The following is the Derry team to play Cork in Saturday's NFL round 6 game at Celtic Park: B Gillis; M Craig, K McGuckin, D McBride; G O'Kane, B McGuigan, M Bateson; F Doherty, J Diver; E Bradley, B McGoldrick, C Kielt; J Kielt, P Bradley, M Lynch
There's been plenty of rumour this week about 'crisis meetings' and soul searching within the Derry squad. Players and management alike will have had their views to air, and in light of the Oakleafer's current form it's only to be expected. But at the end of a difficult week there's another match to play, and for it Damian Cassidy has - unsurprisingly - made another five changes to his Derry team.
Cork are the visitors to Celtic Park this weekend, and it is clear that Cassidy has been thinking heavily about how his side can stand up to the Rebel's strong, imposing, attacking gameplan when picking a defensive starting fifteen for this match.
Cork have looked excellent so far in this campaign. Their only blip came against Tyrone in Healy Park. But, quite frankly, the Rebels should have won that game easily. In fact, it looked like a mis-match at times, with three lucky goals helping Tyrone to snatch victory. Derry's form couldn't be any more stark. Four defeats in a row, and little to be positive about following a poor home performance against Mayo and a capitulation last Sunday at Monaghan. The Oakleafers have it all to do against Cork as they aim to somehow pull their heads above the relegation mire, and Cassidy's wholesale changes smack more of hope than expectation.
Barry McGoldrick and Charlie Kielt - both of whom started in the half-back line in Scotstown - move to the half-forward line. This is a move clearly designed to push Derry's defence high up the pitch with the express aim of keeping the attack-happy duo of Paudie Kissane and Michael Shields quiet. The launch pad for Cork's sometimes-devastating attacking play is generally their half-back line, and with Eoin Bradley named at right-half forward, the roving qualities of Noel O'Leary might also be restricted. Derry may be tempted to play McGoldrick or Kielt as extra defenders, but this may be counter-productive in giving Cork a licence to build freely from defence.
James Kielt moves to the full-forward line, where Derry will need to get more out of Mark Lynch and Paddy Bradley. Bradley is yet to find his form this season, while Lynch has also found the going difficult in this NFL campaign as he has flirted with various positions in both defence and attack. It may be time for Damian Cassidy to call him a corner-forward and leave it at that.
Joe Diver replaces Patsy Bradley at midfield. This is a clear indication that Cassidy's hopes for his side to match Cork at least a little in the physical stakes. Diver will also be expected to offer more in an attacking capacity from midfield than the Doherty/Bradley axis is capable of. But it will be a tough ask against Derk Kavanagh and Alan O'Connor in midfield.
In defence, Michael Bateson makes his debut. He is a strong runner, and will add a further physical presence to a half-back line that also contains Gerard O'Kane and Barry McGuigan. Mark Craig comes in at corner-back. This is the key unit for Derry. The defence has played below-par in the previous NFL games - even against forward lines (such as Monaghan and Mayo) that aren't renowned for high scoring performances. Conor Counihan's side will start without the obvious talents of Colm O'Neill, Donnacha O'Connor, Nicholas Murphy and Pearse O'Neill, but in Daniel Goulding, Paul Kerrigan and the hugely impressive Paddy Kelly, they have enough attacking talent to seriously trouble Derry. Cork have scored a grand total of 7-73 in only five games. It's hard to see another experimental Derry defensive unit containing the Rebels to a small enough tally that would illicit a victory.
Derry's form just hasn't been good enough to predict even a slender victory on Saturday night. The best expectation is that Derry will put in a performance that asks some questions of Cork, and that they display the desire and footballing quality that begins to resemble something approaching Championship form.
Depending on other results (i.e. the hope that Dublin beat Galway and Mayo beat Monaghan), a low-scoring defeat might still keep Derry's hopes of safety alive until the final game.
Saturday 27 March 2010
Tuesday 23 March 2010
Feeling blue in Scotstown
Sometimes you find that you're repeating yourself. During last year's NFL campaign the watch-words were experimentation, tyring new players, increasing squad depth and, as the league approached its finale, the talk was of whether or not Derry could win two NFL titles in a row. These topics surfaced on a weekly basis.
Move forward twelve months and some topics are still appearing on a weekly basis, but none as positive as last year's. Instead we find ourselves lamenting one poor Derry
performance after another and asking the same question: "where is it going wrong?".
It's tempting to say that the rot began straight after the win against Tyrone, but with extenuating circumstances surrounding the defeats to Dublin and Kerry, it seems the malaise kicked in the week leading up to the Mayo game. Two defeats had done nothing for the confidence ahead of an important home game, and form couldn't be switched on automatically. Derry would have to build it up over the course of the 70 minutes against Mayo. It didn't happen. The reason being that Mayo were flying, confidence high, and ready to rock from the first throw-in. A flat-footed Derry couldn't recover.
