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?

Alternative Ulster

With the Ulster Senior Football Championship starting this weekend, we look ahead to a competition that may have lost some of its lustre but still holds plenty of appeal for Derry...

It used to be that thoughts of the Ulster Championship had us longing for the beginning of the summer. Feelings of optimism, hope and anticipation would come sharply into focus around about the start of May. But the overriding emotion was that of excitement. Just cast your minds back to the halcyon days of the early 90's, when Derry were preparing for do-or-die battles with the likes of Tyrone and Down in the first round. The hype was massive and tickets scarce as the excitement in the county reached fever pitch. The start of the Championship was one of the high points of the year.

But not now. Now, the start of the Ulster SFC is more likely to be met with groans of despair as opposed to shrieks of joy. Cavan versus Donegal in Breffni Park certainly doesn't whet the appetite. It was a horrible fixture last year and should be the same again in 2012. At least the TV companies have the good sense not to show it live. Fermanagh against Down and Monaghan versus Antrim won't be much fun either. They would have been interesting enough matches if the Ulster Championship still had the knockout element, but it doesn't. It's hard for the football-watching public to get excited about a match in May - three months removed from the business-end of the season - when both participants will have their Championship fate decided in another place and time. The truth is, the Ulster Championship does not sparkle like it used to, no matter how the media try to dress it up. And that's a shame, because derby matches against our nearest and dearest, with Championship survival at stake is part of what makes the GAA so special. It made the Ulster title worth winning.

Despite all that, we Derry folk cannot afford to just dismiss the Ulster Championship as a secondary competition, regardless of our recent abysmal record in it (which, by the way, has a direct correlation with the introduction of the qualifier format). We'd jump at the chance to lift the Anglo Celt Cup in July - players and supporters alike - but how can this season be the exception to the 13-year rule?

One thing we have going in our favour is that our opposition doesn't really know what kind of shape we are in, so they will struggle to prepare effectively for the challenge we throw at them. The only problem with that, is that we are none the wiser ourselves. Such was the level of injuries sustained at the start of the year and the paucity of performance throughout the NFL, John Brennan's team selection on June 16 will be a best-guess. Not ideal preparation for a Championship campaign, but we've tried virtually everything else in recent years, so what's the worst that can happen?

Another issue facing us, although it might actually turn out to be an advantage, is that we don't yet know who we will be playing. The good thing about this is that we won't have spent the past six months preparing for just one team. In 2008 and 2009 we were guilty of placing all our focus on the Donegal and Monaghan first round games. Fair enough, we won both matches, but when it came to the semi-finals we were clueless. Couldn't adapt to a different challenge in a short space of time.

Of course probability and logic suggests we will be playing Donegal come June 16th, but no guarantee. This could well be a very difficult summer for Jim McGuinness' side and it is highly unlikely that they will retain their Ulster crown. Not only do they have the preliminary round obstacle to overcome for another year, but they must deal with the potential onset of second-season syndrome. Last year the Donegal players and especially management received a high level of unwarranted abuse for not playing the game the way in which the so-called experts wanted them to. It wouldn't have been an issue had they been knocked out in the early stages, but they won Ulster and made a pretty good stab at the All-Ireland. The ultra-defensive system that yielded so much success was built on hard-work, high energy levels and ferocious concentration. When they went three and four points behind in games, the players were willing to spill every last ounce in order to take their team to victory. If they find themselves in a similar position in this year's Championship, will the same desire be there? Will they continue down the same self-sacrificial path that exudes full belief in their manager's system? Probably not. With Kevin Cassidy gone and Michael Murphy a fitness doubt, the Tír Chonaill men will struggle in Ulster, although they should get past Cavan and have enough about them to at least make the All-Ireland quarter-final stage.

All of which should be good news for Derry. If we can get our key men on the pitch by June, we should be the fresher outfit, and playing in Ballybofey won't be too much of a concern as we have plenty of recent experience there. Perhaps the biggest thing in our favour though is our first-round record in the Ulster Championship. In the last 25 years, we have reached 20 semi-finals. That's pretty formidable form. So don't be writing off our chances in the first round just yet.

And if we end up playing Cavan in Celtic Park, then so much the better. The Breffni-men may be re-energised following the arrival of Terry Hyland as manager on the back of underage success, but beating both Donegal and Derry is too tall an order for them.

