Messages

McGurk has been called up from U20s as well apparently

That 5 lads on the bench who havent played championship football?

Paudi McGrogan - ACL, Season over.
Niall Loughlin got an opp this week, season over?
Eoin McEvoy out with hamstring injury.
Conor Doc out
Murphy not back on 26 yet, still injured.
Chrissy & Rogers were doubtful, but looks like they will play.
A few other rumours but nothing confirmed.

Matthew Downey, Jack Cassidy, Conleith McGuckain all left the panel in recent weeks.

After league Dan Higgins, Callum & Enda Downey, Conor McGrogan, Oisin McWIlliams & Ben McCarron were all cut off panel - before team holiday to Portugal.

2 u20's called up since their defeat. Ruairi Forbes & McDermott - Both straight onto the panel for tomorrows game.


That seems to be the lay of the land at the minute. Derry's panel getting thinner, after looking like t was bulking up earlier in the season. Another injury or 2 would seriously derail us, especially if it's to the likes of Rogers who is carrying a hamstring injury at the minute.


From the League Final panel where we were all getting optimistic about Derry's panel finally looking strong we will be missing 7 of the 26.
4 Starters - McEvoy, Doherty, McGrogan, Loughlin
3 Subs - Matthew Downey, Conleith McGuckain, Cormac Murphy.

With no mcevoy or conor doherty will we even have 26 togged out?

Panel named - obviously a few named won't be playing.

Do we know who is in the panel that hasn't been named that will be coming onto the bench?

Whats the story there?
Niall Loughlin not named on panel for one id say

He's out

What's the story there?

Injured - got an opp

Bench looking very light now, betwen those lads leaving the panel and few injuries im nervous for the rest of the season.

No mcgrogan, murphy, loughlin.
Jack cassidy, c mcguckian, m downey left, who else left? Mccarron & mcwilliams earlier in season

Ciaran McFaul left the senior panel? Big loss ahead of championship!

[what he scored is irrelevant]

Glass should never have been near a county panel this year. Was a very good underage player and hopefully will also be a very good senior player, but he has played little or no senior football of any note and hasn't played at all in 4 years, absolutely disgraceful that he is drafted in straight off the plane on underage reputation alone. Should have been left to play some senior football with Glen before he was ever looked at for county.

True. Same goes for Conor mckenna too

Not true.  Conor Glass was playing at elite, professional level for the last number of years, he put his hand up again to represent the county on return - which is more than some other players who never left these shore did.   He deserved the chance for a number of reasons - to possibly play a key role in a one-off year, to get a sense of how quickly he might or might not adapt and to encourage those around him.  Today's performance gave him and Gallagher some more information.  It will take him much longer to adapt and Conor now knows that fully.  However he could still be effective v Ard Mhacha, albeit in a more defensive or man-marking role.  Derry aren't that long out of Division 4, still haven't got out of Division 3 and do not have a queue of others lining up to play for the county.  Conor will be grand - it was just disappointing for Derry today, and for him, that he didn't have a better game.  If he does feature v Ard Mhacha, he will give 100%.

Definitely true. He had no right to "put his hand up" or deserve to be accepted onto the panel, just like Conor mckenna in tyrone. The two of them havent played since they were like 18, or played a handful of senior games even for their clubs.

I think you're arguing against yourself there when you bring mckenna into it. He scored 1-2 last week and 2-2 yesterday......do you think he should have to prove himself in some way at club level before Harte can pick him? Same with Conor Glass? How long should Coleman have made Tohill sit out in 91 (After returning from Oz)before he let him play?

Nope, my point is consistent, what he scored is irrelevant. Neither the two of them have played gaelic in years, so neither shouldve been accepted straight onto county panels without proving themselves again for their clubs. Particularly when you note that other players from both counties had strong club seasons and werent asked onto the county panels, but boys whove barely even played senior club yet are asked on.

So his performance is irrelevant LOL. Should the county team just be the 15 best players from that years club championship then? Wise up.

[elite, professional level for the last number of years]

Glass should never have been near a county panel this year. Was a very good underage player and hopefully will also be a very good senior player, but he has played little or no senior football of any note and hasn't played at all in 4 years, absolutely disgraceful that he is drafted in straight off the plane on underage reputation alone. Should have been left to play some senior football with Glen before he was ever looked at for county.

