Derry Senior Championship Thread 2024

[LoughNeagh]

Went to a couple of Tyrone Championship games over the weekend. I left jealous. Massive crowds, massive atmosphere, a big buzz with the feeling that the game means everything.

Then you head home and jump onto Twitter & Facebook and see interviews with all managers and some players from TeamTalkMag. Tyrone posting team sheets on Twitter and great updates. Top notch service

The current Derry format is brutal. Badly attended league games with no atmosphere that started being played on 2nd August & the first knock out games not being played until October.

funny, I made a post highlighting the issues a few months ago and was pretty much told I was wrong, that everything is great, there are no meaningless games, league games are well attended, championship format is grand. 

It all needs a revamp and focus.

All your points are correct, and Derry is way behind. It almost feels like Derry rely on individual clubs to carry the flag and forget about the rest.

[lenny]

Went to a couple of Tyrone Championship games over the weekend. I left jealous. Massive crowds, massive atmosphere, a big buzz with the feeling that the game means everything.

Then you head home and jump onto Twitter & Facebook and see interviews with all managers and some players from TeamTalkMag. Tyrone posting team sheets on Twitter and great updates. Top notch service

The current Derry format is brutal. Badly attended league games with no atmosphere that started being played on 2nd August & the first knock out games not being played until October.

funny, I made a post highlighting the issues a few months ago and was pretty much told I was wrong, that everything is great, there are no meaningless games, league games are well attended, championship format is grand. 

It all needs a revamp and focus.

All your points are correct, and Derry is way behind. It almost feels like Derry rely on individual clubs to carry the flag and forget about the rest.

I agree to a large extent but for many club players in Tyrone their season is over now. It started on 31 May. That means they've had football in June, July, August and one week in September, basically just over 3 months. They also had a break in July so it's really 3 months or just under. If I was still playing club football I wouldn't be happy with that, all that training for a 12 or 13 week season. For most teams out now their next competitive game is at the end of May 2025.

[toby47]

Went to a couple of Tyrone Championship games over the weekend. I left jealous. Massive crowds, massive atmosphere, a big buzz with the feeling that the game means everything.

Then you head home and jump onto Twitter & Facebook and see interviews with all managers and some players from TeamTalkMag. Tyrone posting team sheets on Twitter and great updates. Top notch service

The current Derry format is brutal. Badly attended league games with no atmosphere that started being played on 2nd August & the first knock out games not being played until October.

funny, I made a post highlighting the issues a few months ago and was pretty much told I was wrong, that everything is great, there are no meaningless games, league games are well attended, championship format is grand. 

It all needs a revamp and focus.

All your points are correct, and Derry is way behind. It almost feels like Derry rely on individual clubs to carry the flag and forget about the rest.

I agree to a large extent but for many club players in Tyrone their season is over now. It started on 31 May. That means they've had football in June, July, August and one week in September, basically just over 3 months. They also had a break in July so it's really 3 months or just under. If I was still playing club football I wouldn't be happy with that, all that training for a 12 or 13 week season. For most teams out now their next competitive game is at the end of May 2025.

There was a pre season Tournament in Tyrone in May for clubs, each team will be training for 6-8 weeks out with friendlies etc too. April - September/October is a good enough length of season. 15 league games, a pre season tournament and a championship campaign.

I know for a fact talking to our club guys, they are bored to death with this dragged out season full of meaningless games. They have been training since January for a League that started in April. The league was absolutely dire (derry have done some f*cking about with leagues the past 5 years, team relegated, clubs appealing relegation, and clubs not turning up for relegation games) - with all due respect 2 teams competed for a league in the last game day that aren't in the top 10 clubs in Derry, Bellaghy won it last year also. Big clubs with panels of 50 conceding half their reserve games. Then into a 5 group game championship campaign. All for a knockout game in October, I don't really buy having a KO game in September a worse scenario for a player?

Reserve games being played on Owenbeg training pitch whilst there's a senior game on the main field at the same time. Feck all buy in from Derry to promote it, if your lucky a club will post scores, Mal McMullan might write down a starting 15 in his own handwriting and tweet it, Mark K, Odhran Bradley or Orlagh Mullabn will give you updates if they are at a game..but absolutely nothing from Derry, no videos, interviews, teamsheets etc.

