Derry are no different to 'the great percentage' of teams that are introducing a more defensive approach to their game plan according to Brian McIver.

Last Saturday night's dour encounter against Dublin in Croke Park has sent the alarm bells ringing regarding the future direction of gaelic football and, speaking to The Examiner last night, McIver said: "The great percentage of sides are playing like this.

"Kerry in last year's All-Ireland final set up exactly like Donegal last year, mirrored them in the way they played and beat them at it.

"We tried to run through Donegal last year and were criticised for trying to do so. Monaghan decided to drive the ball in and were criticised for doing that."

He added: "We saw how Tyrone had stifled Dublin in their league game and we talked to the players about doing that.

"We didn't just go out to park a bus but the way Dublin set themselves up it left it like a game of chess.

"We wanted to play an offensive game, keeping possession and looking for somebody coming off the shoulder to break the line, but it didn't happen.

"If we had gone to Dublin last weekend and there was another 3-20 scored against us we would have been told we were naive and learned nothing.

"It's a catch-22 situation. I want good, open football and if there is something to be done to keep attacking options open then believe me I'd have no objections but I'm not sure there are many choices."

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