And worse yet, the campaign's seminal tie - against a hungry, sharp Monaghan side - was only seven days away. Last year, Derry spent all of the winter and all of the spring preparing - physically and mentally - to meet Monaghan's challenge in the Championship head-on. Derry obviously won out in the end (just about), but on their current form, a week was never going to be enough to provide the requisite challenge to take on and beat the Farney men. What followed was inevitable. The Oakleafers were shown up to lack the hunger, fight and determination that Monaghan possessed in spades. When Thomas Freeman's goal opened up a four-point lead mid-way through the first-half, there was only one likely winner. Derry couldn't respond and Monaghan's tails were up. Conor McManus was scoring at will, and Derry were totally dominated at midfield.
It's as disappointing as Derry have been in a long time, and it's been a while since they've trailed by eleven points in any game. Like last week against Mayo, the final scoreline flattered Derry. They were outplayed all over the pitch. The defence struggled against a lively attack, (although their cause was not helped by the quality of supply coming from Monaghan's midfield and half-back line). Derry's forwards had another day to forget, kicking wides and missing chances that nearly made the Kerry performance look prolific.
It's hard to fathom however, how Monaghan could look so good, while Derry looked inept and uninterested. Damian Cassidy must be scratching his head at the level of Derry's performances, but he would need to find a resolution sometime soon. Confidence is now at a seriously low ebb, and this coming Saturday Derry will face the country's in-form side, Cork. The Rebels have recently been installed as favourites for the All-Ireland, and now is not a good time for Derry to play them. Most of us would probably happily forego any chance of victory in the hope that Derry show significant improvement, and a determination and focus that will at least ask some questions of Cork. But it's hard to look forward to at this stage.
The good news is that we are still only in March, and there is time to rectify things before the Armagh game on May 16. But, as relegation becomes the increasingly likely scenario, it's surely the least desirable way of approaching the Championship.
Some other thoughts from Sunday's game:
Move forward twelve months and some topics are still appearing on a weekly basis, but none as positive as last year's. Instead we find ourselves lamenting one poor Derry
performance after another and asking the same question: "where is it going wrong?".It's tempting to say that the rot began straight after the win against Tyrone, but with extenuating circumstances surrounding the defeats to Dublin and Kerry, it seems the malaise kicked in the week leading up to the Mayo game. Two defeats had done nothing for the confidence ahead of an important home game, and form couldn't be switched on automatically. Derry would have to build it up over the course of the 70 minutes against Mayo. It didn't happen. The reason being that Mayo were flying, confidence high, and ready to rock from the first throw-in. A flat-footed Derry couldn't recover.
And worse yet, the campaign's seminal tie - against a hungry, sharp Monaghan side - was only seven days away. Last year, Derry spent all of the winter and all of the spring preparing - physically and mentally - to meet Monaghan's challenge in the Championship head-on. Derry obviously won out in the end (just about), but on their current form, a week was never going to be enough to provide the requisite challenge to take on and beat the Farney men. What followed was inevitable. The Oakleafers were shown up to lack the hunger, fight and determination that Monaghan possessed in spades. When Thomas Freeman's goal opened up a four-point lead mid-way through the first-half, there was only one likely winner. Derry couldn't respond and Monaghan's tails were up. Conor McManus was scoring at will, and Derry were totally dominated at midfield.
It's as disappointing as Derry have been in a long time, and it's been a while since they've trailed by eleven points in any game. Like last week against Mayo, the final scoreline flattered Derry. They were outplayed all over the pitch. The defence struggled against a lively attack, (although their cause was not helped by the quality of supply coming from Monaghan's midfield and half-back line). Derry's forwards had another day to forget, kicking wides and missing chances that nearly made the Kerry performance look prolific.
It's hard to fathom however, how Monaghan could look so good, while Derry looked inept and uninterested. Damian Cassidy must be scratching his head at the level of Derry's performances, but he would need to find a resolution sometime soon. Confidence is now at a seriously low ebb, and this coming Saturday Derry will face the country's in-form side, Cork. The Rebels have recently been installed as favourites for the All-Ireland, and now is not a good time for Derry to play them. Most of us would probably happily forego any chance of victory in the hope that Derry show significant improvement, and a determination and focus that will at least ask some questions of Cork. But it's hard to look forward to at this stage.
The good news is that we are still only in March, and there is time to rectify things before the Armagh game on May 16. But, as relegation becomes the increasingly likely scenario, it's surely the least desirable way of approaching the Championship.
