Stone_Circles (Derry) - Posts: 78 - 12/02/2013 12:06:08    1332565

It was at the end of last season yes no dought . Now b mc ivor has STARTED to blood some youth, still some dead wood left but , i think were moving ahead with the youth. 1993 is over , doire are now a division two team, and we better realise it.. I see light at the end of the tunnell , i hope you all can wait for it to develope. brian has 5 years , so give it time and well rise again , doire abu

bonzo111 (Derry) - Posts: 190 - 12/02/2013 13:46:46    1332662

Either you too young to remember or you have selective memory. Derry have been at a much lower ebb than this. I think division 3 in the early 80s

MickeyMouse (Derry) - Posts: 174 - 12/02/2013 19:21:21    1333049

Why would anyone start such a thread. As the previous poster states 'you mst be really young'. I also remember watching Derry play in Division 3, that was low and you could complain then. Now you can't make such a statement without backing it up.

Derry has the strongest club championship in Ireland, we have suffered at county level due to wranglings between clubs, county board etc and players not making themselves available. These problems are no different to the problems that are associated with other counties, only difference being is that our problems seemed to be aired in public.

Two years ago we contested an Ulster final, people thought we would drive on from this and be competitive again unfortunately this didn't happen and with injuries to key players etc we failed to build last season. Brian has come in now, he has a panel of 40 players and included in the panel is some of the best young talent in Derry. When he took over, Brian stated he has a five year plan and on the evidence of the displays against Galway and Laois I can see what he is trying to develop. Our fitness levels are excellent for this time of year, the team is working hard for each other and you can see that we are a very good side running with the ball.

So in my opinion, Derry football is far away from what you state, we can beat anyone in Ulster on our day and I stand by that statement. We are no were near the Dublin's of this world but in time we can get there.

OakGael (Derry) - Posts: 293 - 13/02/2013 13:59:59    1333395

correct m mouse , ive been to tipp , waterford longford ect , as im sure you were , things are not as bad as the heading..

bonzo111 (Derry) - Posts: 190 - 18/02/2013 17:59:35    1335714

OakGael,

Derry could beat most Ulster teams on any given day, but I don't think we could match Donegal, Mayo, Cork or Dublin at the height of the Championship season just yet. However, that day may not be too far away.

Brian will bring Derry in the right direction, but I'm not sure if they will break through the Donegal/Tyrone tustle for Ulster anytime soon. Its one thing to beat one of them, but it's another to be able to overcome both of those teams and then go on to challenge the Mayo's, Dublins, Cork's and Kerry's in Croke Park when in counts.

Derry can push for promotion this season, and see how that goes.

GaryMc82 (Derry) - Posts: 3005 - 07/03/2013 17:07:28    1344897

I see Hogan stand have ranked them at 17 . I thought that they would be ranked inside the top 16 as they are in div 2 and have 2 wins.

derryman (Derry) - Posts: 3246 - 07/03/2013 18:59:39    1344963

Current ranking probably has something to do with how far we had sunk. Down to 25th or something last year?

However they rate these things, there is no doubt that things are moving the right direction. But before we talk about promotion, remember that Div 2 is not secured yet.

hermann (Derry) - Posts: 170 - 08/03/2013 13:25:35    1345363

Been switching back an forth from mayo an down game an seems to be some game...

DUB1 (Dublin) - Posts: 5583 - 09/03/2013 20:25:11    1346065

Having watched Derry a few times in the championship for the past two years I think they have the players but not the right focus or gameplan. John Brennan scoffed at Jim Mc Guinness and his laptop brigade before our Ulster championship final in 2011 but and I had some other Derry people agreeing with him much to my amusement. Derry have a decent set of players and just had the wrong man at the helm but I think Mc Iver will bring Derry football on to the levvel where yous will be competitive again. Give him to the end of the 2014 season and I think you will have seen a massive improvement in performances. I'd nearly hazard a guess by the end of the championship in 2014 yous will be playing Div 1 football and will have knocked out a few big names in the championships either through the front or back door. I wouldn't be as confident of turning Derry over as handy as we did last year with MC Iver in charge.

