Chrissy McKaigue insists Derry can still reach the top despite overblown criticism
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Chrissy McKaigue knows expectations have changed with Derry but insists they can still win Sam under Paddy Tally
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Derry face Dublin in a crucial Championship clash this weekend
But their Championship hopes unravelled last year as Donegal stunned them in
They survived to dismiss
McKaigue also called it quits as Paddy Tally took the reins for this year — but they are yet to win a game under him.
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McKaigue remembers playing Division 4 football in 2019 but their revival raised the bar.
He said: 'Expectation is a wonderful thing and it's often created by a world outside the bubble itself.
'There has been a narrative created that Derry's senior footballers had the worst season ever last year.
"I can accurately remember many poorer years for Derry in the Championship but last year was sort of built up into this catastrophe of a year.
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'It was more so we didn't meet expectations. I'm not saying that everyone follows that narrative, but I felt Mickey Harte last year got a lot of scrutiny that was a wee bit over the top at times.'
Still, the 2022 All-Star believes Tally can take them all the way for the first time since 1993.
GAA fans 'loved seeing and hearing' the late Micheal O Muircheartaigh as he features in RTE documentary Hell for Leather
He added: 'I still feel that Derry are a contender for Sam Maguire.
'Maybe not this year in the same capacity as last year but do I feel this Derry squad will have the potential to be a contender for Sam Maguire in the next number of years.
'Derry have a fair bit of talent and probably a nice enough age profile in that squad too that would suggest that they're still going to be knocking there or thereabouts the next number of years.
'I feel that the underage in Derry is really strong and you'll probably be yet to see a couple of the players that I'd be really excited about.
'From a Derry perspective, that's really pleasing because for a long number of years as we know, we weren't anywhere near that level.'
l CHRISSY McKAIGUE was speaking at the 2025 Electric Ireland GAA All- Ireland Minor Championship launch
Pictured is former Electric Ireland Minor Championship star Chrissy McKaigue of Derry at the 2025 Electric Ireland GAA All-Ireland Minor Championship Launch. This summer, Electric Ireland will use their social channels to spotlight players from across the Championships, in their 'Parent Point of View' series highlighting the major impact that playing Minor can have on players and their families #ThisIsMajor.
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