Some other thoughts from Sunday's game:
- With Kevin McCloy and Michael McGoldrick injured, changes had to be made in defence; but the swapping and changing we have seen across the team in the past few games just hasn't worked.
- Barry McGoldrick had a difficult day in his first game back at centre-back. This position remains a problem one.
- Kevin McGuckin had his first start of the season also. Derry's third full-back in four games. Another problem position.
- Raymond Wilkinosn looked lively when he came on and should be a starter come May. But Cassidy needs to find the best place to play him. Here's a clue: it's not in the full-forward line.
- Barry Gillis (or Pascal McConnell as the announcer and match programme called him) had a good first half; wasn't much he could have done about Freeman's well-taken goal.
- Maybe the deployment of McManus in the full-forward line for the whole game threw Derry, but he's unlikely to amass ten points again in the foreseeable future.
- Michael Bateson played well when introduced - albeit he was given sufficient sapce to work in - and may be worth another look at wing-forward.
- Declan Mullan's stock is increasing by the week.
- Ladbrokes have installed Derry as 2/7 favourites for relegation. Sperrin Metal or Sperrin Galvanisers would never have done such a thing.
- What a terrible venue Scotstown is for an inter-county game. Younger readers: this is what grounds were like in the 1980s.
Sunday 14 March 2010
Frustration continues
A hugely frustrating evening at Celtic Park. At the start of the NFL campaign this would have been one of the games earmarked for a win and a vital two points, but defeat now leaves Derry entrenched in a relegation dogfight, and the manner of defeat does little to inpsire hope of safely coming out of it.There was a lot wrong with the peformance, but the most disappointing aspect is that we've seen the same problems arise in the previous games against Dublin and they have not been addressed.
First things first - team selection. I was of the opinion heading into this match that if you're going to try out switches like Fergal Doherty at wing-forward and Paddy Bradley at centre-forward then a league game in March is the time to do it. It backfired. Hindsight is a wonderful thing of course, and I would imagine that Damian Cassidy will be rueing those selections today. This was a must-win game for Derry and playing two of your key men out of position totally ruined us in the first half. And it was an awful first half from Derry. Right up there with the second halves against Dublin and Kerry. Mayo really should have been out of sight.
The good news is that Fergal Doherty won't be tried here again, nor should Paddy Bradley, but you live and learn. Pity it's at the expense of two league points.
It was fairly obvious in Tralee last week that derry had a problem winning possession. Straight kick-outs down the middle of the field against a breeze played straight into Kerry's hands. Last night, Derry employed the same kickout strategy. Not once did a player come short for a kickout, and not once was any attempt made to get the ball moving quickly from restarts. Not once. When it's obvious Derry aren't winning enough ball at midfield. This is sorely frustrating, especially when the tactics of the opposition couldn't be any more different.
Time after time in the first half, Mayo had the ball kicked out before Derry realised it had even happened, and they were attacking the right wing solidly. Hitting Derry on counter attacks, letting the bal do the work. And they got a lot of joy with this tactic. It left the Derry full-back line exposed, and despite the fortuitous nature of Andy Moran's goal, Mayo's five-point lead at half-time almost flattered Derry.
Derry's forward line malfunctioned. The half-forward line was largely anonymous so there were no outlets in the wing positions. This meant the ball had to be worked out of defence and when/if it eventually reached the full-forward line, Eoin Bradley and Lee Moore were bottled up by the Mayo defence, and Derry were reduced to kicking scores from long-range. Similar to what happened in Ballybofey last July.
While Derry laboured and pondered, Mayo appeared to be flying. Alan Dillon was literally everywhere. Picking up loose possession around midfield and constantly setting up attacks, he is in sharp form. Derry couldn't contain him. Aidan O'Shea also showed some of his potential by scoring 1-1, and of the six Mayo forwards that started the game - all six scored. In fact they were their only scorers (except for a point by susbtitute Chris Barrett) and they distributed the scores fairly evenly.
Things improved for Derry in the second half. Whilst the removal of Lee Moore at half-time was a semi-surprise (he showed reasonably well in the first half, and hit a couple of decent frees), the introduction of Sean Leo McGoldrick helped add a bit of shape to the forward line. With Doherty back at midfield, Kielt at centre-forward and Paddy Bradley at full-forward, the Oakleafers looked a lot more comfortable. Gerard O'Kane moved into cenre-half back while Mark Lynch, who had struggled during the first half moved into the forwards.