Managing to get out of the first round would represent something of a success for the Oak Leafers considering the way 2012 has started, but how far we go beyond that - either in Ulster or the All-Ireland Championship - is more of a concern. Not to mention nigh on impossible to predict, as we obviously don't know yet who the potential Ulster semi-final opponents might be either. What we do know, is that it would be one of Tyrone or Armagh. All known form and conventional wisdom points to Tyrone emerging from their game with the Orchard-men in the Athletic Grounds, but it won't be easy for them. They will miss Brian Dooher, Brian McGuigan, Kevin Hughes and Philip Jordan. Seasoned championship campaigners. Whilst young talent is there, it is yet unproven, and it will be up to the old guard like Sean Cavanagh and Stephen O'Neill to navigate the Red Hands to further success. Armagh have a high-profile retiree themselves in Steven McDonnell. His absence makes Jamie Clarke look like a lonely figure in the Armagh full-forward line, but expect Paddy O'Rourke to take the nearest midfielder, slap a number 14 jersey on his back and ask his side to rain high balls on a susceptible Tyrone full-back line. It might just work, but don't hold your breath. This is the key match in the 2012 Ulster SFC. If Tyrone come through they will be massive favourites to win the title, but if Armagh win, then the competition is blown wide open.

The other side of the draw is altogether more straight-forward. Despite the absence of Benny Coulter, Marty Clarke and Dan Gordon, Down should ease their way to the Ulster Final (at 11/2 they probably represent best value to win Ulster). James McCartan's side have been playing at a high level now for a few years and are too well developed as a squad to be troubled by Fermanagh, Antrim or Monaghan (three Division 3 teams in 2013). In fact, the loss of some of their key players should help focus them and guard against complacency. If Derry were to go on a run and reach the Final, the Mourne-men certainly wouldn't be the worst opposition for us. They play an open brand of football that would test our defence, but would also allow for plenty of scoring opportunities at the other end. And at this stage, the Oak Leafers look like they have a better set of forwards.

As always however, the problem with Derry lies in actually reaching the Final. 2011 made a refreshing change, but one year on, the path to repeating that feat looks much more treacherous. How much of it we negotiate depends on the fitness of the squad and the opposition that lands before us. Form suggests that we could be underdogs in every game, but the Ulster Championship has a habit of throwing up a surprise result. Hopefully we will be on the right side of it for once.

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...

Saffrons Spice Things Up

I only managed to catch the last ten minutes of Saturday night's game in Clones, but if Cavan were playing like that for the whole of the game then they deserved to get beat. And if the first sixty minutes were as bad as the closing stages, then I'm glad I saw very little of it.

But very few people in Antrim will care about the quality of football on offer, as their 39-year wait for an Ulster Final appearance has finally come to an end. Unfortunately, I'll not be holding too much hope for Liam Bradley's side in the decider at Clones. I expect Tyrone to win comfortably enough - they have too many good players all over the pitch for Antrim to stop them. No matter how much the Saffrons huff and puff, the greater quality at the disposal of the Red Hands should shine through without too much resistance.

Antrim would be best advised to forget about who they are playing in the Final. If they get bogged down (as may have happened Derry) in trying to snuff out Tyrone, then they won't let their own strengths come to the fore. Antrim have showed passion, belief and confidence in abundance in the opening two rounds, and retreating back into their shell will do them no favours in a Final, where many people are only predicting the margin of Tyrone's victory.

And they're probably right, because let's face it... the Final could be a massacre.

Where's that handicap market?

And then there was One...

Most football commentators appear to be of the firm opinion that there is no point in playing this year's Ulster Final. In other words, when the silverware is handed out in Clones on 19th July, it'll be into the hands of Tyrone's captain. There's no doubting that in my mind also, but it figures then that tomorrow's Ulster semi-final between Antrim and Cavan is also meaningless.

So, instead of playing an Ulster semi-final tomorrow evening it should be played as some sort of "qualifier qualifier" (if you get my meaning), with the winner going into Round 4 and the loser joining Derry in Round 2. And just forget about the Ulster Final. That would save a lot of time and energy, but the winners still get their rightful reward.

Both sides will obviously point to the fact that they'll be all the better for playing in an Ulster Final, and it will be a great occasion etc. but believe me guys... it won't be great at all. It will be an awful experience.