Best of luck to my fellow gaels for 2013, hope yous have a successful year (Just not at our expense)

Tir Conaill Abu (Donegal) - Posts: 1636 - 21/03/2013 13:28:11    1353401

Fair enough analysis TC Abu. In fairness to John Brennan though, most managers two years ago could be seen as dinosaurs when viewed against the McGuinness revolution.

Technology aside, the major step forward made by Jim has been to get players committed to the cause of winning games. The way that Donegal players train in gyms etc., even when not with the squad, speaks volumes. This is all the more impressive given the geographic size of the county.

Back to the topic. Derry are top of Div 2 (Div 2 status is secure, nothing more). St. Pat's Maghera are MacRory champions ... so while it's not all rosy, Derry football is definitely moving in the right direction.

The question is how far and for how long will this progress go?

hermann (Derry) - Posts: 170 - 22/03/2013 12:18:50    1354021

hermann
County: Derry

22/03/2013 12:18:50

Derry are top of Div 2 (Div 2 status is secure, nothing more).


Are Westmeath not on top and are they not the only county who have secured div 2 status to date ?.

THE_SNAPPER (Louth) - Posts: 2019 - 23/03/2013 19:26:04    1354776

The Snapper

"Are Westmeath not on top?" Yes (but last time I looked at table, Westmeath were still to play their game in hand on March 18th. Derry were top on score difference).


.... and are they not the only county who have secured div 2 status to date?" No. (at the time of my post, Derry had secured Div 2. with 7 points and a superior score difference plus the fact that teams below them would be playing each other, meaning that not everyone could leapfrog Derry and send them down with Longford).

Westmeath are undoubtedly the form team in the league. Derry's last fixture against them will be a real test and an indicator of how far we have really come.

hermann (Derry) - Posts: 170 - 24/03/2013 20:27:16    1355390

Good to dig out the win today when it looked like it might slip away with the momentum Louth had built up, obvious strong character and heart is now a feature this side is building but we need to be more ruthless when ahead particularly with down on the horizon who are a very experienced unit. Massive progress made this season in fairness and I personally didn't expect us to be in this position in Brian McIvors 1st year but after the last few seasons of let downs this is looking like football in August is a realistic ambition.

This_Year (Derry) - Posts: 105 - 24/03/2013 21:22:23    1355480

I agree with you, This_Year, Derry did very well to dig out a result today when it looked like Louth had fought themselves back into a winning position. As well as character, Derry had the courage to get on the ball and keep it when things were getting hectic. Every man showed leadership, nobody hid and they had the skill, self-belief and fitness to dominate the last ten minutes. All in all, a job very well done, congratulations to Brian and all the players.

doiregael2 (Derry) - Posts: 334 - 24/03/2013 21:46:12    1355525

Well done lads good game

Midlu1 (Louth) - Posts: 790 - 25/03/2013 09:43:34    1355608

Some of your lads should get oscars for their peformance yesterday. I have never seen diving and acting like it in all my life. Yes you deserved to win but the carry on of some of your players with off the ball incidents was unreal. after our game with Armagh last week I have realised that there is a different mentality in Ulster football

Does anyone know the reason for this?

joej (Louth) - Posts: 1562 - 25/03/2013 11:26:12    1355707

There is certainly a different mentality in Louth. It is called the bad loser mentality.

derryman (Derry) - Posts: 3246 - 25/03/2013 12:02:21    1355743

I agree, some Louth posters are bad losers. We have had enough of the "us against them"nonsense on the island. We are all GAA members. Derry and Westmeath are the best sides in the div. closely followed by Laois or Galway(my county) imo. Well done Derry.

maroondiesel (Mayo) - Posts: 1061 - 25/03/2013 12:15:52    1355763

I expect the same response west of the shannon as i get from our neighbours in the north.

joej (Louth) - Posts: 1562 - 25/03/2013 12:30:58    1355795