Donegal v Derry: To have and have not

No question, it was another dark day in the recent history of Derry football at Ballybofey on Saturday. A display reminiscent of the defeats we suffered against Tyrone in the past decade, but in reality we probably have to go back to the late 1980's to find a performance so far off the mark in terms of doing what was necessary to beat the opposition in front of us.

And that's what defeats like Saturday's do. They have us scratching our heads trying to figure out the last time things were this bad. But in the midst of all the hyperbole and tragi-comic post-mortems we can easily forget that Derry came up against a side that are simply playing on a totally different level. A side, it should be remembered, that reached a nadir of their own just two years ago in Crossmaglen. Yet now are viable contenders for All-Ireland glory.

It is easy to blame players and maybe even certain individuals following such a defeat - it's in our psyche as football fans to do just that - but we should remember that no player sets out to play badly and no member of the management team sent the side out to get beaten. When you consider the effort and sacrifices these players have put in for months on end, some coming back from serious injuries after long periods of rehab, it soon becomes apparent that nobody will be hurting more from this defeat than they.

Because of the gulf in class that manifested itself in MacCumhaill park, and the fact that the game was over after 43 minutes (if not before), this was a difficult game to analyse. In truth, if you watch Colm McFadden's goal and the move that preceded it, you would find out all you needed to know about why Donegal won this game and why Derry failed to live with them. Michael Friel had possession and carried the ball into the Donegal half. Here he was met with three Donegal players, with each one more intent on dispossessing the Swatragh man than the last. The inevitable turnover ensues. Suddenly Patrick McBrearty has the ball and the home side break at pace. McBrearty elects to pass to McFadden, but really Donegal had about three men free as Derry struggle to recover. McFadden dispatches clinically to the net.

A neat encapsulation of the story of the game. It highlighted two main problems from a Derry perspective: running into the tackle and being left to watch Donegal as they break at pace.

Unfortunately running into the tackle was a recurring theme for Derry on Saturday. It was a direct result of the number of men Jim McGuiness' side retreated into defensive positions but is also indicative of the immense work-rate they bring out onto the pitch. The Oak Leafers just struggled to get space in the scoring positions as they met challenges a far cry from what they might expect to receive in the All-county league on a Sunday afternoon. These were ferocious tackles, full of intensity and venom. The Derry players had no option but to either go to ground in the hope of winning a free, or give up the ball.

Whilst Derry tried to get men back and work in a similar fashion defensively, their level of fitness and physical conditioning just did not meet the levels required to carry it out. A prime example of this can be seen in the build up to Leo McLoone's first half goal. Before setting McLoone up to sweep the ball to the net, Colm McFadden ghosted around the entire Oak Leaf half-back line without a finger being laid on him. The Derry attackers were never afforded such a luxury.

The second problem - on display during Donegal's second goal - was the ability of the Tír Chonaill men to break at pace through the centre of the oak Leaf defence. Time and again when Derry turned over possession, the Donegal players didn't stand back to admire their hard work, they immediately set off, at pace, down the field in numbers which resulted in the creation of a flurry of chances. Derry weren't able to get the numbers back to prevent the bulk of these from being converted into scores. Mark McHugh, Patrick McBrearty and Frank McGlynn (who was awarded Man of the Match) were constantly up and down the pitch. Neil Gallagher looked like an All-Star. On another day, Donegal might have had another couple of goals. Derry weren't able to support the attack in similar numbers and were subsequently too often left looking for the long-ball option. It wasn't an option at all.

That was more or less that. Donegal's gameplan was carried out with the type of fluidity, intensity and intelligence we've come to expect from them. John Brennan's side had no answer.

Derry's rookie defence were on a hiding to nothing. Chris McKaigue looked comfortable enough for the most part, but his athleticism and footballing ability would mark him out more as a half-back than a full-back. Barry McGoldrick had a decent game in the full-back line and tried to distribute the ball out of defence quickly. John McCamley also fitted in well, putting himself about as he worked between attack and defence. Fitness may have been an issue for the Glen man having just come back from injury, but he can count himself unlucky to be taken off so early.

The Oak Leaf midfield struggled to win primary possession despite Friel and Joe Diver battling hard. One problem was Derry's insistence on hitting their kickouts straight down the middle of the field. At the start of the second half this was Donegal's main method of winning possession. It's hard to lay all the blame for this at the feet of Barry Gillis because kickout strategies must be worked on and constantly practiced on the training field. A cleverly arranged kickout strategy is the sign of a well-prepared team. The Derry minor side were capable of it in Omagh a few weeks back so it's disappointing that their senior counterparts couldn't follow suit. By contrast, Paul Durcan had a lot of joy finding Donegal players on the wing, particularly Michael Murphy and Ryan Bradley. The Derry players looked surprised every time it happened.

The full forward line were starved of service and Paddy Bradley and Emmett McGuckin looked extremely isolated for long periods. McGuckin constantly made intelligent runs and Bradley could have done little more with the ball he received, but too many attacks broke down because the half-forward line could not get into the game - a result of the high pressure put on by the Donegal forwards. Conleith Gilligan could perhaps have been deployed deeper in an attempt to utilise his passing game to bring the Derry forwards into the game quicker, however, it's hard to see how any positional or personnel changes would have affected this horrible result. In fact, so impotent was the Oak Leaf attack that they went almost 50 minutes without scoring from play.

Frustrating times for players, management and supporters alike. Defeat was on the cards from a long way out, and unfortunately the Oak Leafers accepted it too readily.

Overall, not one for the scrapbook, but it's a game and a result that shouldn't just be swept under the carpet. There are some serious lessons to be learned here, both in terms of our own failings and the display of the opposition. It's no secret that Derry have always struggled to cope with teams playing with intense defensive systems, but few of those teams ever played at the level Donegal are currently at. And that's the worry, we're getting left behind, and until we find a cure things will get worse before they get better.