Just for the record, I think that Cavan should have just about enough for Antrim in tomorrow's game. All round, they are a better balanced side with greater individual talent. They are also a more experienced team; with Antrim (to my knowledge) not having featured at the newly (early 1990s) renovated Clones in a Senior Championship tie. Antrim have players who have won Sigerson and Ulster Club titles, but this is a different level and I wonder how hard it will be for them to repeat their heroics from Ballybofey.

Cavan's edge in the forward line might just prove the telling difference, and with it give the Breffni-men the privilege of getting their backsides handed to them by the Red Hands in July.

More Doom and Gloom than 'Va Va Voom'

A few lengthy days have now passed since the disappointment of Sunday's performance in Casement Park. The second round of the Club championships is already underway, and this is usually as good a way as any to cast inter-county aspersions aside for one long weekend. However, Ballinderry's suspension from this year's Senior Championship has cast a huge shadow over this weekend's games, and is likely to linger for the remainder of the competition.

It has been a poor month for Derry football - both on and off the field - and at this rate, the season ain't going to get much better.

Anyway, to Casement Park then (gulp!), and Thursday is probably a safe enough distance from which to look back at Sunday's proceedings, and the many thoughts that have followed.

A quick scan at Monday's depressing bunch of papers outlined in heavy bold what we all already knew - Derry had not been good enough. And to make matters worse, most commentators all seemed to agree that Sunday's win was a mere stepping stone for the all-conquering Tyrone, as they brushed the derby challenge aside without having to barely break a sweat.

Monday's edition of The Irish News could have been mistaken for an issue of Top Gear (I assume there's a magazine to accompany this questionable TV show... Google confirms that - predictably - there is), such was the leaning towards vehicle metaphors by their writers. Kenny Archer must shoulder most of the blame for his piece that claimed Derry failed to match Tyrone's "va-va-voom". I can't disagree with much of that, but saying that Derry had been crushed "as if they were a tax-dodger’s vehicle" was perhaps a bit much!

Paddy Heaney continues the theme by saying that the Oaks had been "tanked", and that Tyrone would now "refuel before preparing to dismantle either Antrim or Cavan on July 19." He also tells us that Tyrone are looking close to being the finished article. Many Derry fans - if they weren't doing so already - will start to nod in resigned agreement, having witnessed Sunday's game.

Eamonn O'Hara chose to use the tried and trusted Shakespearean theme to tell us about Derry's "midsummer nightmare". The "toil and trouble" bit certainly rings true, but he neglected to tell us that the great bard never wrote a tragedy such as this. Any romantic tales will be put away for another day as the qualifier route looms for the Oakleafers.

Before I leave the Irish News' extensive offerings I must question Brendan Crossan's match report. He claimed the following: that "Eoin Bradley was lucky to escape with a yellow card after kicking out at Ryan McMenamin"; Barry McGuigan was also lucky to escape red after "gratefully accepting a yellow" (for his clash with Brian Dooher); and that Kevin McGuckin "pursued and lashed out at Sean Cavanagh". Three innocuous incidents in the course of the game that were highlighted and dressed-up. Tyrone were obviously blemish-free.

Time to move down to the southern press, and there's Sean Moran of The Irish Times banging on about a "driving-seat". What was in the tea in that pokey Casement press box anyway? He outlines the all-too evident differences between the sides:

"Tyrone were simply too accomplished for their struggling opponents. Their drifting, support game is so well practised that they can effortlessly enact complex strategies. This constant, meaningful movement – players picking out each other accurately and at pace and moving into space – was in contrast to Derry, who rarely managed to elude their markers when attacking and more than once the attacking runner showed little vision of which colleagues had got free and where."

Moving to The Irish Independent, and Martin Breheny's report talks about Tyrone "cruising" into the Ulster Final (hmmm... I should probably give him the benefit of the doubt!):

"Derry were far too predictable in their movement and were ultimately let down by a power failure in attack. Three of the starting six were replaced but it made no appreciable difference on a day when Derry's All-Ireland prospects took a serious knock."

A knock indeed, and one from which Derry have less than three weeks to dust themselves down, to try and stitch their season back together, piece by piece.

At least there's always someone worse off than yourself, and it is Roscommon who are holding that most dubious of honours this week. After their 20-point drubbing by Mayo at Castlebar, the Roscommon Herald likened their side's performance to that of the Kilkenny footballers...

Hopefully things won't get that bad for Derry!

The Longest Day

Unfortunately today's defeat to Tyrone doesn't require much analysis. We were beaten by a better team, plain and simple.