Aidan O'Shea's fisted goal (45 mins) was another lucky break for Mayo, but they probably deserved to be seven points ahead at that stage. It seemed to kick Derry into life however, and they went on to play easily their best football of the game. There was too much left to claw back however and Mayo's ability to tag on a few points near the end (when Derry had reduced the deficit to three points) finished the contest.
Eoin Bradley's goal was struck with the very last kick of the game and put a three-point margin between the sides that will probably leave John O'Mahony wondering how his team won by so little.
But he'll be delighted with the win - as Mayo haven't won in Derry in 26 years - and he'll probably be surprised at how easily the win was accomplished. Mayo just overran and outlplayed Derry from the start, and we never looked like turning the tide; falling into the usual trap of kicking the ball backwards or kicking it away.
Relegation is a very real possibility now, and a huge improvement is required if it is to be avoided. A win against Monaghan next week is absolutely essential.
A few other observations from the game:
- As much as the defence has remained reasonably constant in the opening four NFL games, it has generally struggled. The defensive line-up for the championship still contains more questions than answers. Full-back? Centre-half back?
- Eoghan Brown replaced Raymond Wilkinson with about fifteen minutes remaining. Derry were clawing their way back into the game at that stage, and the more obvious change would have been to bring on Joe Diver at full-forward. It was pointless bringing him on for the last couple of minutes.
- Mayo are playing at a serious pace and it's not surprising that they're up pushing for a league final place. I'd be doubtful if they can keep that up for the remainder of the season though.
- Gerard O'Kane has played in about four separate defensive positions this season, Damian Cassidy needs to quickly figure out where is best to deploy him.
- It's a total quagmire down at the bottom of Division 1. It'd be worse if Derry had to travel to Scotstown next weekend. It won't be one for the purists!
Friday 12 March 2010
Change of tact for Mayo
The following is the Derry team to play Mayo at Celtic Park on Saturday: M Dunne, M McGoldrick, K McCloy, D McBride, C Kielt, M Lynch, G O'Kane, Patsy Bradley, J Kielt, F Doherty, Paddy Bradley, A McLaughlin, R Wilkinson, E Bradley, L Moore.
I wrote yesterday that I expected to see changes for Saturday's game against Mayo, and also intimated that Damian Cassidy must start doing more to get Derry's forward division working as a unit when Paddy and Eoin Bradley are on the field.
Nothing new there really, but the team selection for the Mayo game seems to indicate that Cassidy is indeed actively seeking ways to shake things up in the forward line.
First things first. Paddy Bradley at centre-half forward? I seem to remember a few games in the past - in the Paddy Crozier era - when Bradley was utilised on the '40. The Monaghan qualifier in 2008 springs to mind. It didn't really work that day because of Derry's failure in possession further out the field. But Cassidy clearly seems to think that an inside line of Eoin Bradley and Lee Moore (fresh from U21 duty and in for his first start) will benefit from the extra space provided by the deeper utilisation of Paddy. Bradley is an out-and-out scorer so how he fares in this role remains to be seen, but it's worth a try. He can win his own ball, and will run at the defence. I just hope that Cassidy persists with this idea for the whole of the game - despite how well it's working - as game practice is required to see if this type of tactic has legs.
Next. Fergal Doherty at wing half-forward? Now this is new one (although we have seen him deployed at full-forward before!). In Cassidy's regime, the wing forwards have often been the most important men within his system of play. They provide the outlet from defence as well as creating overlaps higher up the pitch. Cassidy has tried a host of players in these positions; some have done well, others haven't. Last year's Ulster Semi against Tyrone was probably the day Cassidy realised that you just can't play anyone at wing forward. Enda Lynn and Eoin Brown struggled throughout. So, we can assume that Fergal Doherty will be tried at wing-forward as opposed to being a third midfielder wearing number 10. Doherty is strong on the ball and is a direct runner, but it will be odd to see him out of midfield (if he manages to stay out of it!). I'm not convinced he is suited to this position, but now is the time to find out.
James Kielt will start at midfield, and will have more responsibility here with Doherty tried on the wing. Lee Moore cam on as a sub against Dublin, but Saturday night is his first real chance to impress in a senior jersey. Aidy McLaughlin, who has already impressed in the league thus far, retains his left-half-forward berth.
It's good to see Derry are trying out a few new things in this game. It's proper experimentation really with experienced players playing new roles, rather than throwing in a new guy at half-forward and hoping for the best. Perhaps there is a confidence in the ranks stemming from the U21 game, and that may have relaxed Cassidy into picking a new-look side.
The only negative is that Derry appear to be weakened on the bench - in the forwards at least. With Eoghan Brown the only recognised scoring forward in the substitutes.
Defensively, Derry will remain the same, with Kevin McCloy starting at full-back. He will likely be tasked with marking Mayo's Aidan O'Shea, while McGoldrick and McBride will hope to pick up from their decent showing in Kerry at corner-back.