Some other thoughts from Saturday's game:

• Donegal have taken a lot of stick for the way they play, but it would be hard to level any criticism at them for Saturday's performance. They can stifle the opposition as well as get the best out of their key men. Not an easy accomplishment. Despite some apprehensions about their ability to reach last year's heights, themselves and Kildare are very real All-Ireland threats to the current establishment. 
• There's been a lot of talk surrounding the injuries Derry have had, coupled with a spate of retirements. This might certainly have weakened squad depth, but unless we have fifteen men out on the field all working in tandem and performing at a very high intensity, their availability will make little difference when playing teams like Donegal. 
• Having said that, it was encouraging to see Eoin Bradley back on the Championship field in a Derry shirt. Himself and Paddy Bradley had a torrid 2011 and have put in exceptional work just to get out on the football pitch.
• It's been one year exactly this week since Derry defeated Armagh in an Ulster semi-final at Clones. Ten competitive games since. Two wins.
• We were all hoping that Derry's league form would be just that - league form. But Saturday proved that it's not easy to automatically switch to success mode once the Championship comes. In hindsight, if we are getting beat by eight points against Westmeath, is it a surprise Donegal are beating us by ten?
• We need to get more ball-players in the middle third. Midfielders in the modern game need to not only be physical and athletic, but should be able to find a pass and take a score.
• The Derry heads dropped in the second half, but at least the duel between Patsy Bradley and Michael Friel late on added some competitiveness to the side.
• Both Martin McHugh (on BBC) and Tony Davis (RTÉ) claimed that part of the Oak Leafer's problem is the competitive club scene in the county. It's an easy - if not lazy - assumption for people outside of Derry to make, but in reality it's just one of a few fundamental problems existing within our county football scene. Probably worth a volume of postings. 
• We'll get our revenge on Donegal in Round 2 of the qualifiers.

Donegal v Derry: Around the web

It's the day of the game, so no better time to take a look at some of the online interviews and previews of Derry's clash with Donegal at Ballybofey...

Irish Times preview
"Derry’s goal threat is diminished by Eoin Bradley’s absence and they will need to be clinical in kicking points."

Irish Independent preview
Martin Breheny writes... "At face value, it's a massive test for Derry, but, in a different way, it's equally demanding for Donegal."

Hoganstand preview
A lot of stuff you probably already knew, but have a look if you want to refresh your memory.

RTÉ preview
You could save yourself one and a half minutes by not clicking this link. It doesn't even give a prediction on who they think will win. Although the writer believes the following... "Armagh and Tyrone served up entertaining fare last weekend and there is no reason to suggest that another set of neighboring counties won’t do the same." Enough said.

Gerard O'Kane video interview BBC
"Paddy Bradley's leadership qualities are second to none."

Paddy Bradley audio interview BBC
"Ourselves and Donegal always play tight games, whoever takes their chances will prevail."

Joe Diver interview Belfast Telegraph
The Derry midfielder looks ahead to the game... "We have had to bide our time for a year to get another crack at Donegal so to say we will be well motivated would be an understatement."
In the Irish Examiner, Joe also reveals details of a serious eye injury sustained in Australia last year. The type of thing that should make GAA fans appreciate the sacrifices players make to get themselves on the football field.

Jim McGuinness interview
Read this interview if you want to see more stuff like this... "Really it is all about nailing down the key areas in relation to our own game plan. The plan is number one."

StarBets betting preview
Kevin Egan runs his eye over this weekend's football from a betting perspective.

Donegal v Derry: Oakleafers have uphill climb

This kind of thing happens more or less every year. Well, every year since Derry disappeared from the landscape of pre-Championship All-Ireland favouritism, which was roughly 1997. Expectation starts out low - or realistic, depending on your leaning - and everyone is satisfied that the summer will likely be a short one. Then, without much warning, about two days before the first round, the Derry team is named and we reckon it's about as good as anything in the country. Suddenly we're all expecting Derry to win Ulster. Or at the very least, dismiss the poor unfortunate that happens to be standing in our way that coming weekend. And then we'll win Ulster. We all know how that story ends.

Maybe it hasn't been quite as blatant as all that in 2012 as we approach Derry's Championship opener against Donegal, but it's a safe enough bet that optimism in the Oak Leaf county has increased at least slightly this week in the lead up to the game in Ballybofey. In fairness, it couldn't have gone any lower, but there are encouraging noises coming out of the Derry camp, and the team John Brennan has named shows signs that the management are preparing for the Donegal challenge in a pragmatic manner.

But if we crank the realism meter back up a notch or two then we'll come to realise once more that Derry are badly up against it on Saturday. It's not often the bookmakers quote odds of greater than 2/1 about a Derry victory in Ulster, but there are few people across the county and indeed the country that would disagree.

So, how has it come to this? The answer is a simple one: Donegal are the best organised, disciplined and structured side in the country. Jim McGuinness' style of play was the single biggest factor in taking the Tír Chonaill men to the brink of an All-Ireland Final in 2011 and although it has been viciously derided across a seemingly naive media, few could argue with its success. This is a results business.

As far as McGuinness is concerned, 2012 is another chapter in the tale and he believes that his heavily oiled machine should work even more efficiently and effectively having had a year's experience behind it. He'll expect his squad to go one step further this season.

Unfortunately, Derry aren't anywhere near as well developed. As the league campaign proved, we are some way off competing with the likes of Dublin on the biggest stage (something Donegal have shown they are capable of). Defeats against Westmeath and Galway were symptomatic of a Spring campaign that didn't yield the required preparation for Championship football. John Brennan's hands were tied due to a long injury list and was subsequently too often forced to play a makeshift team that prevented the side from practicing any defined plan. It also meant Brennan could not get a clear idea as to what his best team was in terms of personnel. With retirements from the likes of Kevin McCloy, Kevin McGuckin and Enda Muldoon as well as long-term injuries, it was imperative that the league would bring some continuity and consistency of performance. It didn't happen, instead producing more questions than answers.

And in the ten weeks since the 2012 league campaign unraveled once last time in Mullingar on Easter Sunday, good news on the injury front has not been forthcoming. Dermot McBride - Derry's most consistent defender in the last two seasons - is out, as is the Lavey target man Cailean O'Boyle, who was enjoying his best year in an Oak Leaf shirt. On top of that (most significantly of the lot) Eoin Bradley is not fit enough to start in Ballybofey and it appears has not even been named on the substitutes.

It is against this backdrop that we play an excellent Donegal side, on their home turf in an Ulster quarter-final. How's that optimism coming along?

There is some hope however for the Oak Leafers as we approach Saturday's clash. Donegal's league form was nothing special, suffering defeats to Down, Laois, Kerry and Dublin. They had good wins over Cork, Mayo and Armagh but this mixed bag of results suggests they are currently struggling to find consistency and there must be a worry about their ability to just pick up where they left off in last year's Championship. The performance against Cavan is hard to guage considering the lack of intensity the Breffni men brought to the encounter, but it is likely they will be closer to their best on Saturday with four solid weeks of training behind them since.

Another issue Jim McGuinness has is the fitness worries surrounding Rory Kavanagh and Michael Murphy. McGuinness won't name his side until closer to throw-in, but it is expected that the duo will start. Bar Karl Lacey these two are arguably the most important cogs in the Donegal machine. Kavanagh's athletic ability and Murphy's ball-winning prowess and score-taking are big parts of what makes this side tick. They are unlikely to be 100%, but even still, Derry cannot afford to take chances with the ability of these two to run a football game.