We have found ourselves at the juncture that has become so familiar since 2000, and Damian Cassidy will have a job on his hands to lift his players for the qualifier campaign that lies ahead. But it's hard to even consider that particular route tonight, after such a convincing loss to our closest rivals.

Today proved how good Tyrone really can be. Not only do they have a well-oiled system in place, but they have top-quality players in every sector of the field to carry it out effectively. They have a serious strength in depth also, that enables them to push on at certain stages of the game just when the opposition feel that they are getting to grips with them.

And they displayed all those qualities today, showing the country once again, that they are the complete team, and will take some stopping in their quest to win back-to-back All-Ireland titles. Today, almost every Tyrone player carried out their task to the letter. Without playing at their best, they won all the key battles, and took the chances required to win the game.

Derry weren't at the races.

Right from the start we looked lethargic. Playing without so many key players obviously didn't help, but the players on the field just couldn't get to grips with the task in hand.

Firstly, we were outplayed at midfield. It doesn't matter what type of system you are trying to impose on a game, if you don't win primary possession you are going to be in trouble. Kevin Hughes was outstanding for Tyrone in this sector, whilst Derry failed to impress on the breaking ball stakes. Joe Diver had a good game, but too often he was left isolated in the middle third. The Paul Murphy experiment at midfield didn't work. The Dungiven man seemed to play in an overly defensive role, and couldn't get into the game. His substitution midway through the first-half highlighted Derry's midfield problems. With Fergal Doherty, Enda Muldoon, Patsy Bradley and James Conway all unavailable these problems were unlikely to be overcome.

Derry found themselves three points in arrears at half-time, and most Oakleaf fans in the 24,000 crowd could be forgiven for being happy enough. In defence Gerard O'Kane and Sean Lockhart did excellent jobs in curtailing Sean Cavanagh and Stephen O'Neill respectively, but the problems were appearing elsewhere. Martin Penrose had given Kevin McGuckin a torrid opening period, while Tommy McGuigan was deadly accurate in front of the posts. We could live with a three-point deficit.

Derry's attacking machine had failed to kick into gear. In the system that we are trying to play, the wing positions are pretty much key. Enda Lynn and Eoin Brown failed to provide an attacking outlet, allowing Jordan and Harte to impose themselves in a familiar manner. Between centrefield and half-forward problems and the effective pressure Tyrone continuously applied, Derry's system failed to initiate.

It's a human trait that when people find themselves under pressure, they revert to type. Derry ran down blind alleys, played the ball backwards, and allowed Tyrone to gobble up possession. Attributes synoymous with poor Derry performances in recent years. The ball wasn't moved directly to the forwards, or to wide areas. There were no counter attacks. And failure to win primary ball exacerbated the problem.

Tyrone ruthlessly and efficiently exposed Derry's frailties, and were able to call upon Brian Dooher, Brian McGuigan and Colm McCullagh off the bench. A show of strength that highlighted Derry's problems in this very area. Seamus Bradley replaced Murphy and caused some problems in the forward line, but Caolan O'Boyle and Gavin McShane came on to make their championshiop debuts, and could not have been expected to seriously influence the game.

Derry only managed two points in an excruciating second-half performance. Dooher helped Tyrone turn the screw and suddenly they were out of sight. Eoin Bradley helped carried the fight from deep positions, while Barry McGoldrick tried to break through from defence at every opportunity. Derry could only manage to kick ball down Tyrone's throat however (as Paddy Bradley and Mark Lynch found themselves well shackled), before the Red Hands broke free at pace. By the time Kevin McGuckin saw what looked like an extremely harsh red card, the game was clearly up.

It will be a despondent Derry squad this week. Understandably so. They didn't perform. They allowed Tyrone to overrun them, and they seemed to play with a lack of belief in themselves at times. That won't do against Tyrone. Derry have players to come back in that will help the cause, but Damian Cassidy might have to reconsider things before the first qualifier game. He will understand now, if he didn't know already, that success with Derry cannot be achieved overnight.

The Oakleaf supporters will be disillusioned also this evening, as a clear gap between ourselves and Tyrone was brutally exposed at Casement Park. Anyone believing Derry could win today (including myself!) was perhaps a little too hasty in applying an optimism towards a weakened Derry side, up against Tyrone's power, pace, strength and efficiency. It should be remembered that Mickey Harte has been moulding his Tyrone masterpiece for almost seven years now; Damian Cassidy has only just got his hands on the clay.