Slaughtneil beat Glen, who cares? Magherafelt beat by Newbridge last week, Foreglen beat Glenullin, Castledawson beat Glenullin....who cares? The results all mean very little. County men on holiday whilst their club are playing, teams holding 3 and 4 men back from playing a game because they have a bigger game next week. That's not a good championship for me.

Sorry I usually try tweet optimistic enough posts on here, but it's a big gripe of mine at the moment.

[tbrick18]

Went to a couple of Tyrone Championship games over the weekend. I left jealous. Massive crowds, massive atmosphere, a big buzz with the feeling that the game means everything.

Then you head home and jump onto Twitter & Facebook and see interviews with all managers and some players from TeamTalkMag. Tyrone posting team sheets on Twitter and great updates. Top notch service

The current Derry format is brutal. Badly attended league games with no atmosphere that started being played on 2nd August & the first knock out games not being played until October.

funny, I made a post highlighting the issues a few months ago and was pretty much told I was wrong, that everything is great, there are no meaningless games, league games are well attended, championship format is grand. 

It all needs a revamp and focus.

All your points are correct, and Derry is way behind. It almost feels like Derry rely on individual clubs to carry the flag and forget about the rest.

I agree to a large extent but for many club players in Tyrone their season is over now. It started on 31 May. That means they've had football in June, July, August and one week in September, basically just over 3 months. They also had a break in July so it's really 3 months or just under. If I was still playing club football I wouldn't be happy with that, all that training for a 12 or 13 week season. For most teams out now their next competitive game is at the end of May 2025.

There was a pre season Tournament in Tyrone in May for clubs, each team will be training for 6-8 weeks out with friendlies etc too. April - September/October is a good enough length of season. 15 league games, a pre season tournament and a championship campaign.

I know for a fact talking to our club guys, they are bored to death with this dragged out season full of meaningless games. They have been training since January for a League that started in April. The league was absolutely dire (derry have done some f*cking about with leagues the past 5 years, team relegated, clubs appealing relegation, and clubs not turning up for relegation games) - with all due respect 2 teams competed for a league in the last game day that aren't in the top 10 clubs in Derry, Bellaghy won it last year also. Big clubs with panels of 50 conceding half their reserve games. Then into a 5 group game championship campaign. All for a knockout game in October, I don't really buy having a KO game in September a worse scenario for a player?

Reserve games being played on Owenbeg training pitch whilst there's a senior game on the main field at the same time. Feck all buy in from Derry to promote it, if your lucky a club will post scores, Mal McMullan might write down a starting 15 in his own handwriting and tweet it, Mark K, Odhran Bradley or Orlagh Mullabn will give you updates if they are at a game..but absolutely nothing from Derry, no videos, interviews, teamsheets etc.

Slaughtneil beat Glen, who cares? Magherafelt beat by Newbridge last week, Foreglen beat Glenullin, Castledawson beat Glenullin....who cares? The results all mean very little. County men on holiday whilst their club are playing, teams holding 3 and 4 men back from playing a game because they have a bigger game next week. That's not a good championship for me.

Sorry I usually try tweet optimistic enough posts on here, but it's a big gripe of mine at the moment.

There's also the Ulster League.
The Tyrone club championship works imo. Theres any one of about 6 teams could win it - Derry realistically the winner is going to come from 3, and probably only 2 teams.

I was at the Kildress/Greencastle and Dungannon/Donaghmore double header yesterday.
Real niggle, real nerves, proper championship fare. Big crowd too, took us about 40 mins to get the car out after.
And - both games were decent quality.

[Derry Man]

Went to a couple of Tyrone Championship games over the weekend. I left jealous. Massive crowds, massive atmosphere, a big buzz with the feeling that the game means everything.

Then you head home and jump onto Twitter & Facebook and see interviews with all managers and some players from TeamTalkMag. Tyrone posting team sheets on Twitter and great updates. Top notch service

The current Derry format is brutal. Badly attended league games with no atmosphere that started being played on 2nd August & the first knock out games not being played until October.

funny, I made a post highlighting the issues a few months ago and was pretty much told I was wrong, that everything is great, there are no meaningless games, league games are well attended, championship format is grand. 

It all needs a revamp and focus.

