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Derry journal reporting the Senior manager was at Celtic park for the junior game. He got his moneys worth anyway

[Steelstown]

SFC 3rd Round:
Steelstown vs Kilrea
Lavey vs Swatragh
Glenullin vs Slaughtneil
Bellaghy vs Dungiven

SFC Relegation:
Banagher vs Faughanvale
Ballinascreen vs Loup

IFC:
Claudy vs Eoghan Rua
Lissan vs Limavady DRAW
Greenlough vs Drumsurn
Quigan vs Foreglen

JFC:
Trasna vs Glack
Drum vs Doire Colmcille
Dolans vs Ballerin
Moneymore vs Magilligan

Think the older men be better suited coming off the bench , you could see after 40 mins they were struggling, Lavey good outside bet, Why is Sreen game Friday? This should of been played Tonight surely ?

Confused about this too, when do screen / ballinderry play their next fixtures? Will it be mid week the following week?

Screen play Tues 8th. If Ballinderry win they play Wed 9th and if they lose Fri 11th.

No disagreement there. JFC and all hurling already underway.. just SFC and IFC to get going and you'd hardly know it.

Fancy slaughtneil for the double this year, change in hurling SHC will help them give a push to the football. League champions and all Ireland winning manager in place, will be team to beat

On the same subject as above how long would it take for one person to have a contact with each club and get results to put up on Derry socials. Would give teams and competitions so much more exposure

A lot of teams don't put scores up for their own matches so it might be difficult enough. Maybe it isn't possible, but the results and fixtures are on the website, why can they not be stuck up automatically onto the social media sites each morning fixtures for today, results from last night. Would also give LGFA results though not the camogie as they seem to keep their results secret.

Results are already online as soon as the game finishes but we want them posted somewhere else...? fixtures results and tables are live on the website have been for years. Next thing you'll be wanting them back in the Irish news every Tuesday 

Aye that's great to create a bit of interest and exposure 😄

You're the Derry PRO aren't you 😊

  They couldn't afford me!

Ballinderry, lavey and slaughtneil are the best clubs at pushing underage on socials. Magherafelt good too. Saw somebody streaming the dungiven v screen minor game last night on tiktok!

Can be tough pushing underage stuff unless you've constant success in your club I suppose. Understand why some of the smaller clubs don't.

On the same subject as above how long would it take for one person to have a contact with each club and get results to put up on Derry socials. Would give teams and competitions so much more exposure

A lot of teams don't put scores up for their own matches so it might be difficult enough. Maybe it isn't possible, but the results and fixtures are on the website, why can they not be stuck up automatically onto the social media sites each morning fixtures for today, results from last night. Would also give LGFA results though not the camogie as they seem to keep their results secret.

Results are already online as soon as the game finishes but we want them posted somewhere else...? fixtures results and tables are live on the website have been for years. Next thing you'll be wanting them back in the Irish news every Tuesday 

Ah dont lower yourself come on. Derry fan here, just being honest, one off them no longer there

Bullsh*t lol. Chrissy then saying you're still not brave enough to say his name I'll say it for you. Who's the rest then who you say are out for number one?

What are we really arguing about here? It seems like you all think it's some sort of gotcha on Outsider..?

Is it really a wild thing to say that some Derry players seem more focused on personal endorsements, sponsorships, business ventures and brand collaborations these days? I would have thought that was widely accepted.

From the outside it looks like some of those lads have taken their eye off the ball. Can't surely be argued? And they shouldn't be an automatic choice in 2027. That was the original point made. Why is anybody taking issue with that?

When Sargent came on against Armagh, they said it was before he had made his debut for his club. If the lack of game time for Lynch is a risk the same would be true for Sargent, maybe more so given his complete lack of experience at senior level.
McGuckin would be unlucky to be dropped but I think they will go with Lynch, as long as they don't tell him to hang about the halfway line as the Meath keeper bombs the ball over his head and goals fly in behind him.
As an aside C Diamond seems to be named on the bench for every game, does anyone know if he has got any minutes at all in league or Championship?

Charlie played against Armagh last year and either 0ffaly or Cork this year in the league. He missed the McKenna cup and early stage of the league for sigerson. Highly rated but should be pushing on.

Lynch hasn't played any football in 2 years there's no chance he plays. Possibly only in after scullion leaving since the Armagh game. Really looking forward to seeing Sargeant playing.

Assume the position. Major whinge about the state of the pitch incoming. Derry City paying a lot of money for an uncut cabbage patch.

😂😂😂 Is that supposed to be an insult?

That was the prime time for to get that team to win something, u20s will start to tail off again now with the last couple of minor teams nowhere near as strong

What are you talking about. Next years u20's were 2024 All Ireland minor champions?

Team from 2023 minor AI final (this year's U20s):
Derry: Karl Campbell; Fionn McEldowney (Capt.), Finbar Murray, Luke Grant; Cahir Spiers, James Sargent, Odhrán Campbell; Tommy Rogers, Cahal McKaigue; Éamon Young, Johnny McGuckin, Rory Small; Ger Dillon, Conall Higgins, Oisín Doherty.
Subs: Kevin Barry Mullan for Doherty (49); John Boyle for Higgins (58); Dara McGuckin for Rogers (60).

