The Oakleafers’ new focus

DERRY are still searching for their first win of 2025 but Sunday’s relegation leaves this weekend’s final league game with All-Ireland champions Armagh irrelevant.

After two seasons in the top flight, the Oakleafers’ must plan to bounce back in 2026 but their eyes are now on the championship.

“That’ll be our target now,” manager Paddy Tally of next month’s clash with Ulster champions Donegal.

“We only have three weeks to get ready for that, so the Armagh game holds no significance to us really.

“We’re gone but we have to use the opportunity for players to show what they can do.

“Obviously, we’ll be giving players runs out against Armagh. Our focus will be getting ready for that for the championship game.”

Derry were back-to-back Ulster champions but were undone by Donegal at Celtic Park last season as Jim McGuinness steered his side to Ulster glory.

While it was Mayo who hammered the final nail into Derry’s league season, there were other days when key moments went against them.

Derry were league champions last season but they’ve been unable to bring the same level of consistency. There is also the caveat of having several key players missing.

“We’re playing in fits and starts,” Tally said of their campaign, hinting of grabbing defeat from the jaws of victory against both Kerry and Donegal.

“Maybe that comes from every week, where we seem to be changing our team,” Tally said.

“We seem to lose players and we’re bringing other players in and maybe losing important ones then in the games.”

Brendan Rogers and Lachlan Murray were missing last weekend with injury while Ciaran McFaul and Conor McCluskey.

There is also the additional concern of goalkeeper Odhrán Lynch limping out of their Mayo defeat.

Tally had Kilrea trio Kevin Quinn, PJ McAleese and Paddy Quigg as part of their group last weekend after drawing up a development squad.

He feels the Derry players can lift them for the upcoming championship with the hope more of their key men will be back in contention for a start.

“Championship is the championship,” he said. “By the time the Donegal game comes around, we’ll be ready for it.

“It’s going to be a massive challenge going up there. We’d like to think we’d have a stronger panel for that day and get a few more players back in that aren’t playing. That’s our job.

“At this point, we can reflect. The league is more or less finished now. We can reflect and see what can we take out of it, the positives and the things we can learn and improve on.

“These players have been around the block long enough to know that. They’re smart.

“They’re intelligent players. We’ll put a good bit of work in for the next couple of weeks anyway.”

Check you this week’s Gaelic Lives preview show with former Monaghan star Paul Finlay looking ahead to the weekend of action. Brought to you in association with the Everglades Hotel