After today's harsh lesson, the season will still continue. Derry's hand should be strengthened the next day, but the lesson might have to be learned fast.

Derry: B Gillis, K McGuckin, SM Lockhart, G O'Kane, C McKaigue, B McGuigan, SL McGoldrick, B McGoldrick (0-01, f), J Diver, E Browne, P Murphy, E Lynn, E Bradley (0-04, 1f, 1 '45'), P Bradley (0-01, f), M Lynch. Subs: S Bradley (0-01) for Murphy (22), N McCusker for SL McGoldrick (54), C O'Boyle for Lynch (55)

Derry Must Take Giant Leap

The following is the Derry team to face Tyrone in Sunday's Ulster SFC semi-final at Casement Park: B Gillis, K McGuckin, SM Lockhart, G O'Kane; C McKaigue, B McGuigan, SL McGoldrick; B McGoldrick, J Diver; E Brown, P Murphy, E Lynn; E Bradley, P Bradley, M Lynch

His hands have been tied with injuries and suspensions, but Damian Cassidy has still managed to select a reasonably bold starting fifteen for this massive game. Dropping Kevin McCloy is a big move, while Eoghan Brown's selection is a minor risk; but in the circumstances there were few other options available (perhaps Paul Young, Gavin McShane and Caolan O'Boyle were staking claims - though it would be a big jump up in level for the latter two who have yet to feature in competitive football for Derry).

We're still only at the Ulster semi-final stage, but since 2000, this has been the very point of the Summer where Derry's wheels have fallen off the wagon. Tyrone, Donegal (twice), Armagh, Monaghan and Fermanagh have all inflicted defeats that have left deep wounds.

Ironically, Derry's barren Ulster decade has coincided with the introduction of the qualifier system in 2001, and an Ulster Final has not been reached since. It could be put down to a mindset that is happy to have the safety net of the back-door, but excuses are wearing thin. The truth is, we need to win an Ulster title. Soon.

And there's no time like the present. The fact that the All-Ireland Champions Tyrone currently stand in Derry's way should be a help rather than a hindrance. Derry have failed against so-called weaker opposition in previous campaigns; a derby semi-final meeting with the Red Hands should focus the mind. It's time to take their scalp and make a serious push for an Ulster title. Derry have been beaten with the 'under-achievers' stick for too long. We must now take that extra step to become 'serious contenders'. We can do that on Sunday.

We all know winning football games isn't about mindsets however, and Derry's squad is wearing a little thin ahead of Sunday's game. Injuries and suspensions have weakened the Oakleaf hand, and the bookies would appear to concur (with 9/4 available about an Oakleaf victory), but this team must expect to win. Doherty, Muldoon, McCusker and co. will be missed, but the players coming in are capable of doing enough to achieve victory.

This is a huge test of Damian Cassidy's credentials as manager, pitting himself directly against Mickey Harte. In the absence of some key players, Cassidy's preferred system of play will be tested rigorously against a full-strength Tyrone. I believe it has the capacity to obtain the result we all crave, but Derry need to work hard from the start in every sector of the field.

The wing-half forwards must push closely on the dangerous pairing of Davy Harte and Philip Jordan. These two have been crucial performers for Mickey Harte in recent seasons. They display an ability to break onto possession in their own half before finding ample space in opposition territory to both create and take scores. Derry cannot afford to let them find their rhythm at Casement Park. It will be a baptism of championship fire for Eoghan Brown, who will have his work cut out. Conversely, Derry's wing-backs must be willing to push forward at every opportunity, creating an attacking outlet, whilst keeping Tyrone on the back-foot.

Barry McGoldrick is likely to continue his sweeping role in defence. He must keep constant tabs on the roving influence of Sean Cavanagh, and the playmaking abilities of Tommy McGuigan and Owen Mulligan. The Derry defence as a whole (which incudes the welcome return of Sean Martin Lockhart) must focus dilligently on thwarting Tyrone's attacking machine, as they seek to set up scoring opportunities for McGuigan, but more pertinently Stephen O'Neill. And this attacking machine starts with John Devine in goals. The Derry forwards must press high from the second Devine looks like seizing up one of his short kickouts.

