1. Derry are the real deal
It was a big weekend for a few people. JB, the new President of the GAA, took as central a position in Easter as the great JC himself by cranking up the hype in his speeches over the weekend.
He pointed out that Derry had been in the same place five years previous when they were beating Leitrim in the Division 4 final. That day in his speech, Christopher McKaigue wasn’t exactly overjoyed at lifting silverware, instead insisting the focus should be on their opponents, Leitrim.
Now, they are in the big time again. They will be allergic to that kind of talk and will insist that it is not the All-Ireland series. But a county can dream and right now, Derry are in dreamland, the mind full of possibilities.
2. Where are Dublin at?
Good question. Manager Dessie Farrell had mildly rebuked all the ‘narrative that had developed externally’ about the team and said they had spoke about it.
Beating Galway by eight points, Kerry by 10 and Tyrone by 21 was always going to get some giddy, but Farrell was quick to point out how those teams were down bodies through injury or just choice.
Here, they gave up six goal chances. Three of them were claimed by Derry. Dublin goalkeeper Evan Comerford had to make a few brilliant saves. But it’s not like Dublin to be scrambling in this way.
One thing that stood to them was how quick they could answer points and the economy of their play.
A prediction? Stephen Cluxton comes back into the team straight away. Every player raises their effort. Wait and see.
3. No one-man team
Like most teams that come up through the divisions, Derry are accused of being reliant on a forward or two. For them, it is Shane McGuigan.
However, throughout the league they were averaging eight scorers a game. In the Roscommon game, there was ten. Here, nine players registered scores. McGuigan wasn’t even the leading scorer.
But he shows so much maturity in not forcing the shot, and in all the other things he adds. Robbing Killian McGinnis of the ball in the third minute was a demonstration of his growing skillset.
Even at that, you need the man with the ice-cold mentality. In rolling his two penalties to the net here, they have a top-level performer.
4. Referee trouble
This was a proper game of football, and as such, the ball was moved forward with the foot more than we are used to a lot of the time.
Because of that, it meant referee Conor Lane was having to get up and down the pitch a lot. With such a workload, it was understandable that he could make a mistake such as Conor Glass’ perfect tackle on Tom Lahiff that he gave a free for.
Or the red card for Brian Fenton horsing into Eunan Mulholland.
“It would not be in Brian’s character. I saw him pushing a player; now that could be a sending off, I don’t know,” deadpanned Dessie Farrell afterwards.
Fenton’s red will be appealed but the main thing is that Lane consulted with his linesman for that decision just as he did with his umpires for the Derry penalty at the start of the second half.
Who would want to referee a game at that pace?
5. The league finals Culture Wars
You could see an unseemly war breaking out around the drumlins of Glencull given the two opposing views around the worth of league finals.
It was Peter Canavan that suggested they might leave off such events, and make it that the team at the top of the league after seven games are the champions.
And yet, his townland neighbour Mickey Harte feels differently. The two were on either side of the sideline when Errigal Ciaran won Tyrone and Ulster in 2002 and then the same for Tyrone when they won Ulster and the All-Ireland in 2003.
Now, they would have a fair debate on the positions they have taken.
“I just think it was a great day for Gaelic games and a great day for the national league finals to stay on the calendar because what an anti-climax it would have been if won the national league last Sunday in Celtic Park compared to what had happened out there today,” said Harte.
“Is that a great case for it? And what about all the other counties playing in league finals this weekend? I think they were all delighted to be there.”
6. Eoin McEvoy – Innocence of Youth
If he hadn’t injured himself in 2022, Eoin McEvoy would have been on the Derry team as an 18-year-old winning an Ulster title.
That’s how highly rated he has been in the county and by previous manager Rory Gallagher. As it is, he is just 20 now and the veteran of many big games involving his county.
Being able to play him at full-back freed up Brendan Rogers to a midfield slot. Here he was played at centre-back and got forward to kick 2-2, boosting the figures even further of scoring Derry defenders.
With Gareth McKinless hoping to make a quick recovery from a hand injury, Derry are becoming over-subscribed with certain starters. Something’s gotta give.