Mayo already have four points on the board in Division 1, so most of the pressure will be on Derry on Saturday night. The westerners will be without the striking option of Mark Ronaldson - who helped put Tyrone to the sword a month ago - so they may be light up-front. This was certainly a problem that blighted their defeat to Dublin last weekend.
It all points to a Derry victory. The Oakleafers give little away on home soil, and it's arguably the strongest team Cassidy has picked this year. I expect Derry to win this with a few points to spare (and would be dissapointed with anything less), whilst picking up a couple of much-needed NFL points.
I wrote yesterday that I expected to see changes for Saturday's game against Mayo, and also intimated that Damian Cassidy must start doing more to get Derry's forward division working as a unit when Paddy and Eoin Bradley are on the field.
Nothing new there really, but the team selection for the Mayo game seems to indicate that Cassidy is indeed actively seeking ways to shake things up in the forward line.
First things first. Paddy Bradley at centre-half forward? I seem to remember a few games in the past - in the Paddy Crozier era - when Bradley was utilised on the '40. The Monaghan qualifier in 2008 springs to mind. It didn't really work that day because of Derry's failure in possession further out the field. But Cassidy clearly seems to think that an inside line of Eoin Bradley and Lee Moore (fresh from U21 duty and in for his first start) will benefit from the extra space provided by the deeper utilisation of Paddy. Bradley is an out-and-out scorer so how he fares in this role remains to be seen, but it's worth a try. He can win his own ball, and will run at the defence. I just hope that Cassidy persists with this idea for the whole of the game - despite how well it's working - as game practice is required to see if this type of tactic has legs.
Next. Fergal Doherty at wing half-forward? Now this is new one (although we have seen him deployed at full-forward before!). In Cassidy's regime, the wing forwards have often been the most important men within his system of play. They provide the outlet from defence as well as creating overlaps higher up the pitch. Cassidy has tried a host of players in these positions; some have done well, others haven't. Last year's Ulster Semi against Tyrone was probably the day Cassidy realised that you just can't play anyone at wing forward. Enda Lynn and Eoin Brown struggled throughout. So, we can assume that Fergal Doherty will be tried at wing-forward as opposed to being a third midfielder wearing number 10. Doherty is strong on the ball and is a direct runner, but it will be odd to see him out of midfield (if he manages to stay out of it!). I'm not convinced he is suited to this position, but now is the time to find out.
James Kielt will start at midfield, and will have more responsibility here with Doherty tried on the wing. Lee Moore cam on as a sub against Dublin, but Saturday night is his first real chance to impress in a senior jersey. Aidy McLaughlin, who has already impressed in the league thus far, retains his left-half-forward berth.
It's good to see Derry are trying out a few new things in this game. It's proper experimentation really with experienced players playing new roles, rather than throwing in a new guy at half-forward and hoping for the best. Perhaps there is a confidence in the ranks stemming from the U21 game, and that may have relaxed Cassidy into picking a new-look side.
The only negative is that Derry appear to be weakened on the bench - in the forwards at least. With Eoghan Brown the only recognised scoring forward in the substitutes.
Defensively, Derry will remain the same, with Kevin McCloy starting at full-back. He will likely be tasked with marking Mayo's Aidan O'Shea, while McGoldrick and McBride will hope to pick up from their decent showing in Kerry at corner-back.
Mayo already have four points on the board in Division 1, so most of the pressure will be on Derry on Saturday night. The westerners will be without the striking option of Mark Ronaldson - who helped put Tyrone to the sword a month ago - so they may be light up-front. This was certainly a problem that blighted their defeat to Dublin last weekend.
It all points to a Derry victory. The Oakleafers give little away on home soil, and it's arguably the strongest team Cassidy has picked this year. I expect Derry to win this with a few points to spare (and would be dissapointed with anything less), whilst picking up a couple of much-needed NFL points.
Thursday 11 March 2010
Forget the lows of Tralee
What a difference three days makes.
It's a busy week in Derry footballing circles, and in the middle of it, it's pleasing to be able to talk about an excellent result for Derry in the U21 Championship against Tyrone. There has been much doom and gloom over recent days and weeks following Derry's lacklustre displays and subsequent defeats to Dublin and Kerry in the NFL, but a resounding win in Omagh on Wednesday night might just lift spirits again.
Even if it is only a preliminary round victory.
This is generally the same squad that reached the All-Ireland Minor Final in 2007, so much expectancy surrounds it. Senior squad members Caolan O'Boyle, James Kielt and Lee Moore all featured at Healy Park, while the injured Declan Mullan has yet to come into the side.
