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Hey Lad let me tell you I'm not worrying about you at all. Theres enough if you to do that especially after yesterday. And at a guess I'd be confident I know more about Derry football than you anyway!

a know it all then lad. Antrim forum is just waiting for your all encompassing knowledge.

I have no problem sliding on trust me we have enough to do this side of the Bann. But stop deluding yourselves that youse are a Div 1 team in disguise.  At least we accept where we are atm, div 4 and working hard to escape from it. A few Derry posters here are realistic, but the vast majority are living on past glories. A reality check would do most of you no harm. You cant beat Leitrim at home. Start from there and fill your boots because that's where Derry is atm. Fact.

Words of great wisdom and insight - not. There's no one in Derry thinks we are a division 1 side.  As i say you'd be better off focusing on your own county than worrying about someone else's- fact.

Going by Gallagher's team selection tonight,I think he gambled that Lietrim were going to be shite,hence no Cassidy and Shane McGuigan not starting. Unless they're not fit. Also,where is Holly and Colm Mcgoldrick and Mooney. Anybody kno the story on these lads. They were all named as part of the Derry set up this year!!!

Holly and Mooney supposedly carrying injuries. Kearney another one - has he walked? McGoldrick not committing this year.  For a panel that had a lot of names mentioned, up to 40  we don't seem to have much strength in depth. How many have jumped ship already? A lot of lads involved last year who did ok and seemed to be developing not there.

Where's Cassidy Where's Mc Kindless. Lol. That's by far the strongest Derry team youse have had out for a long time. Who you dropping for Cassidy and Mc Kindless, albeit they are two superb players. Every county missing four or five off their "dream team". Just put hands up and say Derry were pure dung tonight and you'll be a lot closer to reality than looking over your shoulder for two players. That's what a panel is for Yes/No.
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Would you not go slide on to the Antrim site or whenever you are from.

Disappointing start. Fortunate to get a draw. Where are Cassidy, McKinless and the rest ? Not that I don't know how much difference they would make. Midfield a problem  for a long time and it shows again this evening. Hardly a kick pass into the forwards all night.  Playing a sweeper first half who gives no protection to the full back line.  Every ball first half down the left was won by Leitrim. Gallagher can't change the habits of a lifetime with some lads.  Carrying the ball up the field slowly into a packed defence over and over again.  Doing the same thing that's not working and expecting different results. 

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.

[E Concannon]

As the McKenna Cup opens in ten days time our thoughts will automatically turn to Rory Gallagher's first Derry team selection.Presumably the Slaughtneil hurlers on the Derry football panel will not be selected,likewise the Coleraine Junior hurlers who are also on the football panel.That means our defence alone will be short of four top class players who would be challenging strongly for first choice positions. I refer to the McKaigue brothers,Brendan Rogers and Liam McGoldrick.That should give Rory the option of trying out some of the younger players.By the same criteria come-back midfielder Niall Holly  and ace forward Shane McGuigan would also be unavailable.As a consequence I would expect the starting 15 to be along the following lines.
   T Mallon
   N Keenan
   C McCluskey
   R Dougan
   S Downey
   P McGrogan
   P Hagan
   C McAtamney
   Gavin O'Neill
   E Bradley
   C McFaul
   P Cassidy
   B McCarron
   N Loughlin
   C Bradley.
Subs: O Lynch
         E Concannon
         Sean F Quinn
         C Kearns
         C Doherty
         P Kearney
         O McWilliams
         B Heron
        P Coney
         R Bell
         J Doherty

   

Both not even on the panel. Kearns was never asked afaik

Two others not on the panel. Also not asked afaik.

I did not consider Enda Lynn,Michael McEvoy,Jason Rocks and Paul McNeill for  my first League side of 2020.All of them  are expected to be out for most of the season with long term injuries. 

I would of course expect that others such as the McWilliams twins,Shea Downey,Ben McKinless.Patrick Coney and Niall Toner would also be very much in the shake up for match day squads and will all be probably considered for staring berths in the McKenna Cup selections.

2 of those mentioned weren't asked into the squad. Hearing 2 or 3 lads have already dropped out that were in and the ever reliable Gareth McKindless has already gone awol.  Management teams should make it public who they asked so that there's not the usual gripping about fellas who should be in a squad when they were either asked and didn't commit or left the squad after committing.

The Irony?

Management should make squad public but you're fairly vague with your info!

Yeah oh the irony -awful 

I did not consider Enda Lynn,Michael McEvoy,Jason Rocks and Paul McNeill for  my first League side of 2020.All of them  are expected to be out for most of the season with long term injuries. 

I would of course expect that others such as the McWilliams twins,Shea Downey,Ben McKinless.Patrick Coney and Niall Toner would also be very much in the shake up for match day squads and will all be probably considered for staring berths in the McKenna Cup selections.

2 of those mentioned weren't asked into the squad. Hearing 2 or 3 lads have already dropped out that were in and the ever reliable Gareth McKindless has already gone awol.  Management teams should make it public who they asked so that there's not the usual gripping about fellas who should be in a squad when they were either asked and didn't commit or left the squad after committing. 