A third - only potential - problem facing the Tír Chonaill squad is that of the so-called "second-season syndrome", something we flagged up in our Ulster Championship preview last month. A lot of column inches have been spent on the Kevin Cassidy saga, but with good reason. He was the heartbeat of Donegal in 2011 (and for many seasons before) and his kicking to the proverbial kerb is bound to have some effect on the harmony of the squad and their level of performance in the heat of battle. When playing a system like Donegal's, everyone - first teamers and squad members alike - must all pull in the one direction. If any dissent creeps in, things will fall apart very quickly. Last season everyone bought in, but to do that for a second season will be much more difficult. How long can the Donegal players continue to show the self-sacrificial qualities that have taken them so far? When their backs are against a wall, or they fall behind in a game, surely the desire and belief that highlighted 2011 will be diluted a year on.

As much as that is a possibility this season, if not an inevitability, unfortunately for Derry those cracks will probably not appear for another few weeks.

While there are these minor question marks over Donegal, they are heavy favourites for good reason and Derry will have to do something special to beat them. John Brennan's team selection has hinted at a more defensive strategy for his side than the traditional, open tactics employed last season. No matter where your stomach sits on the scale of puke to pure, most Derry fans would agree that those same tactics - which didn't work against Donegal in last year's Ulster Final - won't work eleven months later. Jim McGuinness has built a side around a solid defence, but it's their forwards that win matches. Their influence must be curtailed.

The signs are encouraging. It appears that John McCamley will play as a sweeper in front of the Donegal duo of Colm McFadden and Patrick McBrearty. Gerard O'Kane is also likely to retreat back from the half forward line. The extra numbers in defence will be utilised in order to break up Donegal's offensive patterns and close the space afforded to the likes of Murphy, Kavanagh and Mark McHugh. The general idea will be to force the Ulster champions into a recycling of possession and tempt them into bringing more numbers forward. Derry will then aim to strike on the counter-attack, hoping that space will have opened up for the pace of Mark Lynch, Paddy Bradley and Enda Lynn. Easier said than done. If such a tactic is indeed employed however, then it might be useful to have Conleith Gilligan playing in a deeper role, as he has the footballing ability to find the sharp direct passes that would help make Derry's attack more fluid. It would also aid the Oak Leaf cause if, when we have possession, Lynch, Bradley and Emmett McGuckin stick to central positions. The bulk of the Donegal defenders will naturally follow which should leave space for the likes of O'Kane, Lynn and even Sean Leo MGoldrick on the flanks. From here, they can both create and weigh in with long-range scores. A kickout strategy that doesn't just involve Barry Gillis kicking the ball through the middle would also help. If Derry have spare men in defence, they should be made use of.

The end game is not only devising, but also implementing a strategy that negates the influence of Donegal's key men whilst allowing the Oak Leafer's scoring talent to express themselves.

There's one problem though - Derry's players are not used to playing in this way. And due to the amount of club games played in recent weeks, John Brennan's time with his squad has probably been much less than he would have liked. New tactics and new ideas need time to bed in, as well as plenty of practice. This Derry squad hasn't had it. A further problem is that the defence named is very inexperienced. McCamley and Eugene Scullion are making their debuts, while Chris McKaigue and Mark Craig are starting a Championship match for the first time in two of the most pivotal positions on the field. Brennan appears to be taking a gamble, but it's hard to think of what else he could have done.

A lot has to go right for Derry to win this. One hope is that the game might open up - thanks to Derry taking an early lead or even a sending off - at which point the Oak Leafers would certainly have enough firepower to win the game. However, all things considered, it's hard to see past a Donegal victory. They have enough experience and enough discipline to see of a dynamic Derry side that might take some time to find its feet. A winning margin in the neighbourhood of 3-5 points certainly wouldn't surprise.

Still, all Oak Leaf fans will travel in hope. But in order for that hope to turn to joy, Derry's gamble in team formation must payoff in terms of breaking Donegal down, and unless this is coupled with each player showing the necessary intensity and stupendous work-rate for a full seventy minutes - something Donegal display as a bare minimum - then this type of game will continue to be a struggle and any real Championship success will continue to elude.

Donegal v Derry: Brennan names team

At the annual Club Derry event tonight, held in the Oakleaf Restaurant, John Brennan announced his starting team for Derry's USFC quarter-final contest with Donegal at Ballybofey on Saturday:

Barry Gillis, John McCamley, Chris McKaigue, Sean Leo McGoldrick, Barry McGoldrick, Mark Craig, Eugene Scullion, Joe Diver, Michael Friel, Gerard O’Kane, Mark Lynch, Enda Lynn, Conleith Gilligan, Paddy Bradley, Emmett McGuckin

Such was the manager's reduced options - especially in defence - and the fact that Derry haven't played competitively in ten weeks, it was always likely that this side would contain one or two surprises.

Two debutants are included, Eugene Scullion and John McCamley. Scullion has been touted as a possible starter in recent weeks after it became apparent that Dermot McBride would be injured, while McCamley's inclusion is the strongest indication yet that Derry will deploy a more defensive strategy against Donegal. Unlikely to actually play as a corner-back, the Watty Graham's man will probably play a sweeping role in front of the Donegal full-forward line (reprising the role that was cut short against Down in this year's McKenna Cup). The Tír Chonaill men do not play with six conventional forwards, so the positions of the Oak Leafers starting fifteen, and the numbers on their respective backs is of little relevance.

For six games in the league, the Derry full-back line contained Brian McCallion, Chris McKaigue and Aidan McAlynn. Only McKaigue will start in Ballybofey. Barry Gillis - called in as an emergency goalkeeper back in February - will start his first Championship game since 2010.

Mark Craig also returns after missing part of Derry's fractious NFL campaign and will take up the centre-half back berth, while Barry McGoldrick will add some Championship experience to the half-back line. The Coleraine man has not been a first choice regular this season, but he has the footballing ability to help the Oak Leafers move the ball out of defence, which could be an important part of Derry's approach if they plan on playing in a counter-attacking style. The most obvious omission from the half-back line is Charlie Kielt.

Michael Friel was Derry's most consistent midfielder during the league and his inclusion is not surprising. The other midfield spot was up for grabs however and perhaps the experience of Joe Diver and his strong running ability has given the Bellaghy man the nod over the likes of PJ McCloskey, Patsy Bradley and Niall Holly.

John Brennan will be boosted by the availability of Gerard O'Kane. The fitness of the Glenullin man has been a matter of some conjecture over the past few weeks, but his presence will add some valuable experience to the Derry line-up, not to mention pace and guile and an ability to carry possession.

O'Kane's return is tempered somewhat by the absence of his clubmate Eoin Bradley; news that is likely to be the headline story from this Derry lineup in tomorrow's papers. Brennan must feel that Bradley is not 100% fit to start the game. If this is the case, then it is pointless throwing him in from the start and hoping for the best. The ability to spring him from the bench at anytime might be a more valuable alternative.

