DERRY’S BRENDAN ROGERS says avenging their loss to Dublin in last year’s Division 2 final is not a motivation for his side ahead of their reunion with Dessie Farrell’s side in this year’s Division 1 showpiece.
Dublin were comprehensive winners of the second tier honours last year as they hit four second-half goals to leave Derry crestfallen in Croke Park. The seven-point defeat didn’t derail Derry’s season however, as they recovered to retain their Ulster championship title and reach the All-Ireland semi-finals for a second year in-a-row.
The climb up to the top division hasn’t compromised their momentum either as they prepare for another battle against Dublin with a league crown on the line. Rogers admits that last year’s performance “wasn’t the best reflection of who we are,” and notes the team’s disappointment with “silly mistakes” which contributed to Dublin’s goal fest.
But he has faith in the growth of the team, and the Mickey Harte regime. Their shortcomings in 2023 don’t represent the Derry of today.
“It certainly wouldn’t be our motivating factor,” says Rogers. “Our focus last year was about proving that we could do Ulster championships back-to-back. We had just wanted promotion to Division 1: those were our two key milestones.
“We were happy to play in a Division 2 final but I wouldn’t look too much into those. I think representing ourselves and conducting ourselves in a Division 1 final is our main focus. It is Dublin and it is Croke Park, but I think we have enough internal motivating factors to go and win that game without it being a personal thing.
“I think we’ve grown a fair bit since then. I’d be quite comfortable with saying that we’re probably in a good place to push on for these things and have a different approach at it.”
Rogers is one of the survivors of Derry’s less fruitful days in Division 4, and remembers winning that league in 2019 to mark the first step of their ascent to this point. There are members of the current squad who have no memory of that era, and Rogers makes a dedicated effort to ensure they don’t lose sight of how easily a team can regress.
“This is the possibility when you let things slip. It’s always good to reflect back and think that’s where you were. It keeps you grounded and lets you know that you can always go back there just as quick.”
Rogers points to the influence of Harte and his assistant Gavin Devlin in the sustained growth of the Derry team. He’s particularly impressed with the level of detail they pour into their training sessions, particularly in their attacking play.
Their opponents this weekend are a familiar sight for their new manager too. During his time with as manager of both Tyrone and Louth, Harte engaged with Dublin in several high-stakes games. He’s been on the receiving end of some beatings in those meetings, but crucially, he knows how to beat them too.
“Mickey is just a winner,” says Rogers. “You can tell that from the way he speaks and the way he conducts himself. You feed off his energy.
“When you have that experience, you know how to deal with battles. They can prepare you in a certain way that lets you understand all the scenarios.”
Derry senior footballer, Brendan Rogers has teamed up with Allianz today to look ahead to the upcoming Allianz Football League Division 1 Final this weekend.
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