All your points are correct, and Derry is way behind. It almost feels like Derry rely on individual clubs to carry the flag and forget about the rest.

I agree to a large extent but for many club players in Tyrone their season is over now. It started on 31 May. That means they've had football in June, July, August and one week in September, basically just over 3 months. They also had a break in July so it's really 3 months or just under. If I was still playing club football I wouldn't be happy with that, all that training for a 12 or 13 week season. For most teams out now their next competitive game is at the end of May 2025.

There was a pre season Tournament in Tyrone in May for clubs, each team will be training for 6-8 weeks out with friendlies etc too. April - September/October is a good enough length of season. 15 league games, a pre season tournament and a championship campaign.

I know for a fact talking to our club guys, they are bored to death with this dragged out season full of meaningless games. They have been training since January for a League that started in April. The league was absolutely dire (derry have done some f*cking about with leagues the past 5 years, team relegated, clubs appealing relegation, and clubs not turning up for relegation games) - with all due respect 2 teams competed for a league in the last game day that aren't in the top 10 clubs in Derry, Bellaghy won it last year also. Big clubs with panels of 50 conceding half their reserve games. Then into a 5 group game championship campaign. All for a knockout game in October, I don't really buy having a KO game in September a worse scenario for a player?

Reserve games being played on Owenbeg training pitch whilst there's a senior game on the main field at the same time. Feck all buy in from Derry to promote it, if your lucky a club will post scores, Mal McMullan might write down a starting 15 in his own handwriting and tweet it, Mark K, Odhran Bradley or Orlagh Mullabn will give you updates if they are at a game..but absolutely nothing from Derry, no videos, interviews, teamsheets etc.

Slaughtneil beat Glen, who cares? Magherafelt beat by Newbridge last week, Foreglen beat Glenullin, Castledawson beat Glenullin....who cares? The results all mean very little. County men on holiday whilst their club are playing, teams holding 3 and 4 men back from playing a game because they have a bigger game next week. That's not a good championship for me.

Sorry I usually try tweet optimistic enough posts on here, but it's a big gripe of mine at the moment.

Alan Gunn does his best to be fair to him, doing live commentary from most senior games. Derry wouldn't even think to just give the man a camera & have it live streamed. In Tyrone you can watch every game Senior, Intermediate & Junior. Tyrone's Junior championship is better promoted than Derrys senior championship. Sorry state of affairs

[toby47]

Went to a couple of Tyrone Championship games over the weekend. I left jealous. Massive crowds, massive atmosphere, a big buzz with the feeling that the game means everything.

Then you head home and jump onto Twitter & Facebook and see interviews with all managers and some players from TeamTalkMag. Tyrone posting team sheets on Twitter and great updates. Top notch service

The current Derry format is brutal. Badly attended league games with no atmosphere that started being played on 2nd August & the first knock out games not being played until October.

funny, I made a post highlighting the issues a few months ago and was pretty much told I was wrong, that everything is great, there are no meaningless games, league games are well attended, championship format is grand. 

It all needs a revamp and focus.

All your points are correct, and Derry is way behind. It almost feels like Derry rely on individual clubs to carry the flag and forget about the rest.

I agree to a large extent but for many club players in Tyrone their season is over now. It started on 31 May. That means they've had football in June, July, August and one week in September, basically just over 3 months. They also had a break in July so it's really 3 months or just under. If I was still playing club football I wouldn't be happy with that, all that training for a 12 or 13 week season. For most teams out now their next competitive game is at the end of May 2025.

There was a pre season Tournament in Tyrone in May for clubs, each team will be training for 6-8 weeks out with friendlies etc too. April - September/October is a good enough length of season. 15 league games, a pre season tournament and a championship campaign.

I know for a fact talking to our club guys, they are bored to death with this dragged out season full of meaningless games. They have been training since January for a League that started in April. The league was absolutely dire (derry have done some f*cking about with leagues the past 5 years, team relegated, clubs appealing relegation, and clubs not turning up for relegation games) - with all due respect 2 teams competed for a league in the last game day that aren't in the top 10 clubs in Derry, Bellaghy won it last year also. Big clubs with panels of 50 conceding half their reserve games. Then into a 5 group game championship campaign. All for a knockout game in October, I don't really buy having a KO game in September a worse scenario for a player?