Emmett McGuckin is the man to benefit and he could well form a two-man full forward line with Paddy Bradley, while Conleith Gilligan is used in a deeper role. Enda Lynn has been rewarded for his excellent NFL campaign with a start in the half-forward line. It's a forward division that is fairly dynamic with pace and scoring ability, but against such a strong Donegal defence, it must show patience and creativity.

All in all it's a physical Derry team and one of the more interesting starting fifteens of recent seasons. The Oak Leafers are out to avenge last year's Ulster Final defeat, and whilst the bookmakers odds suggest that might not happen, John Brennan has at least picked a side that suggests Derry are trying to learn from the mistakes made last July.

We'll find out just how much the Oak Leafers have learned on Saturday.

Burn after reading

Derry's recent Championship record against Donegal is far from impressive. A quick trawl through our ten most recent encounters with the Tír Chonaill men shows seven defeats and just three wins. The record goes back as far as the late 1980's when Donegal started the first of three consecutive victories against the Oak Leafers with a narrow Ulster semi-final win in 1989. They recorded a more facile victory in another semi-final one year later at a sparsely populated Clones. In the four Ulster semi-finals the sides have contested in this time, Donegal have won all of them.

The sides have met in four Ulster Finals in their last ten championship meetings, with the spoils being shared at two apiece. The two counties famously enjoying Anglo-Celt victories over each other en route to their All-Ireland successes in the early 1990s.

If there is a glimmer of light for Derry in this rather unfavourable recent rivalry, it's that in the one Ulster SFC quarter-final clash between the sides, it was the Oak Leafers who came out on top - in Ballybofey in 2008. That is pretty much in keeping with Derry's excellent first-round record: 20 wins in 25 years.

This Saturday's latest renewal against our neighbours will also be a quarter-final at Ballybofey, so don't write us off just yet.

2011 Ulster Final: Donegal 1-11 Derry 0-8
2009 All-Ireland qualifier Rd 3: Donegal 2-13 Derry 0-18 (aet)
2008 Ulster SFC quarter-final: Donegal 1-12 Derry 1-14
2006 Ulster SFC semi-final: Donegal 1-13 Derry 0-11
2002 Ulster SFC semi-final: Donegal 1-9 Derry 0-10
1998 Ulster Final: Derry 1-7 Donegal 0-8
1993 Ulster Final: Derry 0-8 Donegal 0-6
1992 Ulster Final: Donegal 0-14 Derry 1-9
1990 Ulster SFC semi-final: Donegal 1-15 Derry 0-8
1989 Ulster SFC semi-final: Donegal 2-8 Derry 1-9

Somebody wins, somebody loses

"The most valuable commodity I know of is information..."

One of the great movie villains of the 1980s, Gordon Gekko, uttered these words in the 1987 film Wall Street. Many others will have said them over the course of human existence, but Gekko (played brilliantly by Michael Douglas) was relating it specifically to market trading and how he could gain an edge over his opponents in the corporate broking world. The general concept however can apply to a range of subject matters, not least sports betting, but also to the world of sports preparation and indeed Gaelic football. Leading up to this Saturday's meeting with Donegal, Derry carry at least one edge over their opponents: information. Put simply, we know more about them than they do about us.

This is not just because the Derry management have been able to watch Donegal already in this year's Ulster Championship, it's based more on the general fact that we know exactly how Jim McGuinness' side are going to play. We watched them throughout last summer, including two intense games against Kildare and Dublin, as well as having seen them in that championship match against Cavan back in May.

Anyone who thinks Donegal might deploy a more attacking system this season can think again. McGuinness is still in charge and nothing will change.

As the manager, he is the person most responsible for the performance of his football team. Forget about any nonsense analysis that suggests the players are ultimately responsible for a team's results - just because they're the ones actually playing on the pitch. The manager is the person who creates the environment for their team to play to their strengths, stifle opponents and try and put a system in place that will win football matches. If the manager has a strong enough voice and can get his players believing in his preferred method of play, that team will go further than a manager whose message is incoherent or who doesn't have the respect of his players.

When judging the results of their previous few seasons, Donegal are a brilliant example as to how the manager is the key difference maker in any team (as was Joe Kernan's influence in Armagh and Mickey Harte's in Tyrone). Using - by and large - the same group of players his predecessor John Joe Doherty had at his disposal, McGuinness transformed Donegal from a team who were knocked out in the first round of the qualifiers in 2010, to the verge of an All-Ireland Final in 2011, as Ulster champions. A remarkable turnaround. He dilligently put a system together that would give his group of players the best possible chance of winning football matches. A system that leaves very little to chance, avoids risk and uncertainty and will be almost equally effective despite the quality of opponent. As far as he possibly can, McGuinness will be drumming this same method into his players in 2012. He told us as much following their victory over Cavan in May.

Most of the time, pre-match and post-match interviews from players and managers gleans little other than clichéd soundbites, but the best managers generally speak honestly about their team's performances and their contentment (or lack of it) can often tell us a lot about what to expect from their team the next day out.

After the preliminary game at Breffni Park the Donegal manager had this to say:

“When you’re working on things you want to execute it. A lot of things in the second half weren't ruthless and for 20 minutes there was a feel of a challenge match. We weren’t clinical. If we were professional from the first minute until the last we wouldn’t have gone down that road.”

In other words, during the second half when his players were wandering forward, McGuinness was not happy. They were veering from their predetermined system of play. As mentioned above, it's a system that pays little regard to differences in opposition. Whether they are playing Cavan, Derry, Kerry or Dublin, McGuinness will set his side up to execute in the exact same way.

“It’s irrelevant who we play and we gauge ourselves against what we want to do. It was Cavan today and it’ll be Derry the next day and then it’ll be Tyrone or Armagh, if we get through, the game after that. What we need to do is get our own house in order. It really is about ourselves, how we see the opposition and how we see it unfold.”

It appears the fact that Donegal won't really know what to expect from the Oak Leafers is of little consequence. Donegal's is an approach built to withstand whatever or whoever is thrown at it. Derry have struggled with defensive gameplans throughout the last decade, but few of the teams we have faced in that period are as well drilled or organised as this Donegal side (as we found out to our cost in last year's Ulster Final). What have the Derry management and players learned from these defeats? Can we counteract these teams with a defensive system of our own? Will we apply a more patient style of play in order to control possession?

Recent history goes against us, as does an ever-lengthening injury list. So in order to break the mould Brennan must come up with a plan that will negate Donegal's strengths and take their key men out of the game. Derry took pragmatic approaches against Monaghan in 2009 and Tyrone in 2006. Fire was met with fire and the Oak Leafers came out on top. As those games - and indeed Donegal's performances last season - proved, aesthetics don't matter, nor does the margin of victory. The one objective is to win the football match. As Gekko himself said: "It's a zero sum game, somebody wins, somebody loses."

