Oakleafers’ learning is key ahead of Galway visit

By Michael McMullan

IF Derry can polish up on their showing against Kerry, they give themselves a chance of getting the right result against Galway on Saturday.

That’s the take of manager Paddy Tally who also pointed to the importance of the learnings from the defeat to Tyrone.

While admitting Tyrone were deserving winners, there was a spell in the second half when an improved level of composure could’ve opened the door for Derry.

“We had no real complaints because I don’t think we played well enough to win the game,” Tally told Gaelic Life.

“I thought the Kerry game was one we should have won.

“We did play well enough to win it, but we made some mistakes that were punished.”

The lessons from losing to Tyrone were vital.

It pointed to the importance of using a goalkeeper as an overlapping player in the other half.

Other areas flagged up were the importance of breaking ball under the new rules and a greater cohesion in attack.

That’s why the Kerry defeat stung. Derry got so much right.

Then there was the momentum swing of getting pinged for having just two men in defence when Dylan Geaney had broken the halfway line seconds earlier. A Sean O’Shea two-pointer and a four-point swing.

Then came the hammer blow – the concession of three late goals when a five-point lead looked to be pointing to a deserving Derry win.

Tally is patient over the errors. Players have to learn.

A debut in Division One is unforgiving. An excellent barometer but unforgiving.

“We definitely were better attack-wise,” Tally said of the Kerry performance.

“We created a lot more chances and we probably could have scored more.

“These games, at the minute, are really all about learning and hopefully we can take the learnings of the first two into this game against Galway.”

When Galway won the 2018 Connacht title, Tally’s fingerprints were all over it as part of Kevin Walsh’s backroom team.

Many of the faces will step off the Tribesmen’s bus in Derry on Saturday evening. Tally knows how they tick.

“Paul Conroy and Shane Walsh have been shooting out the lights on the two-pointers,” he said of Galway, who’ve landed 10 two-pointers in two games. Level with Down and one ahead of Cavan.

“They have been doing that from scores before the two-pointer rule came in, so it suits them,” he said of Conroy and Walsh.

“If you look at the Galway team, they’ve been together a long time.

“I worked with Galway in 2018 and 10 of the players are left and the players are still together since then.

“If you take Sean Kelly, Paul Conroy, Cillian McDaid, Shane Walsh, Rob Finnerty and John Daly, they’ve been around.

“They understand the game really well. Plus, they’ve been to the last two of the last three of three All-Irelands.”

Tally speaks of their experience and how they can count themselves unlucky not to have taken Sam west.

“They’ve filtered in a few new players too that are complementing what they have,” he added.

“Galway are coming on the back to two wins and I expect Galway to come with a spring in their step.”

“This is the most competitive Division One I’ve ever seen, it’s always going to be a big challenge for anybody,” Tally continued.

“We’re in that position now that we have to find points. If we look at the Kerry game and improvement from the Tyrone game.

“If we can solidify that (Kerry) performance and maybe cut out some of the errors, it gives us a chance against Galway.”