More Ulster pain for Derry

Let's face it, it's what we do best. The annual (now biannual, thanks to the qualifier system) post-mortem following a Derry Championship defeat.

On Sunday against Armagh, the general apathy and air of low expectation that has gripped (or not) the county this season was vindicated, as a promising enough first-half performance petered out into disappointing defeat.

So what was the turning-point in the game? Eoin Bradley's sending-off, Gerard O'Kane's missed penalty? Not quite. It was actually Paddy Bradley's 30th minute goal. But, amazingly, it swung the match in Armagh's favour. How this happened is unclear, but it clicked the Orchard-men into gear and they went on to squeeze the life out of Derry's challenge.

Most media outlets appeared disappointed on the poor quality on display in Celtic Park. Like last year against Monaghan... what did they expect? Factor in a couple of baffling new technical rules, and a ridiculously fussy referee, what chance did the game stand?

The Southern hacks are usually the most critical of these Ulster games, but Colm Keys in the Irish Independent almost seemed sympathetic in summing up the shortcomings of the Oakleafers:

"Derry were a big disappointment, the biggest criticism being their pedestrian build-up to every attack. Could that apparent lack of urgency be taken as an absence of desire? They looked like a team that accepted their fate much too early and only the penalty reminded them that they were still in the frame.
The scars of five consecutive Ulster semi-final defeats to five different opponents has clearly taken its toll and the optimism surrounding Cassidy's appointment has evaporated for now."

Tom Humphries in the Irish Times reckons Derry might be safer taking the longer qualifier route:

"Derry have so much talent that it it going to take games on white-hot Sundays to make it all gel for them. They need the passion and the certainty and to find a way of playing that is an expression of their personality, not a contradiction of it."

Talent or not, Derry must start playing to their strengths, and this is something that Darragh Ó Sé (also writing in his Irish Times column) believes was lacking in their performance:

"Derry have good footballers, a midfield that is as good as what is in the country, a few very good forwards. And they are recycling everything? Passing it sideways? Why? Derry hardly kicked it at all. Armagh kicked the ball a little bit more and when they did it came off. They got the ball behind the Derry defence a couple of times. You could see the trouble coming when they did.
Derry had chances but they were too sluggish on the ball in the build-up. You have to get it out as fast as you can. Players and teams will still get bodies back but if you get the ball in faster and more accurately, the guys receiving it inside will do damage."

There's no doubt Damian Cassidy has a lot to think about. We can argue that the right players are there, but that's no good if they can't get the ball, or find the space in which to to do what they do best.

So, all in all, it adds up to more pessimism and disappoinment for Derry. But we're dab-hands at this craic. And there's one positive to take out of defeat.

Derry will have a full six weeks to prepare for the first qualifier game. In years gone by, the first back-door game would have come fast on the heels of the perennial Ulster semi-final defeat. With maybe only six days in between. This year is different, an even earlier Ulster exit than usual should allow the players to forget about the Armagh defeat, and refocus their thoughts and drive their energy towards the All-Ireland qualifiers. This past few years Derry have been guilty of concentrating solely on the first round in Ulster. Donegal in 2008 and Monaghan in 2009 are prime examples. We won - after months of preparation for a single game - but we couldn't adapt for the subsequent challenges.

We've been terrible in Ulster for the last 12 years so this is not new territory. No succesive Ulster Champioship victories in that time, so there was little chance of winning four matches. It may sound negative, but we may as well get out of Ulster now - thus avoiding another battle with Monaghan - and concentrate on the qualifiers. A new competition. The real Championship starts now.

The last time Derry were beaten in a preliminary round (a humiliating defeat to Tyrone in 2004), they had five weeks to prepare for the qualifiers. They were playing Kerry in an All-Ireland semi-final in late August.

Right now however, August seems a long way off...

It's Tyrone

It was something of a relief to spend Sunday afternoon watching a game that didn't involve Derry or Monaghan. The coverage the game received last week reached saturation point, and as I have outlined already most of it was over-the-top hyperbole.

So when switching on The Sunday Game to see Tyrone take on Armagh, it was something of a surprise to hear Pat Spillane and Colm O'Rourke still talking about the game at Celtic Park. I could hardly believe what I was hearing. The duo were making a point about how their own reaction to the match was totally justified.

What was it that Shakespeare said about those who protest too much?

Anyway, this week's game at Clones seemed to have sufficient footballing entertainment and excitement to please the quality assessors at RTÉ, and Ulster football breathes again.

Despite only playing well in patches, Tyrone always appeared to be in control of the game, and when going eight points up early in the second half they probably (at least sub-consciously) eased off a little. Armagh did well to close the gap, but late points from Stephen O'Neill and Brian Dooher outlined the extra quality Mickey Harte has at his disposal.

Tyrone's victory sets up what will be an eagerly-anticipated Ulster semi-final against Derry on June 21st. Tyrone will be favourites after a comfortable enough win at Clones where they didn't really get anywhere close to their best. That's a worry for Derry; but the Oakleafers have room for improvement themselves.

Another worry is the not-totally-unexpected news of suspensions emanating from the Monaghan game at Celtic Park. It looks like Derry have been dealt the rough end with Brian Mullan and Fergal Doherty both expected to be handed eight-week bans. (The good news is that if Derry reach the Ulster Final, both would be free to play.)

Thomas Freeman also looks like picking up an eight-week suspension, while both counties will be hit with €10'000 fines.

That seems particularly harsh... to the point that I've even found myself agreeing with Banty McEnaney who questions the validity of handing out "professional fines" in an amateur sport.

Probably not the last we've heard of all this. The only winners this week appear to be Tyrone.

Orchard Robbery

While the footballers were busy recording a comfortable victory over Westmeath, Derry's hurlers were at the Athletic Grounds in Armagh committing "daylight robbery" (Brian McGilligan's words, not mine!). Four points down with just three minutes to play in this NHL fixture, Kevin Hinphey came to Derry's rescue scoring a goal and a point in the dying minutes, to finish the scoring at 1-10 apiece.

The Derry manager will have been disappointed with the level of his side's performance, but he appeared to be relieved at having at least salvaged a draw:

“Armagh were by far the better team over the hour’s hurling. We had a few new faces on show today but, even with that, we would have expected to win. We are mighty glad to come away with a point."

Last week I wondered if Derry could make a push for promotion out of Division 3A. Sunday's performance might well have diluted this hope, but Brian McGilligan's side, backboned by last year's successful U21 team, still has plenty of time to improve this season.

Improvement and progress are buzz-words in the Armagh camp also, and the Orchard-men have been making great noises over the past eighteen months about how they are closing the gap on the likes of the Oakleafers. Sunday's result certainly adds credence to the claim, but the Ulster Championship will be their true test. As it will be for Derry, where another performance like this won't see them get off scott free.