. 

Predicting the future, I can see posters still going on about this and the manager having to answer questions about this come C'Ship time.