Potential squad list is close to the actual. A few lads from last year not asked and Moore from Banagher and Armstrong from Claudy are included this year.  Be interesting to see Gallagher's impact on players. Even his influence in being able  persuade lads who have cleared out on Derry before to stay around for the Armagh game and after it.

It will be interesting to see who Gallagher brings in to the squad this year and how much loyalty will be shown to lads who were last year and stayed with it even when Derry when the depths of division 4. Will those who said no to a Derry call up in recent years or those who cleared out for the summer in the past be brought back in to the fold.  Derry could probably have a squad of lads over the last 5 or more years who have been cast aside who would give any squad selected a good run for their money.  They'd certainly have plenty of motivation after being fecked over and then maybe those who turned their back on it being brought in. Wouldn't be that hopeful that there will consideration of long term development of the lads that have come through or loyalty to players who committed in the past.

Surely Gallagher will start with a clean slate? What happened previously is none of his concern and he will be taking everyone at face value? What happened before his reign should really be irrelevant?

That's part of the problem with Derry. Every couple of years there's a fresh start a clear out and a load of new faces. There's no development  of players or loyalty to them. All the the successful counties have the same core group for years even with changes in management.  If a Cathal McShane or Eoin Murchan was in Derry they would have been dumped years ago for not cutting it in their first year or two.  It must end up with a load of boys in a squad who don't know if they'll get any sort of chance to prove themselves or be there more than a year or two as well as players going back telling their club mates not go anywhere near a Derry set. 

It will be interesting to see who Gallagher brings in to the squad this year and how much loyalty will be shown to lads who were last year and stayed with it even when Derry when the depths of division 4. Will those who said no to a Derry call up in recent years or those who cleared out for the summer in the past be brought back in to the fold.  Derry could probably have a squad of lads over the last 5 or more years who have been cast aside who would give any squad selected a good run for their money.  They'd certainly have plenty of motivation after being fecked over and then maybe those who turned their back on it being brought in. Wouldn't be that hopeful that there will consideration of long term development of the lads that have come through or loyalty to players who committed in the past.

What was the attendance tonight?

4500 I saw in Twitter, shows what the people of Derry think of league football when it matters

Yes. There would have been less in Celtic park. A good junior championship game between 2 Derry city team's at Celtic park would almost get double figures paying at the gate. South derry is the heartland and always will be. Next year at senior football the only real north Derry team playing senior football will be Claudy. Coleraine will also play but really Coleraine are outsiders to both south and north derry.

It's obvious the South Derry clubs are putting a lot of effort into closing the gap after the North Derry championship clean sweep last year. The hard work of south derry gaels like yourself should be commended.

We need to lay off braveheart  He's probably one of those super Gaels that sums up what the GAA is all about. Celebrating in the glory of the neighboring club and running around following them about. He might be even one of those who wanted to jump ship and join the neighbors in the true spirit of the GAA. Could even be a member of the local angry daddies group.

I'm with Keyser on this one, brilliant to have a modern training facility in Owenbeg and it was needed, but the stand and spectator facility at the level it is was not. We have Celtic Park and in a county of our size it more than met our needs as a county ground, infact its a super venue. We now have two county standard venues. Owenbeg was not needed as a county ground. Club pitches more than able to meet club championship crowds until semi-final or final stage where Celtic Park was then the venue

I can only speak for myself but I would have no problem with travelling to owenbeg for a game but would more than likely not go to celtic park. That's both for club matches and county. Owenbeg is a great ground for watching games and is handy to get to. I'm obviously not a die hard fan but I like to go to as many games as possible. I'd say crowds are much bigger in general when games are in owenbeg compared to celtic park because of its convenience.

The teams we play must feel the same way. The Leinster lads and anyone who has a recent run out at Croke pk must think it's great playing on a pitch the same size. Anyone playing at a higher level will have the fitness to take advantage of all that space. Owenbeg has the feel and look of a training pitch and not even one with a good surface. The opposition must love coming there as it has no atmosphere, wouldn't in any way feel intimidating and has great facilities for them. We used to have a great record at Celtic pk. Travelling further to a tight pitch in the middle of Derry probably wasn't something teams looked forward to. By the sounds of it a bit like a lot of the Derry support in recent times. But sure look at, what odds about results or what is best to win a game as long as people don't have to travel an extra few miles. What we should be doing is having a designated county ground every few miles, on the right side of the Glenshane of course and rotate it based on some type of lottery draw and that will keep a few people happy.

O'Kane is definitely not doing Derry county board or the management any favors putting a list of names and roles.  He's using inside info there to try and nail people. His article would carry a bit of substance if he would put the numbers of support people that would normally be in place for a county team.  I would take a few people also cover some of the other teams.  Laois looked to have 6 or 7 along the line alone never mind all the medical people. He must have had this sitting ready to go to press just hoping Derry would lose.