Reserve games being played on Owenbeg training pitch whilst there's a senior game on the main field at the same time. Feck all buy in from Derry to promote it, if your lucky a club will post scores, Mal McMullan might write down a starting 15 in his own handwriting and tweet it, Mark K, Odhran Bradley or Orlagh Mullabn will give you updates if they are at a game..but absolutely nothing from Derry, no videos, interviews, teamsheets etc.

Slaughtneil beat Glen, who cares? Magherafelt beat by Newbridge last week, Foreglen beat Glenullin, Castledawson beat Glenullin....who cares? The results all mean very little. County men on holiday whilst their club are playing, teams holding 3 and 4 men back from playing a game because they have a bigger game next week. That's not a good championship for me.

Sorry I usually try tweet optimistic enough posts on here, but it's a big gripe of mine at the moment.

Alan Gunn does his best to be fair to him, doing live commentary from most senior games. Derry wouldn't even think to just give the man a camera & have it live streamed. In Tyrone you can watch every game Senior, Intermediate & Junior. Tyrone's Junior championship is better promoted than Derrys senior championship. Sorry state of affairs

Yeah I forgot to include Alan Gunn, a good man who is trying his best to promote it at the minute too.

[JoG2]

Agreed, Alan does a great job

[Knock Yer Mucker In]

Went to a couple of Tyrone Championship games over the weekend. I left jealous. Massive crowds, massive atmosphere, a big buzz with the feeling that the game means everything.

Then you head home and jump onto Twitter & Facebook and see interviews with all managers and some players from TeamTalkMag. Tyrone posting team sheets on Twitter and great updates. Top notch service

The current Derry format is brutal. Badly attended league games with no atmosphere that started being played on 2nd August & the first knock out games not being played until October.

funny, I made a post highlighting the issues a few months ago and was pretty much told I was wrong, that everything is great, there are no meaningless games, league games are well attended, championship format is grand. 

It all needs a revamp and focus.

All your points are correct, and Derry is way behind. It almost feels like Derry rely on individual clubs to carry the flag and forget about the rest.

I agree to a large extent but for many club players in Tyrone their season is over now. It started on 31 May. That means they've had football in June, July, August and one week in September, basically just over 3 months. They also had a break in July so it's really 3 months or just under. If I was still playing club football I wouldn't be happy with that, all that training for a 12 or 13 week season. For most teams out now their next competitive game is at the end of May 2025.

There was a pre season Tournament in Tyrone in May for clubs, each team will be training for 6-8 weeks out with friendlies etc too. April - September/October is a good enough length of season. 15 league games, a pre season tournament and a championship campaign.

I know for a fact talking to our club guys, they are bored to death with this dragged out season full of meaningless games. They have been training since January for a League that started in April. The league was absolutely dire (derry have done some f*cking about with leagues the past 5 years, team relegated, clubs appealing relegation, and clubs not turning up for relegation games) - with all due respect 2 teams competed for a league in the last game day that aren't in the top 10 clubs in Derry, Bellaghy won it last year also. Big clubs with panels of 50 conceding half their reserve games. Then into a 5 group game championship campaign. All for a knockout game in October, I don't really buy having a KO game in September a worse scenario for a player?

Reserve games being played on Owenbeg training pitch whilst there's a senior game on the main field at the same time. Feck all buy in from Derry to promote it, if your lucky a club will post scores, Mal McMullan might write down a starting 15 in his own handwriting and tweet it, Mark K, Odhran Bradley or Orlagh Mullabn will give you updates if they are at a game..but absolutely nothing from Derry, no videos, interviews, teamsheets etc.

Slaughtneil beat Glen, who cares? Magherafelt beat by Newbridge last week, Foreglen beat Glenullin, Castledawson beat Glenullin....who cares? The results all mean very little. County men on holiday whilst their club are playing, teams holding 3 and 4 men back from playing a game because they have a bigger game next week. That's not a good championship for me.

Sorry I usually try tweet optimistic enough posts on here, but it's a big gripe of mine at the moment.

There's also the Ulster League.
The Tyrone club championship works imo. Theres any one of about 6 teams could win it - Derry realistically the winner is going to come from 3, and probably only 2 teams.