McGuinness has been kind enough to show us his hand; we have all the information we need. John Brennan and his Derry players know exactly what to expect from the opposition this weekend in Ballybofey. That's the good news. The question now is, what are they going to do about it?

Major victory for Derry's Minors

Before Derry's victory over Donegal in Omagh last night, we hadn't won a game in the Minor Championship since 2008 (which ironically also came against Donegal). To put it another way, that's one Championship victory at minor level since Derry's win over Laois in that entertaining All-Ireland semi-final replay at Navan in 2007. For a county with such a strong tradition at minor level over the last 30 years, a four-year gap without a single win represented something of a famine.

Derry's inability to make an impact on the Ulster MFC in that time has drawn criticism from many quarters within the county and has once again raised questions about fundamental problems that exist within our footballing structures. Never was this more evident than in last year's humiliating defeat to Fermanagh at Celtic Park. A disjointed performance from what looked on paper like a very strong Oak Leaf team.

That was all forgotten about at Healy Park on Sunday evening however as Derry, under the tutelage of Paul McIvor, recorded a comfortable 2-9 to 1-7 win over Donegal in the first round. Whilst the result is the only important thing at this stage of the competition, what was most impressive was the way Derry performed. From the moment Terence O'Brien struck to an empty net in the second minute of the game, this young side grew in confidence and composure and the result was rarely in doubt.

Donegal lined out in a defensive manner, but Derry were ready for such a tactic. Their passing - and ability to keep possession - was at times exceptional, and off-the-ball running to create space for men running from deep allowed the Oak Leafs to create chances and more importantly take the scores that put them in control. Conor McAtamney was listed at centre back but played a starring role in midfield alongside Peter Cassidy who scored two excellent first half points. Ryan Bell played at centre half-forward and had the power and pace to continually put the Donegal defence on the back foot. He scored a fantastic first-half point following a solo run from his own half.

James Kearney was another creative source in the Derry forward line and Gerald Bradley is an excellent finisher - tallying four points. O'Brien's second goal, which put the result beyond doubt was also a brilliant finish, a bullet shot to the far top corner of the net. Ciaran McFaul was playing in a deeper role, but he was very composed and controlled in possession and helped his side see out the game in the closing stages. At the other end of the field, Derry defended very well. Some mistakes crept into the play when the game looked won, but overall every individual defender tackled excellently and the defence as a whole kept Donegal out of their scoring zone. Having said that, the Tír Chonaill attack was very anemic for the most part and this Derry defence will be judged on how they perform in the matches ahead.

It was surprising in some respects to see Donegal play in a system similar to their senior counterparts. We've seen Donegal perform in a defensive style at Under-21 level, but it doesn't seem right to restrict 16 and 17 year olds in such a manner, and it was a tactic that backfired for the Tír Chonaill youngsters last night. Whenever Derry won possession, the three Donegal half-forwards turned to go deep into their own defence, meaning that for large parts of the game they had 12 or 13 men in their own half. The net result of this was that when the Donegal full-forward line got on the ball they were totally isolated, and in the absence of any support they where left to try long-range shots with a limited degree of success.

Derry's tactics however were spot on. Paul McIvor deserves a lot of credit for putting such a strong side together that not only has a nice mix of physicality and creativity, but also that plays to its strengths. The team's key men were constantly in the game and bar some sloppy play when Derry were ten points to the good - that brought Donegal to within five points - on no sector of the field did we look like getting exposed. It's also refreshing to see a Derry team showing some variety on their own kickouts. Why kick percentage ball to the opposition when you're in control of the game?

It's probably a bit early to draw comparisons with the 2002 and 2007 vintage but Paul McIvor will be very pleased with what he saw. He's unlikely to dwell on it too much however, knowing that either Tyrone or Armagh will be awaiting his side in the semi-final at the end of June. There will be plenty at stake in that game. Win it and not only will Derry appear in an Ulster Final, but they will be guaranteed a spot in the All-Ireland quarter-final. History has taught us that minor teams tend to improve as the season goes on, so hopefully there's even more to come from this promising Derry side.

Lines Written in Dejection

You know it's a difficult defeat to take in, when on the Wednesday morning it's still encompassing your wakening thoughts.

Another heavy rainstorm battering against the window doesn't register. Even heavier sneezing (in these pandemic times) doesn't cost a single thought. The mind wanders towards this weekend - what would have been a weekend away in Sligo. Yes, that's where it's at. Beautiful Sligo, where the majestic Benbulben lurks over your every move. Where WB Yeats rests lightly beneath the land he managed to spiritualise with his genius. Ah Sligo.

Wait a second... Sligo?

For crying out loud. Anyone would think it was some sort of exotic heaven on Earth. A quick slap on the face brings reality crashing back. But there are still flashbacks from that awful night in Ballybofey. Barry Monaghan (I thought he had retired?) driving forward at will. Trying to get through that narrowest of alleys that leads to the main stand. The floodlights coming on, one by one. There was little sun, timid or otherwise.

The day's first bead of sweat breaks on the brow.

I think to myself that I've probably had similar thoughts during each of the last sixteen years. And hell, they'll probably come back to me for the next sixteen. But as Derry fans we wouldn't have it any other way. There's a certain masochistic quality required to follow the Oak Leafers. Every year we tell ourselves that this season will be different ("sure we're one of the top four teams in the country at least"); that our vast abundance of talent will finally perform on the big stage and that Ulster and All-Ireland success is only a back-to-back victory away. Come July, these hopes have evaporated, turned somewhat magically into despair. Another painful exit (why do they always seem to be by just a point or two?) heralds the end of a summer that barely began.

When will we ever learn? A disappointing exit one season should mean that success might not necessarily come our way the following season. And as Derry have not put consecutive victories together in the Ulster Championship in eleven whole years, you would think that we could see the heavy bold writing on the dilapidating wall. Apparently not.

When we sit down to eat the turkey, perhaps we'll realise that we were expecting too much of Damian Cassidy and his stretched and relatively inexperienced squad this season. We will take encouragement from the fact that we have blooded some very promising new players (that will have learned much from a chastening debut season), and we'll be happy that some players have settled and matured into outstanding performers. We will think that all this augurs well for the future, and that we are well on our way to building a team that can compete for honours in the next 2-3 years.

Then, next year, when a resurgent Kildare beat us by a single point in a Round 4 qualifier at Breffni Park, defeat will be much easier to take.

Painful Sting in Familiar Tale

Well, that was a tough one to take, and it might hurt for quite a while.

The defeat itself, and the manner of it, was something we Derry fans were hoping we wouldn't have to endure for another few matches, but unfortunately it all amounts to the same old story, as another Oakleaf side failed to build upon the excellent victory achieved in the previous game.

