Derry Club Football & Hurling original

[theticklemister]

Emmett McGuckian never got a sniff, but that was down to his own team's tactics.

[JoG2]

Must say the streaming service this year was excellent. Fair dues to the CB and the team that provided the service.

What's the chances we'll see any county football this autumn?

[Bronco]

You'll not see much football watching Derry under Gallagher, that's for sure.

[Derry Optimist]

Based on the matches that I saw, courtesy of an excellent streaming service organised by the County Board,I have picked the following 15 for my annual Derry Club All Stars awards.
                                            Odhran Lynch
Carlus McWilliams                   Brendan Rogers            Paul McNeill
Conor McCluskey                    Chrissy McKaigue          Conor Kearns
                              Patsy Bradley     Ciaran McFaul
Enda Lynn                              Christopher Bradley       Jack Doherty
Shane McGuigan                     Niall Loughlin                 Niall Toner
Subs:Thomas Mallon,Brian McCallion,Neil Forester,Conor Nevin,Padraig McGrogan,Conleth McShane,Patrick Kearney,Padraig Cassidy,Benny Heron,Brian Cassidy,Colm McGoldrick and Ryan Bell

[Bronco]

Club football cancelled across Ireland.

Very responsible of Magherafelt to cease playing football a day early, fair play to them.

[lenny]

Congratulations to slaughtneil. We're gutted but on the day they were the better team. We just couldn't break down their defensive system. Have to say though they have become horrible to watch, probably the influence of Devlin from ardboe.

[Bronco]

It must have been horrible to watch them keep the ball with Magherafelt refusing to come out of their defensive shell despite being behind alright🙄

[theticklemister]

Congratulations to slaughtneil. We're gutted but on the day they were the better team. We just couldn't break down their defensive system. Have to say though they have become horrible to watch, probably the influence of Devlin from ardboe.

Hahah your some craic.

I thought when Magherafelt did run at Slaughtneil, it caused them problems. The fact that Magherafelt didn't have possession for long meant that you didn't see these attacks as much.

[restorepride]

Congratulations to slaughtneil. We're gutted but on the day they were the better team. We just couldn't break down their defensive system. Have to say though they have become horrible to watch, probably the influence of Devlin from ardboe.

Hahah your some craic.

I thought when Magherafelt did run at Slaughtneil, it caused them problems. The fact that Magherafelt didn't have possession for long meant that you didn't see these attacks as much.

This is actually true - but the imagination and creativity had been sucked out of them - do not think for yourself, stick to the plan, but we are behind, stick to the boring plan, but we are still behind, f**k the plan, let's push up, we've scored a goal, back to the plan, f**k the plan, we are still behind; I know - but stick to the plan, but we are still getting f**king bate, push up to f**k and get a goal chance, got one, keeper makes a save, ball at other end, goal on, fist it over the bar, game over.   

Well done lads, says Cush - you stuck to the plan, scored five times, Slaughtneil scored 11 times, but at least you stuck to the plan, fair play to yous, yous did what you were told and we won last year so that makes it all ok.  Will we make a plan for next year? 

Mmmm.....  No, thanks.  Magherafelt have some excellent footballers who deserve better.  There are better plans.

[Estimator]

Last two teams:

Magherafelt
13 scorers in total
1 player scored 30pts or more:
Shane Heavron 1-27 (1-0p, 0-19f)
1 player scored 10pts or more:
Danny Heavron 0-12 (0-6f)
1 players scored in every game
Shane Heavron
7 goals scored in total
5/13 scorers only scored once
Average Points per game – 12
   
Slaughtneil
17 scorers in total
1 player scored 50pts or more:
Shane McGuigan  4-47 (1-0p, 0-12f, 0-4m, 0-1'45)
1 player scored 20pts or more:
Chrissy Bradley 2-19 (0-8f)
1 player scored 10pts or more:
Brian Cassidy 1-14 (0-3f)
1 player scored in every game
Shane McGuigan
13 goals scored in total
6/17 scorers only scored once
Average Points per game – 21

Stats don't back up Lenny's claims of Slaughtneil having a horrible defensive system.
I have McGuigan scoring more himself, than M'felts Top 4 scorers.
He totalled 4-47 (3-30 from play)
S Heavron 1-27, D Heavron 0-12, Emmett McGuckin 1-05, Conor Kearns 0-07 = 2-51 (1-26 from play)

Slaughtneil's top 2 scorers (84pts) scored the same amount as the entire Magherafelt team (84pts) in the C'Ship

[Bronco]

If the stats don't back it up then the stats aren't the appropriate stats to look at. Anyone who watched Magherafelt knows they're incredibly conservative in their approach.

[shawshank]

'winning is everything' is the usual defence, and in general I won't disagree. However, when you have footballers on a team like Magherafelt I am inclined to say there has to be a better way for them. Look at their two wing backs, Heavron an attacking mf, at least two scoring forwards that you can depend on. they need to evolve their attacking play or they will under achieve. For a player like Murphy to be on the bench sums it up for me.

[oakleaflad]

Yeah, I felt the two teams who were set up most defensively lost the two finals at the weekend. Magherafelt's tactics already been spoken about at length but I thought Ben McCarron seeming to play most of the game around the half back line was a bit of a strange one in the Intermediate final too.

[oakleaflad]

A few In's and Out's in the County panel, which has been trimmed down.

Thomas Mallon has taken over as goalkeeping coach. Connlan Bradley drafted into the squad in his place.

Niall Keenan, Ryan Bell, Conor McAtamney and Liam McGoldrick among those gone from the panel.

Paul McNeill, Paul Cassidy, Ethan Doherty and Conor Glass all drafted in.

[Derry Optimist]

I believe that there are 28 players in the Derry Senior football panel.Four players who started against Tyrone in last year's Ulster championship game have been omitted for this year's panel ie Niall Keenan,Ryan Bell,Liam McGoldrick and Conor McAtamney (Incidentally Paul McNeill was also a starter in that side but was missing for the league owing to an injury).It would appear that Rory Gallagher is placing a lot of emphasis on the younger talent within the county.Hence the inclusion of Paul Cassidy and Ethan Doherty.

The most surprising omission from that missing quartet is Niall Keenan who has been one of Derry's most consistent players for the last four years.Likewise the inclusion of the inexperienced Connlan Bradley as goalkeeping cover for Odhran Lynch is also a surprise.

Perhaps some poster could give us the names of the full panel as I feel there must be other omissions from last year's panel which was certainly much larger