I was at the Kildress/Greencastle and Dungannon/Donaghmore double header yesterday.
Real niggle, real nerves, proper championship fare. Big crowd too, took us about 40 mins to get the car out after.
And - both games were decent quality.

The bit in bold is the truth. Tyrone selling their club as the best c'ship because its all knockout. The vast majority of club players have a three month season of games. Thats the truth of it. Its inevitable that out club teams will deteriorate as they get less play time over the next 5/10 years. Our county structure via underage leagues coupled with county development squads and schools will continue to produce county players, but it will be those players who are cut at 18/19 or don't make those underage development squads is where we will see clubs eventually feel the effect long term in their ability to play beyond the Tyrone club championship. It makes sense. Take your 18/19 year and he gets three months football over over 5 years versus the 18/19 in Derry who is getting six months football, its inevitable your club player will be better as he has had a min of 15 months extra development in that time period.

[toby47]

Went to a couple of Tyrone Championship games over the weekend. I left jealous. Massive crowds, massive atmosphere, a big buzz with the feeling that the game means everything.

Then you head home and jump onto Twitter & Facebook and see interviews with all managers and some players from TeamTalkMag. Tyrone posting team sheets on Twitter and great updates. Top notch service

The current Derry format is brutal. Badly attended league games with no atmosphere that started being played on 2nd August & the first knock out games not being played until October.

funny, I made a post highlighting the issues a few months ago and was pretty much told I was wrong, that everything is great, there are no meaningless games, league games are well attended, championship format is grand. 

It all needs a revamp and focus.

All your points are correct, and Derry is way behind. It almost feels like Derry rely on individual clubs to carry the flag and forget about the rest.

I agree to a large extent but for many club players in Tyrone their season is over now. It started on 31 May. That means they've had football in June, July, August and one week in September, basically just over 3 months. They also had a break in July so it's really 3 months or just under. If I was still playing club football I wouldn't be happy with that, all that training for a 12 or 13 week season. For most teams out now their next competitive game is at the end of May 2025.

There was a pre season Tournament in Tyrone in May for clubs, each team will be training for 6-8 weeks out with friendlies etc too. April - September/October is a good enough length of season. 15 league games, a pre season tournament and a championship campaign.

I know for a fact talking to our club guys, they are bored to death with this dragged out season full of meaningless games. They have been training since January for a League that started in April. The league was absolutely dire (derry have done some f*cking about with leagues the past 5 years, team relegated, clubs appealing relegation, and clubs not turning up for relegation games) - with all due respect 2 teams competed for a league in the last game day that aren't in the top 10 clubs in Derry, Bellaghy won it last year also. Big clubs with panels of 50 conceding half their reserve games. Then into a 5 group game championship campaign. All for a knockout game in October, I don't really buy having a KO game in September a worse scenario for a player?

Reserve games being played on Owenbeg training pitch whilst there's a senior game on the main field at the same time. Feck all buy in from Derry to promote it, if your lucky a club will post scores, Mal McMullan might write down a starting 15 in his own handwriting and tweet it, Mark K, Odhran Bradley or Orlagh Mullabn will give you updates if they are at a game..but absolutely nothing from Derry, no videos, interviews, teamsheets etc.

Slaughtneil beat Glen, who cares? Magherafelt beat by Newbridge last week, Foreglen beat Glenullin, Castledawson beat Glenullin....who cares? The results all mean very little. County men on holiday whilst their club are playing, teams holding 3 and 4 men back from playing a game because they have a bigger game next week. That's not a good championship for me.

Sorry I usually try tweet optimistic enough posts on here, but it's a big gripe of mine at the moment.

There's also the Ulster League.
The Tyrone club championship works imo. Theres any one of about 6 teams could win it - Derry realistically the winner is going to come from 3, and probably only 2 teams.

I was at the Kildress/Greencastle and Dungannon/Donaghmore double header yesterday.
Real niggle, real nerves, proper championship fare. Big crowd too, took us about 40 mins to get the car out after.
And - both games were decent quality.