Put simply, Donegal out-thought us and outclassed us, and despite the slender margin of the extra-time victory, even the staunchest Derry fan would have to admit that the Tír Chonaill men deserved to win with a bit more to spare.

So, where did it all go wrong? Well, it's probably best to start at the beginning, because this is arguably the period where Derry lost the game. Derry's first point didn't come until the 16th minute, and after the blazing opening a week earlier in Clones, I, along with many Derry fans were already feeling uncomfortable in Ballybofey. An uneasiness seemed to have gotten a grip of the Derry players, and this transmitted to the terraces. Derry were second to every ball, conceding a mass of possession in midfield, and were supplying the forward line with poor final ball. A slow start from Damian Cassidy's side set the tempo for the game, and Donegal smelt blood. The Bellaghy-man admitted as much after the game:

"We probably lost it in the first 20 minutes of the first half. We lost the initiative at that stage and we were always playing catch-up after that."

It looked like the energy and focus Derry had pumped into disposing of Monaghan had been left behind in Clones. It was a tough ask to get these Derry players to produce a similar performance just one week later, and there must have been great difficulty in getting the squad prepared mentally to the same level.

It showed.

John Joe Doherty had no such problems and he set his side up to defend heavily against Derry's front pairing of Paddy and Eoin Bradley. A tactic that has worked against the Oakleafers in the past seemed like it might be alien to a Donegal team that are used with playing open football. But Doherty instructed his team to funnel men back in numbers and create space for the front pairing of McFadden and Murphy. The likes of Brian Mullan and Chrissy McKaigue found themselves too often in forward positions - not what Damian Cassidy would prefer - and Derry's full-back line was well and truly exposed. Donegal's tactic worked well.

That was disappointing from a Derry point of view. We are well used to see teams employ sweepers in front of our forward division - yet we had no answer. The Donegal screening made Derry panic in possession, creating numerous turnovers in the first half. Derry were sloppy and ponderous - a million miles away from the team that had disposed of Monaghan. The forwards were not being supplied with percentage ball (the standard of passing not approaching the required clinical level) and with Paddy Bradley struggling on the excellent Karl Lacey, Derry's forward threat was diminishing as the half wore on. Donegal were thriving. Murphy and McFadden were winning every ball and creating havoc. They paired up for Donegal's first goal which gave them a real confidence booster. Derry heads dropped. The substitution of Kevin McCloy was inevitable; the introduction of debutant Brian Óg McAlary illustrating how stretched Derry's resources had become. He did well to stick to McFadden, but the Donegal forwards were winning every ball that came their way.

Perhaps it was due to the fact that Derry were behind on the scoreboard, but they never appeared to explore the possibility of dropping a man back in front of the full-back line. Barry McGoldrick played in a sweeper role at various stages this season and should have been moved back to help deal with the constant Donegal forward threat.

Midfield meanwhile was almost like a vacuum for Derry possession. Donegal were cleaning up in this area with Conall Dunne playing deep to win what seemed like a mountain of ball. Derry's success in the breaking ball stakes amounted to a total of 0% in the first half. An abysmal statistic that set the platform for defeat. Gerard O'Kane (who produced yet another excellent performance) kicked the ball away in frustration when the referee blew for half-time, and with his side three points down he and the rest of us knew Derry were in big trouble.

And yet, throughout the game (bar the early part of the second half when Donegal opened up a five-point advantage) Derry somehow managed to keep in touch. Mark Lynch, James Kielt and Eoin Bradley were the chief scorers, but they had been reduced to picking off lang-range efforts as Derry failed to break through the solid Donegal defence. Eoin Bradley was particularly influential in the second-half, continuing to win his own ball and run constantly at the Donegal defence. As time ticked on, the fingernails were taking a battering, and the loss of a subdued Paddy Bradley to injury saw another largely untested player in the shape of Gavin McShane enter the cauldron. It wasn't looking good, but having given themselves a mountain to climb Derry were fighting back. Doherty and Patsy Bradley with the help of Barry McGuigan, were only just beginning to get a foothold in midfield, while Gerard O'Kane was piling forward at will.

With the game in its final minute and Derry only a point behind, Chrissy McKaigue showed little fear to pounce on loose possession and hit a classy strike over the bar. Derry had just got out of jail, but that point illustrated just how hard they were having to work for scores, that continued to be struck from long-range. Derry couldn't penetrate the centre of the Donegal defence, and never looked like creating the goal that might have carried them over the finishing line.

At the end of the seventy minutes I thought that Derry could push on and win it in extra-time. Unfortunately, David Coldrick's normal-time whistle was as good as it got. Donegal should have felt like the beaten team, but Kevin Cassidy's goal gave them a fresh impetus, and an extra-time lead from which Derry could not recover. Colm McFadden almost went from hero to villain, kicking several wides in the two extra periods that basically kept Derry in the game. And then came the last-gasp chance that Enda Lynn sliced wide. It was an unfortunate moment for him and every Derry person inside the ground felt his anguish. We had almost come away with an unlikely draw - but the damage had already been done.

Donegal had outplayed us. They got their tactics spot on, while Derry revisited their form from previous seasons that saw the side unable to cope with a blanket defensive system. Derry had proven a point last week against Monaghan, but they failed to replicate that desire and hunger from the beginning in Ballybofey. Donegal were better prepared for the battle; they were able to raise their game for the arrival of the red-hot favourites from Derry.

It's been a difficult pill to swallow... and it hasn't quite been stomached just yet. The word 'gutted' gets bandied about a few times too often these days, but even us Derry fans probably require a stronger adjective to describe the emotions since leaving a darkening Ballybofey.

But thems the breaks, and Damian Cassidy will know today, if he didn't already, the magnitude of the task he has with this Derry team. Injuries and suspensions have forced his hand (Niall McCusker and Kevin McGuckin would have strengthened the defence, while Enda Muldoon would have added a play-making ability to a floundering attack), while the unforgiving nature of the qualifying system ensured Derry would have difficult tasks to complete in short time-frames.

The dream is over for another year... the nightmares continue.

DERRY: B Gillis; C McKaigue (0-1), K McCloy, S.M Lockart; G O'Kane (0-1), B McGoldrick (0-2 frees), SL McGoldrick; F Doherty, Patsy Bradley; J Diver, J Kielt (0-5, 0-3 frees), B Mullan; E Bradley (0-3), Paddy Bradley (0-2 frees), M Lynch (0-3) Subs B McAlary for McCloy, 34 mins; G McShane (0-1) for Diver, 43 mins; B McGuigan for Mullan, 43 mins; E Lynn for Paddy Bradley, 50 mins; S Bradley for McShane, 79 mins

Derry Must Keep Focus

In RTÉ Sport's preview for Derry's third round Qualifier against Donegal, they reckon that the Tír Chonaill men are something of a dying animal and that the Oakleafers will put them out of their misery at Ballybofey on Saturday evening. Of course, there is another school of thought that suggests Donegal are more of a wounded animal, and therefore represent a dangerous threat.