Fermanagh are up next in the first round proper, so Damian Cassidy will hope that his side can keep grounded and assume some consistency as they aim for an Ulster title.
Moving back to Sunday and the disappointing three-point defeat against Kerry. It would have been easy afterwards to blame Derry's defeat on inaccuracy in front of the posts, but Damian Cassidy got a little closer to the real reason for defeat:
The Oakleafers were poor in possession also, with the unforced error count rising steadily as the game wore on. Not only did this prevent Derry from building meaningful attacks, but it handed the initiative to a Kerry side playing below-par in the first half. Once the twin central duo of Kieran Donaghy and David Moran had put the home side in front with ten minutes remaining, there never looked like a way back for Derry.
It's true that if Derry had taken more of their first-half chances they would probably have won the game. Fergal Doherty was unlucky to see his rasping drive come off the crossbar, and it would have given Derry a six-point lead at the break. But a lead was still there at the interval, and it was disappointing that Derry couldn't think of a way of holding on to it - especially when things weren't going our way in the second-half. Teams like Kerry and Tyrone have been able to hang in there when they are put under pressure. They can minimise opportunites for the opposition, while managing to take the odd score themselves. Derry must somehow learn to adpat better in these situations.
The windy conditions more or less spoilt the game, but Derry will surely hope they don't play as badly as that this season when facing a stiff breeze.
Personnel-wise, Aidy McLaughlin will have been happy enough with another good showing. He has settled well into the inter-county setup and on Sunday showed a willingness to run directly with the ball, grabbing another point.
It was also good to see Paddy Bradley back in the team. Playing alongside Eoin, it is still a worry however, that Derry seem to solely rely on this pair for scores. Damian Cassidy must figure out a way of bringing the other forwards into the game. Lumping the ball into the Bradleys hasn't cut it in the championship before, and this year will be no different.
Derry weren't too bad defensively. In the end, fifteen points was a big enough total to concede, but Dermot McBride did well on Cooper, as did Michael McGoldrick on Darren O'Sullivan. Derry weren't really threatened by sweet Kerry football - Jack O'Connor's side did their damage through the centre of their forward division.
Kevin McCloy coped reasonably well on Donaghy, but with the big full-forward gaining the man-of-the-match accolade, McCloy will realise he still has plenty of work to do before he realises his All-Star form of 2007.
Eyes now shift to the Mayo game in Celtic Park on Saturday night. With things so tight in Division 1 there isn't much room for manoeuvre, and a win is badly needed if Derry are to avoid getting completely bogged down in a relegation battle. With the U21 players available this weekend, changes will be expected.
It's a busy week in Derry footballing circles, and in the middle of it, it's pleasing to be able to talk about an excellent result for Derry in the U21 Championship against Tyrone. There has been much doom and gloom over recent days and weeks following Derry's lacklustre displays and subsequent defeats to Dublin and Kerry in the NFL, but a resounding win in Omagh on Wednesday night might just lift spirits again.
Even if it is only a preliminary round victory.
This is generally the same squad that reached the All-Ireland Minor Final in 2007, so much expectancy surrounds it. Senior squad members Caolan O'Boyle, James Kielt and Lee Moore all featured at Healy Park, while the injured Declan Mullan has yet to come into the side.
Fermanagh are up next in the first round proper, so Damian Cassidy will hope that his side can keep grounded and assume some consistency as they aim for an Ulster title.
Moving back to Sunday and the disappointing three-point defeat against Kerry. It would have been easy afterwards to blame Derry's defeat on inaccuracy in front of the posts, but Damian Cassidy got a little closer to the real reason for defeat:
"It was a ball-winning problem. When Kerry got on top, they went through a phase, really for 10 minutes in the second half, where they dominated practically all of the breaking ball which is where we lost the game."This was the problem alright, but why Derry did not vary their tactics to prevent Kerry from picking up possession so easily is a more pressing concern. Time after time - in a painful second half for Derry and their followers - the Kingdom picked up easy possession from kickouts. Just like Parnell Park a few weeks earlier, Derry's gameplan totally broke down, with the forwards feeding off scraps and relying on frees to keep themselves in touch.
The Oakleafers were poor in possession also, with the unforced error count rising steadily as the game wore on. Not only did this prevent Derry from building meaningful attacks, but it handed the initiative to a Kerry side playing below-par in the first half. Once the twin central duo of Kieran Donaghy and David Moran had put the home side in front with ten minutes remaining, there never looked like a way back for Derry.