This all makes up part of how we expect Derry to play, but the Oakleafers shouldn't concentrate too much on stopping Tyrone. We must impose our own game on them, and I'm sure Cassidy will have made his players aware of that in the past couple of weeks. This means the likes of Sean Leo McGoldrick, Chrissy McKaigue and Gerard O'Kane will support the attack, helping to create scores for the Bradleys and Lynch, while Joe Diver will be tasked with breaking through the Tyrone middle third to add an extra dynamism to Derry's offensive play. It's easy to put it into words I suppose, but a little more difficult to practice on the field of play. Especially as Tyrone will probably play a sweeper of their own (most likely in the shape of Joe McMahon), while Conor Gormley, Ryan McMenamin and Justin McMahon will be given specific man-marking duties.

Derry must not leave their full-forward line isolated, and they will want to avoid playing long hopeful balls into this area (where Tyrone will sweep up with ease). This, generally, has been removed from Derry's play under Cassidy, but was prevalent during the NFL game in Omagh, when Derry kicked susbstantial ball away during a poor first half. Players like Enda Lynn and Barry McGuigan will be tasked with getting fast accurate ball into the full-forward line, with Eoin Bradley spending time in the half-forwards to try and stretch a flexible Red Hands defence.

And this is Tyrone's strength: flexibilty and adaptability. Players for any position. This is why they are so hard to play against, and exactly why Derry must concentrate on their own game - it's impossible to second-guess Mickey Harte's side. Against Monaghan, Derry's planned system of play more or less went out the window, but Tyrone play a different brand, and as such, each Derry player muct focus solely on his task from the throw-in.

It's a big ask, but if this Oakleaf side can produce the necessary work ethic, and prevent Tyrone from finding their flow (we don't care if it ain't pretty!), then Derry have enough talent to win this game, and finally put themselves on the Ulster Final stage.

This is a massive opportunity for Derry to show the rest of the country that they are capable of greater things.

Tyrone Unchanged

Whether or not we can take Mickey Harte's team selection for Sunday at face value is another story, but the Tyrone manager has named an unchanged side for the Ulster semi-final against Derry:

J Devine, PJ Quinn, Justin McMahon, R McMenamin, D Harte, C Gormley, P Jordan, K Hughes, E McGinley, M Penrose, T McGuigan, Joe McMahon, S O'Neill, S Cavanagh, O Mulligan

The headline from this will be that Brian Dooher has to settle for a place on the substitute's bench, but you would have to imagine the Tyrone captain playing a key role at some stage in this game, especially when Harte is going about uttering this kind of stuff:

Brian Dooher is a real rock. He is simply irreplaceable — I don’t know what we are going to do when he decides to call it a day. We are very fortunate to have him as captain and I just wish he was 24 instead of 34.

Luckiest to keep his place is Martin Penrose, and this is probably the position where Dooher or even Colm McCullagh could come in.

After all, Tyrone have a fully-fit squad from which to pick, so you get the feeling we might get a surprise or two yet in their line-up.

We'll not find out until Sunday.

The Sweetest Thing

Finally, after all the talk of suspensions, appeals and injuries, the week of the Tyrone game has arrived, and we can actually look forward to a game of football (at least, that's what we've been promised).

And no better game to look forward to than one against the Red Hands. The old enemy. If there's a game you don't want to lose... this is it. Any sort of victory tends to be very, very sweet.

There have been some games against Tyrone over the years that we'd rather forget, but in the past twenty years Derry have come out on the right side of some memorable encounters.

1991: (USFC Preliminary Round) Tyrone 1-08 Derry 1-09
It's hard to believe it's been 18 years since Damian Cassidy's last minute goal beat Tyrone at Healy Park. In fact, that's just about all I can remember about that particular game. That, and Adrian Cush's goal shortly after half-time that had Derry on the back foot until Cassidy's last-gasp intervention. It was a hot May day in Omagh, and at the end of it all, Derry were still only the first round proper.

1992: (USFC Preliminary Round) Derry 1-10 Tyrone 1-07
The following year brought another preliminary clash (back in the day when the Ulster Council only bothered holding a draw every two years). It was an all-ticket affair at a scorching Celtic Park, with the game shown live on BBC (a rare thing in those days... possibly the first Ulster SFC game to be televised live).
Dermot Heaney's goal in the opening minutes proved the difference. Eamon Coleman was smiling post-game: "we proved today that we're the better team!" After beating Down in the Ulster semi-final we could almost smell Sam. Shame we forgot about the Anglo-Celt. Donegal took care of that.