The bit in bold is the truth. Tyrone selling their club as the best c'ship because its all knockout. The vast majority of club players have a three month season of games. Thats the truth of it. Its inevitable that out club teams will deteriorate as they get less play time over the next 5/10 years. Our county structure via underage leagues coupled with county development squads and schools will continue to produce county players, but it will be those players who are cut at 18/19 or don't make those underage development squads is where we will see clubs eventually feel the effect long term in their ability to play beyond the Tyrone club championship. It makes sense. Take your 18/19 year and he gets three months football over over 5 years versus the 18/19 in Derry who is getting six months football, its inevitable your club player will be better as he has had a min of 15 months extra development in that time period.

There's not a big difference in the total amount of games played, so why drag the life out of it?
Would you rather play 5 group games with feck all buzz around them and finish bottom of the table or play 1 big game, knock out, parish buzzing, something at stake, family in Oz & America able to watch on a stream and get knocked out first clip? No real difference in many respects if your beat, but i'd rather the build up to a big game. I don't see the point in playing another 2-3 games in a crap environment just for the sake of it.

Amount of games over the course of a season.

Div 1 League games      Guaranteed C'ship Games      Guaranteed Games
Derry 13  Tyrone 14      Derry 5  Tyrone 1                     Derry 18  Tyrone 15

Div 2 League games       Div 2
Derry 13  Tyrone 14      Derry 5  Tyrone 1                      Derry 18  Tyrone 15

Div 3 League games       Div 3
Derry 9   Tyrone 16      Derry 5  Tyrone 1                       Derry 14  Tyrone 17

Take into account Tyrone do league semi finals & finals, there are relegation play offs in Derry, pre season tournaments (which some teams in Derry chose not to field a team in) and the option to play in the Ulster League. Over the course of a season there is not a massive difference in the amount of game played. Some Junior teams in Derry done out of a championship game as Ardmore have conceded 3 games so far. There are a lot of variables to the numbers.

The leagues are also take more seriously in Tyrone. Very little reserve games conceded.
34 Division 1 Reserve League games weren't fielded/conceded in Derry this season.
49 Division 2 Reserve League games weren't fielded/conceded in Derry this season.

No point in starting a competition earlier in the year for the sake of it. Games conceded galore, senior games with barely any 'senior' players playing.

[square_ball]

Just a small correction Division 1 & 2 in Tyrone is a 15 game season so guaranteed minimum 16 games. Only 5 of those games are played without county players so there is that added exposure of young players to quality opposition to help with their development. 6 of the teams knocked out at the weekdnd fall into the category of having a minimum 16 games although a few of them got a few extra games in a pre season competition (Dromore for example got to the final so that was additional 4 games). The other 2 - Coalisland and Galbally have relegation and league title play offs to come respectively.

On the face of it 3 months of games is short enough I agree but as Toby showed if you delve further into it theres not much difference in quantity of games overall.

[greenlight]

Went to a couple of Tyrone Championship games over the weekend. I left jealous. Massive crowds, massive atmosphere, a big buzz with the feeling that the game means everything.

Then you head home and jump onto Twitter & Facebook and see interviews with all managers and some players from TeamTalkMag. Tyrone posting team sheets on Twitter and great updates. Top notch service

The current Derry format is brutal. Badly attended league games with no atmosphere that started being played on 2nd August & the first knock out games not being played until October.

funny, I made a post highlighting the issues a few months ago and was pretty much told I was wrong, that everything is great, there are no meaningless games, league games are well attended, championship format is grand. 

It all needs a revamp and focus.

All your points are correct, and Derry is way behind. It almost feels like Derry rely on individual clubs to carry the flag and forget about the rest.

I agree to a large extent but for many club players in Tyrone their season is over now. It started on 31 May. That means they've had football in June, July, August and one week in September, basically just over 3 months. They also had a break in July so it's really 3 months or just under. If I was still playing club football I wouldn't be happy with that, all that training for a 12 or 13 week season. For most teams out now their next competitive game is at the end of May 2025.

There was a pre season Tournament in Tyrone in May for clubs, each team will be training for 6-8 weeks out with friendlies etc too. April - September/October is a good enough length of season. 15 league games, a pre season tournament and a championship campaign.