It's true that if Derry had taken more of their first-half chances they would probably have won the game. Fergal Doherty was unlucky to see his rasping drive come off the crossbar, and it would have given Derry a six-point lead at the break. But a lead was still there at the interval, and it was disappointing that Derry couldn't think of a way of holding on to it - especially when things weren't going our way in the second-half. Teams like Kerry and Tyrone have been able to hang in there when they are put under pressure. They can minimise opportunites for the opposition, while managing to take the odd score themselves. Derry must somehow learn to adpat better in these situations.
The windy conditions more or less spoilt the game, but Derry will surely hope they don't play as badly as that this season when facing a stiff breeze.
Personnel-wise, Aidy McLaughlin will have been happy enough with another good showing. He has settled well into the inter-county setup and on Sunday showed a willingness to run directly with the ball, grabbing another point.
It was also good to see Paddy Bradley back in the team. Playing alongside Eoin, it is still a worry however, that Derry seem to solely rely on this pair for scores. Damian Cassidy must figure out a way of bringing the other forwards into the game. Lumping the ball into the Bradleys hasn't cut it in the championship before, and this year will be no different.
Derry weren't too bad defensively. In the end, fifteen points was a big enough total to concede, but Dermot McBride did well on Cooper, as did Michael McGoldrick on Darren O'Sullivan. Derry weren't really threatened by sweet Kerry football - Jack O'Connor's side did their damage through the centre of their forward division.
Kevin McCloy coped reasonably well on Donaghy, but with the big full-forward gaining the man-of-the-match accolade, McCloy will realise he still has plenty of work to do before he realises his All-Star form of 2007.
Eyes now shift to the Mayo game in Celtic Park on Saturday night. With things so tight in Division 1 there isn't much room for manoeuvre, and a win is badly needed if Derry are to avoid getting completely bogged down in a relegation battle. With the U21 players available this weekend, changes will be expected.
Saturday 6 March 2010
Tough challenge awaits in Kerry
The following is the Derry team to play All-Ireland champions Kerry in Sunday's NFL tie: B Gillis, M McGoldrick, K McCloy, D McBride, C Kielt, M Lynch, G O'Kane, Patsy Bradley, F Doherty, A McLaughlin, B McGuigan, Brian Mullan, Paddy Bradley, Eoin Bradley, R Wilkinson
Five changes in the forward line, two changes in defence, the Derry side lining out against Kerry in Tralee will bear little resemblance to the one that succumbed to Dublin at Parnell Park three weeks ago.
I had the misfortune of chancing upon a late night re-run of that Dublin game on TV during the week. There was 59 minutes gone and the sides were level at 7 points apiece. In the couple of weeks that elapsed since the game I had somehow forgotten that Derry were in such good shape on the scoreboard with so little time remaining. With Derry going on to lose by seven points the scoreline after 60 minutes was an indication of how badly Dublin had played up until that point as opposed to how badly Derry were bout to play. Seven wholesale changes for the next game is little surprise.
Paddy Bradley returns to the team to complete what looks like a very strong inside forward line. An inexperienced forward unit failed to get into the game at Parnell Park, so Damian Cassidy will be happy to have the Bradleys available again.
We all know what Eoin and Paddy can do, but the inclusion of Raymond Wilkinson - impressive against Tyrone; injured against Dublin - provides most interest. He will probably play in a deeper position - possibly around the midfield area - with the aim of picking up loose possession and carrying the ball into opposition territory. With the season-long injury to Seamus Bradley and continuing absence of Enda Muldoon, this is a further chance for Wilkinson to enhance his Championship credentials.
In the aftermath of defeat at Parnell Park, one of the few Derry players able to hold their head high was Aidan McLaughlin. He was corner-forward the last day and is picked at right half-forward for Kerry. He comes from a midfield background in club football, so it's a big ask for him to pop into another position and impress. Especially away to Kerry when you're being marked by someone like Killian Young. Another big test for the Craigbane man.
He'll be joined in the half-forward line by Brian Mullan at left-half and the versatile Barry McGuigan at centre-forward. James Kielt is rested as Damian Cassidy keeps one eye on Derry U21s midweek game against Tyrone, but the Kilrea man still takes a place on the bench. All in all, there is strength, experience and - most importantly - scoring power in the Derry forwards. This should give Derry a fighting chance in this toughest of away fixtures.
In defence, the main talking-point is the return of Kevin McCloy at full-back. Lets make no bones about this - he's there specifically to mark Kieran Donaghy. As well as Gerard O'Kane has played at full-back so far this season, he isn't really suited to the big Kerry full-forward. It will do no harm to have McCloy playing here, as full-back could yet prove to be a problematic position in 2010, and the more options Derry have here the better. It also allows captain O'Kane to play at wing-back, where he expresses himself best.