True. Same goes for Conor mckenna too

Not true.  Conor Glass was playing at elite, professional level for the last number of years, he put his hand up again to represent the county on return - which is more than some other players who never left these shore did.   He deserved the chance for a number of reasons - to possibly play a key role in a one-off year, to get a sense of how quickly he might or might not adapt and to encourage those around him.  Today's performance gave him and Gallagher some more information.  It will take him much longer to adapt and Conor now knows that fully.  However he could still be effective v Ard Mhacha, albeit in a more defensive or man-marking role.  Derry aren't that long out of Division 4, still haven't got out of Division 3 and do not have a queue of others lining up to play for the county.  Conor will be grand - it was just disappointing for Derry today, and for him, that he didn't have a better game.  If he does feature v Ard Mhacha, he will give 100%.

He was playing a totally different sport, he hasn't played any kind of competitive Gaelic football in at least 4 years and hasn't played at all (bar against Banagher as another poster said) at adult level. There is absolutely no way he should have been rushed straight into the county set up. As I said, I hope he goes on to be as good and successful a senior player as he was underage, but he has done nothing to merit it yet and the ridiculous OTT attention on him by the Derry GAA community and local media could actually be detrimental to his development as a player.

What a load of balls.

Very constructive. Which part is balls?? Has he played any senior football of note? Has he been playing another sport? Has he actually proving anything at senior level??? If you disagree with my opinion that he shouldn't  be in the in the squad then fine, but nothing I have said is a 'load of balls' it's all factual.

Not a load of balls - more about 2 balls, one round and one oval!!  Some of what you wrote is opinion so not necessarily factual!!  Anyhow, as most posters will know, many of the skills are very transferable so the 2 games are not as completely different as you suggest -  hence the huge interest from Australia, not to mention the money involved.  As already stated, Conor will be grand and if he does feature v Ard Mhacha, he will give 100%.   Doire abú!!

The only part of my post which is opinion is my opinion that he shouldn't be in the squad at this stage. The two sports (while having some similarities) are in fact different sports, Conor hasn't in fact played any real senior football, and he hasn't proven anything in Gaelic football at adult level. Those are all facts and not opinion. As for your 'he will give 100%', am sure he will, but that's the bare minimum anyone representing our county should be expected to give and am sure any of the hundreds (thousands??) of other players eligible for Derry would do the same so am not sure what your point is in adding that as some kind of badge of honour. Listen, am sure Conor is a good lad, he is obviously an impressive physical specimen and out of the players we have lost to the AFL in recent years I think he is possibly the one who could make an impact at county level. But that still doesn't change my opinion that someone who has never played senior football, who hasn't played any Gaelic in 4 years and who is literally just off the plane should not be placed straight into a senior county panel and into a starting lineup after 2/3 training sessions. Just my opinion.

I don't want to compare the 2 players as they are different and play different positions but on your opinion Conor McKenna wouldnt be on the Tyrone team either?

I could be wrong but dont think hes played much more senior football than Glass.

Conor Glass has been dropped in at the deep end being just off the plane but most people would agree we aren't expecting him to have a massive impact right away. Hopefully this will be the quickest way for him to get up to the speed of inter county GAA.

Conor was eager to be involved right away and is in the mold of the type of player Derry are crying out for in the middle of the park.

My opinion is he will come good in time whether thats this year or next.

Apart from the two Greenlough men, Paul Cassidy Daniel Haevron and possibly Chris Mc Keague, who else would make the Kerry panel?

Dear god id say none. And top 4 defences in the country?

Im not even being negative but I worry about what some boys are watching!

On a more serious note i do agree that MF is prob our biggest weakness.

Going by the schedule ive heard the senior squad have been set by gallagher they should be in some shape come January.

With rumours abounding that Rory Gallagher has a 45 man squad selected without MFelt players - I'd thought I'd pop down some names of those (if made available) for selection would make my panel - obviously I've missed some & taken some out of last years pane but Id like to think there's more than enough below to turn the tide for Derry again ...

Goalkeepers:
Odhran Lynch
Oran Hartin
Ben McKinless

Full Back:
Brendan Rogers
Karl McKaigue
Ryan Dougan
Niall Keenan
Liam McGoldrick
Declan Cassidy

Half Back:
Chris McKaigue
Conor McCluskey
Michael McEvoy
Gareth McKinless
Jack Doherty
Conleth McShane
Chris Kearns

Midfield:
Daniel Heavron
Ciaran McFaul
Gavin O Neill
Conor Doherty

Half Forward:
Enda Lynn
Emmett Bradley
Ryan Bell
Padraig Cassidy
Niall Toner
Shea Downey

Full Forward:
Niall Loughlin
Benny Heron
Shane McGuigan
Emmett McGuckin
Enda Downey
Paul Cassidy
Danny Tallon
Alex Doherty

As someone else said id say the squad wont be far off this, id say Enda Downey, Paul Cassidy, Alex Doherty and Ben McCarron will mostly be with U20's like last year. Id imagine Padraig and mark mcgrogan aswell as the McWilliams twins of Swatragh will be on it, possibly even the Kearney twins.