I know for a fact talking to our club guys, they are bored to death with this dragged out season full of meaningless games. They have been training since January for a League that started in April. The league was absolutely dire (derry have done some f*cking about with leagues the past 5 years, team relegated, clubs appealing relegation, and clubs not turning up for relegation games) - with all due respect 2 teams competed for a league in the last game day that aren't in the top 10 clubs in Derry, Bellaghy won it last year also. Big clubs with panels of 50 conceding half their reserve games. Then into a 5 group game championship campaign. All for a knockout game in October, I don't really buy having a KO game in September a worse scenario for a player?

Reserve games being played on Owenbeg training pitch whilst there's a senior game on the main field at the same time. Feck all buy in from Derry to promote it, if your lucky a club will post scores, Mal McMullan might write down a starting 15 in his own handwriting and tweet it, Mark K, Odhran Bradley or Orlagh Mullabn will give you updates if they are at a game..but absolutely nothing from Derry, no videos, interviews, teamsheets etc.

Slaughtneil beat Glen, who cares? Magherafelt beat by Newbridge last week, Foreglen beat Glenullin, Castledawson beat Glenullin....who cares? The results all mean very little. County men on holiday whilst their club are playing, teams holding 3 and 4 men back from playing a game because they have a bigger game next week. That's not a good championship for me.

Sorry I usually try tweet optimistic enough posts on here, but it's a big gripe of mine at the moment.

Here's a question for you. Why are they training since January if the league doesn't start until April? To what end?

[marty34]

Went to a couple of Tyrone Championship games over the weekend. I left jealous. Massive crowds, massive atmosphere, a big buzz with the feeling that the game means everything.

Then you head home and jump onto Twitter & Facebook and see interviews with all managers and some players from TeamTalkMag. Tyrone posting team sheets on Twitter and great updates. Top notch service

The current Derry format is brutal. Badly attended league games with no atmosphere that started being played on 2nd August & the first knock out games not being played until October.

funny, I made a post highlighting the issues a few months ago and was pretty much told I was wrong, that everything is great, there are no meaningless games, league games are well attended, championship format is grand. 

It all needs a revamp and focus.

All your points are correct, and Derry is way behind. It almost feels like Derry rely on individual clubs to carry the flag and forget about the rest.

I agree to a large extent but for many club players in Tyrone their season is over now. It started on 31 May. That means they've had football in June, July, August and one week in September, basically just over 3 months. They also had a break in July so it's really 3 months or just under. If I was still playing club football I wouldn't be happy with that, all that training for a 12 or 13 week season. For most teams out now their next competitive game is at the end of May 2025.

There was a pre season Tournament in Tyrone in May for clubs, each team will be training for 6-8 weeks out with friendlies etc too. April - September/October is a good enough length of season. 15 league games, a pre season tournament and a championship campaign.

I know for a fact talking to our club guys, they are bored to death with this dragged out season full of meaningless games. They have been training since January for a League that started in April. The league was absolutely dire (derry have done some f*cking about with leagues the past 5 years, team relegated, clubs appealing relegation, and clubs not turning up for relegation games) - with all due respect 2 teams competed for a league in the last game day that aren't in the top 10 clubs in Derry, Bellaghy won it last year also. Big clubs with panels of 50 conceding half their reserve games. Then into a 5 group game championship campaign. All for a knockout game in October, I don't really buy having a KO game in September a worse scenario for a player?

Reserve games being played on Owenbeg training pitch whilst there's a senior game on the main field at the same time. Feck all buy in from Derry to promote it, if your lucky a club will post scores, Mal McMullan might write down a starting 15 in his own handwriting and tweet it, Mark K, Odhran Bradley or Orlagh Mullabn will give you updates if they are at a game..but absolutely nothing from Derry, no videos, interviews, teamsheets etc.

Slaughtneil beat Glen, who cares? Magherafelt beat by Newbridge last week, Foreglen beat Glenullin, Castledawson beat Glenullin....who cares? The results all mean very little. County men on holiday whilst their club are playing, teams holding 3 and 4 men back from playing a game because they have a bigger game next week. That's not a good championship for me.

Sorry I usually try tweet optimistic enough posts on here, but it's a big gripe of mine at the moment.

Here's a question for you. Why are they training since January if the league doesn't start until April? To what end?

True.

Derry season too long.

Tyrone season too short.

[toby47]

Went to a couple of Tyrone Championship games over the weekend. I left jealous. Massive crowds, massive atmosphere, a big buzz with the feeling that the game means everything.