Michael McGoldrick's first start of the season at corner back (in place of Brian McAlary) completes the changes.
So what of Kerry? Well, the good news for Derry is that Colm Cooper makes his first start of the season. He'll play at corner forward alongside Donaghy and Declan O'Sullivan. That's a fairly formidable forward line. Paul Galvin is suspended, Dara Ó Se retired and Tadhg Kennelly back in Australia, so Jack O'Connor's side may be weakened further out the pitch, but in reality, that forward trio might just be enough to help the Kingdom win this or any other game. The three members of the Derry full-back line are playing for places; they'll have their work cut out in Tralee.
Derry lost twice against Kerry in last season's NFL. Timidly. There wasn't much between the sides on the scoreboard, but Kerry hardly ever got out of second gear. With the All-Ireland champions point-less after their opening two games this year, they will be eager to notch their first victory, and we are likely to see more urgency in Kerry's play. This makes it an even more difficult trip for Derry. The Oak Leafers will perform better than at Parnell Park - displaying much more attacking purpose - but if Kerry's own attack clicks into gear, it may not be enough.
Five changes in the forward line, two changes in defence, the Derry side lining out against Kerry in Tralee will bear little resemblance to the one that succumbed to Dublin at Parnell Park three weeks ago.
I had the misfortune of chancing upon a late night re-run of that Dublin game on TV during the week. There was 59 minutes gone and the sides were level at 7 points apiece. In the couple of weeks that elapsed since the game I had somehow forgotten that Derry were in such good shape on the scoreboard with so little time remaining. With Derry going on to lose by seven points the scoreline after 60 minutes was an indication of how badly Dublin had played up until that point as opposed to how badly Derry were bout to play. Seven wholesale changes for the next game is little surprise.
Paddy Bradley returns to the team to complete what looks like a very strong inside forward line. An inexperienced forward unit failed to get into the game at Parnell Park, so Damian Cassidy will be happy to have the Bradleys available again.
We all know what Eoin and Paddy can do, but the inclusion of Raymond Wilkinson - impressive against Tyrone; injured against Dublin - provides most interest. He will probably play in a deeper position - possibly around the midfield area - with the aim of picking up loose possession and carrying the ball into opposition territory. With the season-long injury to Seamus Bradley and continuing absence of Enda Muldoon, this is a further chance for Wilkinson to enhance his Championship credentials.
In the aftermath of defeat at Parnell Park, one of the few Derry players able to hold their head high was Aidan McLaughlin. He was corner-forward the last day and is picked at right half-forward for Kerry. He comes from a midfield background in club football, so it's a big ask for him to pop into another position and impress. Especially away to Kerry when you're being marked by someone like Killian Young. Another big test for the Craigbane man.
He'll be joined in the half-forward line by Brian Mullan at left-half and the versatile Barry McGuigan at centre-forward. James Kielt is rested as Damian Cassidy keeps one eye on Derry U21s midweek game against Tyrone, but the Kilrea man still takes a place on the bench. All in all, there is strength, experience and - most importantly - scoring power in the Derry forwards. This should give Derry a fighting chance in this toughest of away fixtures.
In defence, the main talking-point is the return of Kevin McCloy at full-back. Lets make no bones about this - he's there specifically to mark Kieran Donaghy. As well as Gerard O'Kane has played at full-back so far this season, he isn't really suited to the big Kerry full-forward. It will do no harm to have McCloy playing here, as full-back could yet prove to be a problematic position in 2010, and the more options Derry have here the better. It also allows captain O'Kane to play at wing-back, where he expresses himself best.
Michael McGoldrick's first start of the season at corner back (in place of Brian McAlary) completes the changes.
So what of Kerry? Well, the good news for Derry is that Colm Cooper makes his first start of the season. He'll play at corner forward alongside Donaghy and Declan O'Sullivan. That's a fairly formidable forward line. Paul Galvin is suspended, Dara Ó Se retired and Tadhg Kennelly back in Australia, so Jack O'Connor's side may be weakened further out the pitch, but in reality, that forward trio might just be enough to help the Kingdom win this or any other game. The three members of the Derry full-back line are playing for places; they'll have their work cut out in Tralee.
Derry lost twice against Kerry in last season's NFL. Timidly. There wasn't much between the sides on the scoreboard, but Kerry hardly ever got out of second gear. With the All-Ireland champions point-less after their opening two games this year, they will be eager to notch their first victory, and we are likely to see more urgency in Kerry's play. This makes it an even more difficult trip for Derry. The Oak Leafers will perform better than at Parnell Park - displaying much more attacking purpose - but if Kerry's own attack clicks into gear, it may not be enough.
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