Not really - I think you probably summed up your own analysis with "he did rightly" - 6 players ahead of him & probably McGill Lavey & Dougan Glen thrown in there too.

Johnston was one of the first names on the team sheet when we were in Div 1 & 2, not saying hes going to turn the teams fortunes around but he'd start before mcgill, dougan, doherty for me. He was stationed at full back before he left for austraila where he wouldnt be comfortable. I think he'd add to a stronger competition for places if nothing else. Id have danny heavron and loughlin back in aswell.

From U20's McCluskey, P McGrogan.

Duno what you're getting at Braveheart. Great crowd surely, think 4,000 might be a bit generous.

Slaughtneil though, they looked back to their best, it's hard at this stage to see who will stop them winning the championship.

Dungiven, what the hell happened them? Had a serious team through the early 90's and 20 odd yrs ago later they totally fallen away.

Wondering the same myself, warnings signs bound to have been there with the heavy beating they took from Swatragh at home earlier in the league. Have they been missing men? Injuries / travelling??

3 game to go in the league. Top 2 should finish Glen and S'neil. Bottom 2 Dungiven and Banagher.

What's happening in Dungiven anyone? Have they ever been an intermediate team?

[sending players to play for the county.]

So if we went for a starred game system Slaughtneil would have went out to play certain games less 7 county hurlers and 7 county footballers, almost all of which are duel players.  Hardly a great reward for a team sending players to play for the county.  A better solution would need to be found than this.

If this thread proves anything it is you can never keep everyone happy, and Derry folk seem grumpier than most.

You have a point above, but the bit in bold is part of the problem. Stated as if the club have control of the players. Players should be free from any pressure to make up their own minds, they shouldn't need to be "sent" or released or allowed or whatever a club wants to call it.

Quote above in bold is spot on. Yes the league cup games are a sh*te, would having no games in this period be better? Or what are people's suggestions for an improvement? Would starred league games be any better?

Folks this isn't just a problem in our County, theyre club players all over Ireland sitting on their hands for weeks with no football, the county scene and super 8's (which although entertaining imo should be scrapped) are dictating the schedule.
As Billy says above them missing so many players to both hurling and football county squads would hardly be fair.

[It's the 10 surviving teams + 2 relegated and the top 4 teams in Div 1B]

Board has been very quiet since the leagues have started back.

Any teams really standing out as contenders for the championship?

Whats going on at dungiven and glenullin? Both looking likely of relegation.

Is next year back to meaning if you are in intermediate league you are in that chamionship also?

Pretty sure it's the 10 surviving Div 1A teams + 2 relegated teams + 2 promoted teams in senior championship 2020

It's the 10 surviving teams + 2 relegated and the top 4 teams in Div 1B

The senior league is heating up, we have lost our early form, Loup v competitive yesterday, but we are still playing well. But their is nothing between the middle 6/7 teams. Ballinderry have put together two big results and performances going by the score board. Bellaghy going by Mals report destroyed Magherafelt, unexpected. Topsy turvy performances everywhere. Banagher and Dungiven in big diffs now, with Glen possibly being the real threats to the Snail in the championship 🤔. Coleraine keeping their powder dry for the championship?

If that's correct what a complete clusterfuck.  How are teams playing intermediate opposition all year supposed to compete with teams playing senior all year. it just shows that the county board do not give 1 flying f**k about clubs, other than when they need 16 of them to line their pockets at championship time.  Other than that it's all right to fob them off with 2nd rate competitions and telescope their league into as few weeks as possible.

Yeah i thought that was the whole point of the league restructure this year was for it to be even out again next year meaning you play in intermediate league your in intermediate championship also.

More less top 16 teams play senior champ.

I haven't been involved Derry club football from a spectators view in about 8 years, but I keep a close eye on things.  But it seems to me over the last two years, the Craic and the fizz has gone out of the club set-up back home.

I do think it's been quieter than usual since after the break maybe it's just me? Usually big talking points on here and even the CDP just seems to be doing reports without too much build up or reaction.