1997: (USFC Semi-final) Derry 2-15 Tyrone 2-03
'95 and '96 hurt bad. Actually 1995 probably stills hurts more than most. 1997 brought us back to Clones for the third consecutive year, and Derry dominated a Tyrone side who appeared to lack the heart for another crack at an All-Ireland title. The Oakleafers cantered to a 12-point win. It's hard to know which was the funniest moment from the match: Joe Brolly blowing kisses at the Tyrone fans, or Finbar McConnell knocking Brian Mullins hat off and throwing it away!

2001: (All-Ireland Quarter-final) Derry 1-09 Tyrone 0-07
Arguably the sweetest of all Derry victories over Tyrone. It was a dour contest at Clones, and it appeared that Tyrone were beaten from the second the draw was made, as Derry could exact revenge for an Ulster semi-final defeat a few weeks earlier. Peter Canavan was red-carded and Paddy Bradley bundled the ball just about over the line to clinch victory. Tyrone became the first Ulster champions not to play in an All-Ireland semi-final as the Oakleafers took their place. Sweet indeed!

2006: (USFC First Round) Tyrone 0-05 Derry 1-08
Another sweet victory over the Red Hands. The then All-Ireland champions famously failed to score in the first-half at Healy Park as Derry took a six-point lead. Kevin Hughes saw red for a punch on Liam Hinphey, and Enda Muldoon capitalised on some good work from Paddy Bradley and Barry McGoldrick to score the game's only goal. I've heard it said and seen it written that this was an awful game to watch.

Let's be fair... it was a thing of beauty.

Casement Makes Little Appeal

We were led to believe that the choice of venue for Derry's Ulster semi-final against Tyrone was between Clones, Casement Park, Ballybofey and Breffni Park. Casement got the nod, but if the decision was left to myself, and patently it was not, Casement Park would probably have been choice number four.

Given the distance required to reach the Donegal and Cavan venues that is saying a lot!

There's probably little point in getting bogged down over the choice of venue, but Casement Park is generally an atmosphere-less ground that offers little excitement and energy. Clones, for all its faults, is a decent Championship venue. It has ampled seating, plenty of which is covered, and the town itself is a welcoming one for match-goers.

Casement Park has the so-called advantage of "getting away quickly", but this tells us more about the surrounding area - devoid of any GAA soul - than anything else.

Of course, Tyrone players and fans will have to endure Casement too, so it's a level playing field for both sides. But I feel the need to alert you - if you were not already aware - of Derry's poor record at the West Belfast venue.

Since 1993, when Derry overcame Monaghan at the Ulster semi-final stage, the only team the Oakleafers have beaten at Casement is Antrim. And even that hasn't been the formality it should be, with the width of Anthony Tohill's fingertips saving Derry from its darkest day in 2000.

One of Derry's worst recent displays came at Casement in 2003, when a rampaging Tyrone tore through the Oakleafers in a first-round replay to record a 9-point victory.

In 2007, Casement was also the scene for one of the most miserable days any Derry supporter has had to suffer. And Derry weren't even playing! A cold and wet June day rendered the first-round clash with Antrim unplayable due to a waterlogged pitch. The announcement came about twenty minutes before the match was due to throw-in, and any Oakleaf fans unfortunate enough to be there had already endured an insufferable Ulster Hurling Final between Antrim and Down.

Barely three weeks later, and we were back again for another fun-filled Sunday afternoon in Andersonstown. Derry started as favourites against Monaghan in the Ulster semi-final. Enough said.

Derry's 10 year Championship record at Casement Park:

1999: Derry 2-15 Cavan 2-15
2000: Antrim 2-08 Derry 0-14
2000: Antrim 2-05 Derry 1-17 (replay)
2001: Antrim 0-07 Derry 0-10
2002: Antrim 0-06 Derry 0-16
2002: Tyrone 1-17 Derry 1-12
2003: Tyrone 0-17 Derry 1-05 (replay)
2005: Armagh 1-11 Derry 0-10
2007: Antrim 0-10 Derry 1-13
2007: Monaghan 0-14 Derry 1-09

Perhaps this poor record is where the root of my antipathy for Casement Park really lies. I will probably have slightly more time for the venue if Derry manage to beat Tyrone there next Sunday.

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.

