Group C - Derry

[SC1Sports.com]

Yes, they played with a vastly new-look team, but Derry managed to register just 5 shots from play during their opening 70 minutes of the 2012 season.

It was disappointing to note how often they tried to play the running game as well considering this was their biggest mistake against the blanket defence of Donegal.

http://bit.ly/A85lUx

We did an analysis of their performance and looked at their tendencies and their complete lack of efficiency at creating chances with yesterday's team.

If Cavan's defence wasn't so naive, they would have won easily.

[haranguerer]

If your auntie had balls she'd be your uncle

[SC1Sports.com]

haha - the point is simply they'll be punished against better teams

[whiskeysteve]

Only seeing this was posted on here already there now, top job Conan and Stephen!

[SC1Sports.com]

Not a problem! Appreciate it

Sure we'll let you do it from now on

[mylestheslasher]

What did you think of Cavan? How did the midfield of givney and mckiernan get on against the derry pair?

[CCCP1]

Glad to get off to a winning start and give new faces some game time. From Cavans perspective i thought they completely dominated midfield. Both guys were on top and drove forward at every opportunity, maybe a bit 2 much at times. Also a strong performance from the no6 - reilly is it? Both corner backs also had good games. McCamley did offer good protection for the defence for Derry but thought we were cleaned out in the middle.

Still good to get the win and get a bit of momentum with a very experimental team.

[lynchbhoy]

read the stats on the Derry threat - very impressive and well done.
Doesnt look good for some of Derrys forwards and indeed 'kick passers'

[SC1Sports.com]

mylestheslasher - Givney and McKiernan were absolutely superb for Cavan against Derry and they ran us absolutely ragged. Deserved the victory

Thankfully - Derry were a lot better this week and we got better stats including a look at UUJ as well

http://sc1sports.com/derry-vs-uuj-analysis/

Would love more feedback

[ExiledGael]

Some serious work put into that, very interesting stuff. Lot more insightful and informative than a lot of what we'll be reading tomorrow.

[time ticking away]

I read the stuff re the UUJ game. Very impressive indeed. Did it take long to compile the report ?

[sawel]

While i do admire the professionalism of the content, is it not better to deliver this information to the Derry management and not deliver it on an open forum where it could be utilised by opposing management down the line.
I do appreciate that the authors are trying to break into a market and create a niche.

[whiskeysteve]

While i do admire the professionalism of the content, is it not better to deliver this information to the Derry management and not deliver it on an open forum where it could be utilised by opposing management down the line.
I do appreciate that the authors are trying to break into a market and create a niche.

Not a worry for the mckenna cup sawel, sure there is that much chopping and changing, players/teams nowhere up to speed that it is harmless enough. Stats are nebulous from game to game at this juncture.

And by the time you get towards the business end of things opposition managers worth their salt could have the team very well sussed anyway.

I would agree, another fine piece, but while the authors are in the mindset of a fresh new analytical approach with Derry they should bear in mind that the more things change, the more they stay the same! What I mean is that it is very tempting to draw conclusions as to the direction the team is going after a couple of mckenna fixtures but after watching a decade of promising preseason games (more often than not), you become very cynical about how immaterial that good mckenna performance looks come June/July.

To that end, I myself am only really interested about individual performances in the mckenna, not even the team performance. Sounds silly I know but too often in recent years i've seen the best laid plans of derry teams go up in smoke when the opposition hits us with a championship dynamic and we are forced onto planning the game on different terms.

Its like watching a slick fighter going up a league - suddenly their tools no longer do the job and they revert to looking very amatuerish. Crozier and Cassidy had that early season aura at times, 'this time its different' and suddenly the weakness of the previous season that was thought to be addressed rears its ugly head or shifts into something else.

I wont be drawing any conclusions at all til halfway through the league - likewise will not be giving much creedance to team stats - but this doesnt make such coverage immaterial, we all still love to read about new players coming through and most importantly good coverage now bodes well for the bigger days down the line.

Also glad to see young sports enthusiasts given a platform and a potential business, heard Stephen on Radio Ulster talking about SC1 and how its led to an internship with Adidas and fair play to him its good to see a young graduate get ahead in this climate.

Looking ahead, they will need to exercise plenty of objectivism with Forrestor too  I would find it hard to pass unbiased comment on one of my clubmen. IMO Neil could be a good player this year but his size will become more of a factor as the intensity and enthusiasm ramps up, I would be very patient and not expect too much this season - one for the next couple of years hopefully.

[SC1Sports.com]

Thanks for the feedback guys - great stuff.

SAWEL - what I will say is what goes on on the pitch is no secret and is there for all to see. I'd like to think that opposition managers also have more of a savvy eye than myself. And I'm a writer, a sportsman, and in no way connected with the Derry team so it is certainly a worthwhile venture and a reliable look further into games (We'll also be covering many other teams as the year goes on). We're in the business of reporting, not advising!

WHISKEYSTEVE - completely agree. I DO often get ahead of myself too much as I would allude to a lot! I can't help but get excited sometimes. I have been trying to focus more on individual performances as well for this time of year to identify potential Championship players.
re. Forester. He is small, yes, but I have yet to see this affect the way he plays in any game to date and I think, as long as he's not selected half back, it will be certainly interested to see how he carries on the form at intercounty level. Would love to see him on Wednesday night against Donegal - would give us a better look

[sheamy]

Extremely refreshing to see sports journalism focused solely on the sport and the games themselves. It's quite rare these days.

Keep up the good work lads!