With Derry's best interests at heart, I certainly wouldn't dwell too much on the former theory. In my lifetime as a Derry fan, I can never remember an easy Championship game against our Western neighbours. Yes, we've had some decent victories against them, but in the past twenty years these have been by no more than three points - even when Derry were at their all-time best.

Forget about Derry brushing last Saturday's Monaghan challenge aside with relative ease, tomorrow's game is likely to be a tight affair.

While Derry have assumed heavy favouritism for the game (1/2), it is fair to say that this price has been reached with only the Monaghan performance in mind; this time last week Derry were outsiders heading to Clones. Championship favouritism can be a fickle concept.

Anyway, since last Saturday, the Derry players and management should have an extra spring in their step. The forwards - Paddy Bradley especially - seem to be clicking into form, and with Fergal Doherty, Patsy Bradley and James Kielt back from injury, the Oakleafers have been strengthened considerably in the middle third. But we're only at Round 3; still two wins away from getting back on solid ground at the All-Ireland Quarter-Final stage.

So there's plenty of work yet to do. Kerry were obviously the team to avoid in the draw, but a trip to Ballybofey might possibly be deemed the next toughest task on offer. The good news is that we haven't drawn Monaghan again, but the Ulster theme continues. Last year, Derry struggled for long periods in the Ulster first round game at the Donegal venue, before eventually emerging with a two-point victory. It took a ten-point haul from Paddy Bradley and a goal from Eoin Bradley to help achieve it.

Derry will be looking to these two guys again tomorrow night, but James Kielt and Mark Lynch had promising displays last week in Clones, and they will hope to reproduce this form to take some pressure off the Glenullin brothers. Damian Cassidy won't have been pleased with how his side defended against Monaghan. Things improved in the second-half when Sean Martin Lockhart and Kevin McCloy got much closer to their men, but these two will have to be on top form to prevent the enigmatic duo of Colm McFadden and Michael Murphy from stamping their authority on the game.

They are the two shining lights in what has been a disappointing season thus far for John Joe Doherty's men. I remember leaving Glen on Easter Sunday (having watched Derry comfortably dispose of Donegal to reach the NFL Final and consign our neighbours to relegation) thinking that this Donegal side had little to offer. They seemed to rely on Brian Roper to get their attack going, and they lacked any sort of onfield leadership. All this was backed up by their first round result against Antrim. Although I though Donegal looked like the better team that day. They created more chances, but just didn't have the killer instinct in front of goal.

It was a massive setback for them, and they were always going to struggle to get through the first couple of qualifying rounds. Carlow and Clare at home were stumbled past, but these games were the perfect stepping stones. They haven't quite found their form, but Donegal have always been a side that can produce a big performance on any given day. With Barry Dunnion and Karl Lacey back in defence, Derry's forwards are unlikely to enjoy another field day, while the aforementioned Murphy and McFadden always look capable of producing a big game. Donegal will raise their level for Derry, no question.

However, they look to be weak around the middle of the field. The loss of Christy Toye to injury last week was a big blow to a side already without the presence of Neil Gallagher and Ciaran Bonner thanks to a disciplinary issue. And this is where Derry can win the game. Last week the midfield trinity of Diver, Doherty and Bradley helped propel Derry to victory, as Monaghan couldn't cope with Derry's domination of possession. Another midfield performance like this, and a similar outcome could be on the cards. Derry need to keep their heads though. One good performance does not necessarily lead to another, as Oakleaf followers are only too aware. No doubt Damian Cassidy will have spent this week focusing his player's thoughts on the task in hand, whilst emphasising the importance of consistence performances. Else, last week's win will have meant absolutely nothing.

Derry must stick to last week's template. Direct passing out of defence, early ball to the forwards, runners through the middle. They have proved they can perform and win by playing like this; the question now is whether this can be displayed with a bit more frequency. We'll get some sort of answer in Ballybofey.

Donegal have their own questions to answer - and I expect to see an improved display from John Joe Doherty's side - but will it be enough to stop a Derry side that should now be performing with confidence and building upon the momentum gathered by last weekend's excellent victory?

I suspect and hope not! Derry by three.

Derry Cruise Into Final

When the half-time whistle blew on Sunday at Glen, the writing was on the wall for Donegal. They trailed Derry by 0-6 to 0-5 at this point, despite the Oakleafers' failure to get out of second gear throughout the duration of the period.

By full-time, the four-point margin of victory was probably a fair one. And it signalled Derry's qualification for a second consecutive League Final, whilst consigning Donegal to Division 2. Victory for Derry was achieved with minimal fuss. They stepped things up a bit in the second period and secured the win thanks to an ability to play a more direct game, and produce scores whenever the chances came their way. Two points in the early part of the second period from James Kielt, and a point apiece from half-backs Brian Óg McAlary and Sean Leo McGoldrick, demonstrated Derry's more clinical attacking ability, and these scores seemed to do enough to keep the surprisingly weak Donegal challenge at bay.

Surprising because the Tír Chonail men usually provide Derry with a hard-fought derby contest, and also because of the (Division 1 retaining) prize on offer for John Joe Doherty's side.

Meanwhile, down in Tralee, Kerry were busy dismantling Galway's NFL challenge. The Kingdom's seven-point victory ensuring that Derry would qualify for the NFL Final ahead of the Tribesmen.

It had been the perfect Easter Sunday for Derry. And yet it seemed like something of an anti-climax. The Oakleaf faithful filed out of Watty Graham Park with little fanfare. Any latent joy at reaching the Final was supressed, if it existed at all. Perhaps the pointed feelings of Derry boss Damian Cassidy have filtered through to the Derry following. We want to be a successful championship team; the NFL is a secondary concern.

Or perhaps the Derry fans were subdued after watching a low-key game of football. The fare at Glen had been poor, very poor in places. Damian Cassidy will be happy his experimental side emerged with victory, in a reaonably convincing fashion, but he won't have been particularly pleased with his side's performance. A duel with Kerry in a fortnight's time has suddenly entered 'beneficial' territory. In February the prospect of a League Final might have seemed like a unnecessary April distraction, but the Derry management will now use it to iron out some positional issues, before the Monaghan game in May.

One positional question that had a possible answer attached to it on Sunday was that of the third member of the full-forward line. Coming back from a six-month layoff, Mark Lynch scored three excellent points. He looked lively and fresh, and looks increasingly likely to start against Monaghan in May alongside Paddy Bradley, and the continually impressive Eoin Bradley. Damian Cassidy was keen to praise the returning Banagher man:

"You could see early in the game that he was really fresh. Mark needed that break. He has been playing football and hurling for all sorts of teams since he was 16. It was the best thing that has happened to the lad, you could see the hunger in his game."