The Fallout Continues

It seems that the world and his wife have voiced their opinion about Sunday's match at Celtic Park. Most of you will be sick of reading and hearing about, but your friendly blogger has nonetheless attempted to sift through the garbage.

We have been subjected to pontification, hypocrisy and absolute stupidity from some quarters as journalists and high-profile GAA figures try to get their heads around how things could possibly have come to this:

Christy Cooney
"The very good people at the CCCC will do a very good job in dealing with this."

Colm Keys (Irish Independent)
"The dark arts of intimidation, cynicism and general lawlessness were everywhere to be seen."

Martin McHugh
"Cynical and nasty. It had everything that was bad about Gaelic Football."

Martin Breheny (Irish Independent)
"Has there been an apology from either county for bringing the GAA into disrepute?"

Paul Curran
"It was one of the worst games I have watched in many years, that's if you want to call it a game."

Thankfully, some balance has been maintained with a few analysts deciding to employ a sense of logic and reason in the midst of ongoing hysteria:

Paddy Heaney
"Sunday’s game was simply played by the unwritten rules of Gaelic football. There were sinners on both sides. Big deal."

Kevin Madden
"It wasn’t pretty. But it was never going to be, nor was it meant to be."

Owen Mulligan
"The reaction was a bit over the top. You will do anything to win."

Rory Gallagher
"Derry will move on happy that they did what had to be done to win the game."

And finally, the irreverent Frank McNally deserves a mention for his Irish Times column in which he suggests that "what we were witnessing was a 40th anniversary re-enactment of the Battle of the Bogside".

He's talking more sense than most!

Puke Pundits

Opinion was fairly unanimous in TV-land during the post-game analysis of Derry v Monaghan at Celtic Park. The members of the respective panels on RTÉ and BBC were fairly sure they had just watched an awful game of football between two sides more interested in fighting than playing the ball.

Paddy Heaney does an excellent job in today's Irish News of questioning what these so-called analysts expected from Sunday's game, and how the physicality shown is something that has been entrenched in our games since Mrs Hayes doors were first darkened all those years ago.

Why were Jarlath Burns, Pat Spillane and co. so surprised?

This was always going to be a horrible game, not a fantastic, open contest between two footballing sides. If this was the level of expectation held by these 'pundits', then they haven't got the footballing knowledge to be commenting on the television.

Burns' reacion was a particular mystery. Before the match he had said that the game would be "physical and attritional", so why his jaw sat on the floor in shock at the niggly game he had just witnessed is beyond me.

Aside from the OTT high-moral response from all quarters, it appears that the general level of punditry on the TV is poorer than ever.

It is littered with cliches and lazy, generalistic analysis that offers very little insight into how two teams lined out in order to ultimately win or lose a game.

Two years ago, after the debacle against Monaghan at Casement Park, Martin McHugh labelled Derry a "disgrace", chiefly because of their insipid performance and their inability to utilise the talents of Paddy Bradley. On Sunday, he complained that Derry were "too reliant on the Bradleys".

Sometimes you can't win with these guys! Yes, the Bradleys hit 1-5 between them against Monaghan, but in the last ten minutes, Derry's four unanswered points came from James Kielt (two), Joe Diver and Paddy Bradley. This hardly shows an over-reliance on the Glenullin man. Analysis at its very laziest.

Meanwhile, over on RTÉ, Pat Spillane merely repeated what McHugh said about the Bradleys. That was all he could offer regarding Derry's chances for the remainder of the campaign. He also said Derry "lacked variety" in their play, while Colm O'Rourke opined that overall Derry were a "limited" team.

Perhaps these opinions will be borne out (let's hope not), and at times on Sunday Derry did look limited. But they were limited by an energetic, defensive Monaghan side in an extremely tense and ugly environment. Yet they pulled away for victory. Under the circumstances surely this showed variety enough.

The game will bear little significance to how Derry play during the rest of the summer, and should be treated as such.

It's poor stuff from these analysts who wheel out the same rhetoric depending on whether Derry have won or lost a game. They only supply us with routine, generic drivel that barely comes close to the realm of opinion, and offers little match-insightment for the viewer.

As Paddy Heaney touches on today, Joe Brolly is the only one who seemed to understand what was happening during Sunday's game (sad state of affairs indeed!).The rest are blinded by expecting classics every week.

To Spillane, McHugh, Burns et al: let's get the heads out of the sand lads and start talking sense like you are paid to do.

Or maybe that's just wishful thinking.