Of that squad - Campbell is away to college in USA.
McEldowney and Rogers were part of the panel last year.
Sargent, Young, Rogers, Higgins all part of the panel this year. Expect Cahal McKaigue to not be far away from a call up as well.

My point was that were better focusing time and money on these players rather than good club players like JD or SK who may or may not stick around until the league is over 

It's unfortunate, but let's face it, two of them who left aren't good enough to play. Which is why they haven't played. McAteer had potential (and did play) so he's the only one that we can consider a loss.

As for Kearney, the fella has won the lottery currently as he'll probably never be on another county squad. So no idea why he'd walk away now. Byt he'll be further down the pecking order when the U20s are finished so who knows.

It's obviously a huge commitment for them but I wouldn't be losing any sleep. If Derry are to win an all Ireland it'll be with 18 or 19 core players not a raft of lads who blow in and out.

R Scullion in goals
R O'Mianain in at 8
S Young and S Downey named to start. Not much experience on the bench but plenty of potential. Defence has been solid so far and forwards improving from first day out. Would be nice to get a convincing victory at home to build momentum.

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I'd settle for a 1 point win ... Harte involved with Offaly will know the Derry players

After the result tonight, I think Offaly would have settled for this also.
Would love to know why so many changes are made to the published line ups, I can't see how it helps players.

They aren't 'published line-ups', that'll be one reason for sure

The lavey lads soon come out previously I was accused of having a problem with Steelstown and before that with North Derry.

Newbridge have 5 men on the squad and are back to back championship winners. There is no way Patrick Mc Gurk is strong enough for inter county football and I'm basing that after watching a full championship last year.There is a place for Toner but I think the game has changed to much for him to be influential.
Individuals on the squad 100% have merit so Diamond, Devlin, Kearney argument doesn't add up. They won't make their clubs successful alone but are by far the best players on their club team.

If you've 4/5 men on the squad you have to be one of top teams in county.
Ciaran Henry is Laveys best player

Fella's name is Ciaran Hendry. Thanks for confirming, you're clueless 👍

[For all our eternally optimistic men feel free the highlight the positives from yesterday? Both from this squad we are supposedly developing and anything thats better form last year.]

Can't be slated for being negative when analysing something you sat and watched for 70 mins. Can't sugar coat that display, its not good enough.

For all our eternally optimistic men feel free the highlight the positives from yesterday? Both from this squad we are supposedly developing and anything thats better form last year.

Just incase anyone is in any doubt Conor Mc Ateer isn't a corner forward. Sean Young or Sean Kearney would have suited better.

Bar stuffing a rubbish Kilrea team how have Lavey managed to get 4 men onto a county team? None of which I believe are close to being strong enough to start. (Including Matthew Downey in this as he's played more Championship games for Lavey in last 3 years that St Bridgids)

The mistake you're making (maybe intentionally?) is trying to draw conclusions on yesterday vs. an entire season in 2025. This is game 1 for an entirely new management team.

If McGuigan's shot had went into the top corner (great save from the goalie) or Baker's shot which hit the post had went over we might (maybe with the exception of you) have a completely different view of things.

Do we have a stronger panel than last year? Yes. Do we have a stronger manager than last year? Yes. Do we have a better backroom team? Yes. Are we better prepared? Yes. Do we have more favourable fixtures & championship draw? Yes. Are we blooding U20 players into the panel this year? Yes. Do we have more competent goalkeepers? Yes.

If you can't see any positives then that's ok. But, if you were being objective, things are more looking up than down.

Re: the Lavey players. Only one started yesterday (and only 1 is a regular). Can you name me any club player who are more deserving of a place on the panel than them? Let's talk specifics.

I'm judging almost the same group of players off the same standards.

In regards to Management, squad, preparation and goalkeepers, what are you basing the improvements on?

Players who deserve to get ahead of 3 of them, Young, Kearney, Doherty, Devlin, Charlie Diamond, Tommy Rogers, O Mainian.

Management: Successful before. won Derry an Ulster title and got to an All Ireland semi final. Backroom team appear more competent and each have management credentials on their own. Boyle, McKaigue, McGrath have all won all Ireland competitions as managers.

Squad: Better options with men coming back from injury and the 2020 minor team are another year further down the track. We also have the U20's involved with the senior squad this year which didn't appear to be the case in 2025.

Preparation: Management team have been in place since July. We've had a pre season, trip to Portugal and given squad players a chance in the McKenna cup. None of that happened in 2025.

Goalkeepers: Scullion wasn't there in 2025. McGuckin and Regan able deputies with Lynch still injured. The goalkeeper who played in 2025 c'ship wasn't called up to the panel until the last week of March.

I don't understand your point with the Lavey players. Niall Toner and Patrick McGurk played yesterday. I presume you're not begrudging them getting game time. If you want to include MDowney, he was captain of the 2020 side and had terrible luck with injuries. Worked with Meenagh and Boyle before. I think he's worth giving a chance to, especially in the league. We'll never build a panel otherwise.

Kearney and Young played yesterday. Diamond and Ruairi O M on the bench. I'm not sure any of them deserved to play more than the 3 lads I've mentioned. Do you just have a problem with Lavey?