Lynch's two first-half points from play were the highlights of a pedestrian opening period. Derry struggled to move the ball at pace, and failed to pressurise Donegal in coming out of defence. There were few tackles, and little intensity. Brian Roper capitalised on the early space he was afforded by kicking two points, but this was about as much as Donegal could muster.

John Joe Doherty's side were every bit as listless in the second half as Derry opened up a five point cushion that provided the platform for victory. Damian Cassidy can't have been too happy with his charges at the interval, but he was pleased with a more assured second-half performance from his side:

“The most pleasing aspect of the game was our performance in the second half. We had to step it up because the first half wasn’t as competitive as you’d want it to be. I thought we responded well. We’d a number of established players that weren’t there and we coped admirably without them."

Those established players were, most notably, Fergal Doherty, Paddy Bradley and Niall McCusker. It is great testament to Derry's NFL approach this season, that Oakleaf fans were expecting their side to beat Donegal despite the absence of these men. This would have been unimaginable in the past few seasons, but Derry have qualified for another League Final by starting with experimental lineups featuring a host of new faces.

The well-broadcasted aim of the Derry management at the start of the year was to deepen squad strength ahead of the Championship, and it is fair to say this objective has been achieved. Derry strolled to victory against Donegal without Bradley, Doherty and McCusker (and without starting Sean Martin Lockhart, Paul Cartin and Paul Murphy), and by making eight changes to the side that started the previous game against Tyrone. Cassidy reiterates the point:

"The league to me was about developing our senior panel, about being able to interchange players so we knew that if we met any difficulties during the year we'd be able to deal with that."

Yet improvements will need to be made in the aftermath of this performance. The NFL Final provides a chance to add more silverware to the trophy cabinet, but it will also result in letting us know how far this new-look Derry side have really progressed so far this season.

DERRY: B Gillis; J Keenan, K McGuckin, G O'Kane; B Og McAlary (0-1), B McGoldrick (0-1), S L McGoldrick (0-1); P Bradley, E Muldoon (0-1); E Lynn (0-1), B Mullan, J Kielt (0-3); S Bradley (0-1), E Bradley (0-2), M Lynch (0-3). Subs: S M Lockhart for Keenan (47), P Cartin for McAlary (60), C McKaigue for Lynn (63), J Diver for Muldoon (71)

NFL Not Done Yet

The following is the Derry team to face Donegal in Easter Sunday's NFL encounter at Glen: B Gillis, J Keenan, K McGuckin, G O'Kane, B Og McAlary, B McGoldrick, SL McGoldrick, Patsy Bradley, E Muldoon, E Lynn, B Mullan, J Kielt, S Bradley, E Bradley, M Lynch

It seems appropriate that Damian Cassidy should select another experimental team for Derry's final Division 1 group game against Donegal. Experimentation has been the staple diet of the Oakleafer's 2009 campaign, and so it continues.

Despite only winning one out of four games in March, Derry are still in contention to successfully defend their NFL title. A win against Donegal at Glen, coupled with a Kerry victory over Galway is the bare minimum if Derry are to progress to an NFL Final rematch with the Kingdom. However, judging by his team selection for Sunday's game, it is unlikely that Cassidy will have a radio stuck to his ears sweating on news from Tralee.

The Oakleaf team shows eight changes from the side beaten in Omagh a fortnight ago. Brian Óg McAlary featured in Derry's earlier games in the corner back position (starting against Mayo and Westmeath; coming on as substitute against Galway), and this weekend he is given a chance to display his capabilities in the half-back line.

The half-back line has been Derry's most settled division throughout the league, and McAlary will replace the hitherto ever-present Paul Cartin, as the Derry management explore further options in this sector.

Joe Keenan gets his chance to impress at corner-back (in place of Sean Martin Lockhart); it will be the Magherafelt man's first outing of the campaign. He will play in front of his clubmate Barry Gillis who returns as goalkeeper, while Kevin McGuckin comes in at full-back to replace Kevin McCloy.

Seamus Bradley started in Ballina for Derry's opening game against Mayo, and the Ballinascreen forward has had to wait until the final game to get another chance. He will feature in a full-forward line missing the injured Paddy Bradley (hamstring), but including, for the first time this season, Mark Lynch. Lynch has been injured throughout the winter, but will feature against Donegal after playing for Banagher last weekend. His return comes as a boost to a Derry forward division that has lacked a cutting edge in recent games. Eoin Bradley continues at full-forward, and he will hope to rekindle the scoring form he displayed against Dublin.

Enda Lynn returns to the half-forward line following an ankle injury that kept him out of the games against Galway and Tyrone. Lynn impressed at Parnell Park in March, helping Derry cut open the Dublin defence on countless occasions.

He will be joined in the half-forward line by Brian Mullan (replacing Paul Murphy at centre-forward). The Glenullin man has shown great adaptibility this season, fitting naturally into Derry's system of play in the wing forward position. He will assume a different role in the centre on Sunday as Damian Cassidy continues to consider his options for the Monaghan game in May.

To that end, Patsy Bradley and Enda Muldoon will get another chance to provide Derry's midfield pairing. It has been a reasonably successful partnership in the previous two games (in the absence of Fergal Doherty), with Bradley's workrate complementing the attacking wisdom of Muldoon. Another good performance from these two can help propel Derry to victory against Donegal.

The Derry fans making the Easter Sunday trip to Glen will hope that aim can be achieved. If it is, there may still be a few disappointed faces if Galway get a result in Kerry, but League Final qualification is not the main objective for this Derry team. With the opening game in the Ulster Championship a short six weeks away, the Derry management will be more concerned about how the Derry players fit into the system of play, in what might be the final game before the Celtic Park clash with Monaghan.

Like most, if not all, Oakleaf fans I wish to see Derry spar with Kerry once again for a National title. And despite needing two games to go our way, it is an entirely plausible outcome. No doubt there will be constant updates from Tralee in the Watty Graham Park stands. Damian Cassidy might not appear to be as concerned, but he knows that a Final appearance with Kerry would provide his side with excellent championship preparation. Kerry stopped Derry in their tracks at Bellaghy in March, and another clash would help answer a few questions that might still linger, just one month away from the USFC.

Donegal have been below-par in this NFL campaign, and they will be fighting for Division 1 survival at Glen. Wins over Tyrone and Westmeath have given them that fighting chance, but I expect an eager Derry to claim the points. The impending Championship will be at the forefront of the Derry players minds, but you could forgive them for allowing those same minds to think about some early-season silverware. A win at Glen would at least make this a possibility.