Then you head home and jump onto Twitter & Facebook and see interviews with all managers and some players from TeamTalkMag. Tyrone posting team sheets on Twitter and great updates. Top notch service

The current Derry format is brutal. Badly attended league games with no atmosphere that started being played on 2nd August & the first knock out games not being played until October.

funny, I made a post highlighting the issues a few months ago and was pretty much told I was wrong, that everything is great, there are no meaningless games, league games are well attended, championship format is grand. 

It all needs a revamp and focus.

All your points are correct, and Derry is way behind. It almost feels like Derry rely on individual clubs to carry the flag and forget about the rest.

I agree to a large extent but for many club players in Tyrone their season is over now. It started on 31 May. That means they've had football in June, July, August and one week in September, basically just over 3 months. They also had a break in July so it's really 3 months or just under. If I was still playing club football I wouldn't be happy with that, all that training for a 12 or 13 week season. For most teams out now their next competitive game is at the end of May 2025.

There was a pre season Tournament in Tyrone in May for clubs, each team will be training for 6-8 weeks out with friendlies etc too. April - September/October is a good enough length of season. 15 league games, a pre season tournament and a championship campaign.

I know for a fact talking to our club guys, they are bored to death with this dragged out season full of meaningless games. They have been training since January for a League that started in April. The league was absolutely dire (derry have done some f*cking about with leagues the past 5 years, team relegated, clubs appealing relegation, and clubs not turning up for relegation games) - with all due respect 2 teams competed for a league in the last game day that aren't in the top 10 clubs in Derry, Bellaghy won it last year also. Big clubs with panels of 50 conceding half their reserve games. Then into a 5 group game championship campaign. All for a knockout game in October, I don't really buy having a KO game in September a worse scenario for a player?

Reserve games being played on Owenbeg training pitch whilst there's a senior game on the main field at the same time. Feck all buy in from Derry to promote it, if your lucky a club will post scores, Mal McMullan might write down a starting 15 in his own handwriting and tweet it, Mark K, Odhran Bradley or Orlagh Mullabn will give you updates if they are at a game..but absolutely nothing from Derry, no videos, interviews, teamsheets etc.

Slaughtneil beat Glen, who cares? Magherafelt beat by Newbridge last week, Foreglen beat Glenullin, Castledawson beat Glenullin....who cares? The results all mean very little. County men on holiday whilst their club are playing, teams holding 3 and 4 men back from playing a game because they have a bigger game next week. That's not a good championship for me.

Sorry I usually try tweet optimistic enough posts on here, but it's a big gripe of mine at the moment.

Here's a question for you. Why are they training since January if the league doesn't start until April? To what end?

Absolutely no idea, wouldn't be the way I'd do it. But i know my own club started training around 2nd/3rd week of January, trained Feb, friendlies every weekend in March and the leagues started 5th April.

[shawshank]

Toby47 you have to be from either Glen, S'neil or Magherafelt. Players want games, not loads of trainings with less games as it was for years upon years. Derry players get loads of games now, a schedule when they know when the games are, get a two week break at the holiday period and then a decent period of their county player being with them. The group stage is drawn out with a game every two weeks to accommodate hurling as well (unlike Tyrone). Clubs voted to increase the amount of teams in the league for next year, so they must like it (they couldn't have put self interest ahead of whats best ) I do not like the Tyrone model of football for 3 months for the club player. The average club season should cover 6 months for me, Derry starts mid April and will for 90% of the clubs be over early October, just under the 6 months.

[toby47]

Toby47 you have to be from either Glen, S'neil or Magherafelt. Players want games, not loads of trainings with less games as it was for years upon years. Derry players get loads of games now, a schedule when they know when the games are, get a two week break at the holiday period and then a decent period of their county player being with them. The group stage is drawn out with a game every two weeks to accommodate hurling as well (unlike Tyrone). Clubs voted to increase the amount of teams in the league for next year, so they must like it (they couldn't have put self interest ahead of whats best ) I do not like the Tyrone model of football for 3 months for the club player. The average club season should cover 6 months for me, Derry starts mid April and will for 90% of the clubs be over early October, just under the 6 months.

My point is that Derry clubs will train far more than Tyrone clubs in a season because of the breakdown of the season, but won't play many more games over the course of a season.