Chrissy McKaigue: I still feel Derry are a contender for Sam Maguire
Former Derry captain Chrissy McKaigue says talk of them 'dropping off the edge of a cliff' in the last 12 months is misleading and inaccurate.
Derry will face Dublin on Saturday evening in a crucial All-Ireland SFC Group 4 encounter, a repeat of the 2024 National League final.
Derry won that league decider but have picked up just two wins from 16 league and championship outings since then, with one of those wins coming after a penalty shoot-out.
Under Paddy Tally in 2025, Derry have yet to win a game with two draws - both against Galway - from 10 games, costing them their Division 1 place and leaving them scrapping now for their Championship survival.
Ex-defender McKaigue, who retired last November, said the reality is that Derry are still 'a contender for Sam Maguire' though he acknowledged that it doesn't seem as likely now as it may have midway through 2024.
Speaking at the launch of the Electric Ireland All-Ireland minor championships, McKaigue noted that all of Derry's games this year have been 'played against Division 1 standard teams, or actually Division 1 teams'.
"It depends on your definition of dropping off the edge of a cliff," said McKaigue when asked if he could have imagined Derry's results plummeting as they have.
Christopher McKaigue, Derry, in action against Paul Conroy, Galway in 2007. Pic: Brian Lawless / SPORTSFILE.
"Expectation is a wonderful thing and it's often created by a world outside of the (team) bubble itself.
"We won the National League title last year, Division 1, that was no mean feat in my opinion. Now did Derry fail in terms of expectation in the Championship? Absolutely, but there has been a narrative created that Derry's senior footballers had the worst season ever.
"I can accurately remember many more poor years for Derry in the Championship than last year yet last year was sort of built up into this catastrophe of a year. It was moreso that we didn't meet expectations.
"I'm not saying that everyone follows that narrative but it's amazing that narrative was sort of depicted in so many areas and I felt Mickey Harte got a lot of scrutiny that was a wee bit over the top at times.
"To answer your question fully, 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 that the Derry squad will have the potential to be a contender for Sam Maguire in the next number of years? I do."
Slaughtneil man McKaigue said Derry deserved to have beaten Galway last time out, eventually finishing in stalemate.
"Galway found a way to come back and, looking from the outside, you're thinking, 'Right, the performance was good, Niall Loughlin is back in contention again, a few other boys are very close to coming back, Odhran Lynch, so they could really push on'.
"But the worrying thing for Derry still is that they have played seven games in the league, Donegal in the Ulster championship and two games in the round robin. That's 10 games and they still haven't won a game yet.
"They'd want to be clearing that one out fairly soon."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Irish Times
an hour ago
- Irish Times
Lowe says Sexton brings wealth of knowledge and tour experience to table
There were plenty of faces you couldn't miss as the Lions assembled for the first time, with London the venue of the initial meet-and-greet. David Nucifora was one – a penny for his thoughts on the week the IRFU scrapped the men's Sevens programme he invested so heavily in. Johnny Sexton was another. Less than a year into his coaching career he continues to hold Andy Farrell's trust to the extent he joins fellow Ireland assistants Simon Easterby, Andrew Goodman and John Fogarty on the Lions ticket. When announcing his squad earlier this month Farrell said that Sexton's role would be kicking and skills – akin to Neil Jenkins in times gone by. Yet we still haven't had much of a window into Sexton the coach, what he's like to work with. Were the IRFU right to cut the men's Sevens? Listen | 37:30 That was until James Lowe was asked about his former team-mate and, clearly based on his answer, good friend. Has Sexton the coach changed much from Sexton the player? READ MORE 'He's scary as anything still, he's so intense, man,' quipped Lowe. 'I've never met a man who's constantly so intense. It's funny cus [Manchester] United aren't doing too flash at the moment, he's United till he dies. Just sledge him about that.' On a more serious note Lowe agrees with his boss Farrell in terms of what Sexton brings to the table. 'He's a great lad with a wealth of knowledge, a few tours under his belt,' said the wing. Farrell himself has previously asked why wouldn't he lean on Sexton's experience when justifying the decision to pick someone with such little coaching experience. Thankfully Lowe went into more detail, offering a look at how Sexton operates on a day-to-day basis on the training paddock. Ireland's Johnny Sexton and James Lowe against South Africa at the World Cup in France in September 2023. Photograph: Dan Sheridan/Inpho 'When he was with Ireland he mainly worked with the 10s and the kickers,' he said. 'I would work in with him there. He's so harsh in how he tries to prepare you for a game, makes you understand the context of what's going to happen if you don't get things right. In terms of kicking, poor kicks can just feed backlines. 'Off the top of my head kicking a ball to [Blair] Kinghorn and Duhan [van der Merwe], it's not smart. You want to get that ball off, even Darcy Graham on the other side. He just puts things into context. 'I know he does a few bits goal-kicking with the 60-second timer. Sometimes he'll literally roll a ball 20, 30 metres, make the boys go and get the ball and put it on the tee. The clock's started. 'He's got an aura about him which I'm sure you've all experienced. It's not nice when he's screaming at you, you want to get on his good side.' The good-natured ribbing didn't stop there. Cue jokes about no one being surprised that Sexton couldn't stay away from the game for long, an initial part-time role with Ireland turning into a Lions gig and a full-time IRFU position within 18 months of retiring. Jamison Gibson-Park, Sexton's former halfback partner, quipped that we 'can't shake him'. As for Lowe, he also recalled the day he lined out against the Lions for the Maori All Blacks in 2017. The touring side won 32-10. 'They blew us off the park in terms of intensity, basics of the game, ferocity at the breakdown, scraps, any loose ball,' said Lowe, who recalls lining out alongside future Leinster team-mate Rieko Ioane in the Maori backfield. 'To be honest we were beaten off the park that day. It was an introduction into what it actually meant for the boys to play for the Lions. A level of intensity that was unmatched.'
Irish Examiner
2 hours ago
- Irish Examiner
McDonnell expects 'eager' Armagh to deliver despite rotation
Armagh great Stevie McDonnell expects the All-Ireland champions to make a concerted effort to try and knock last year's runners-up Galway out of the championship on Saturday. A defeat for Pádraic Joyce's side in Cavan's Kingspan Breffni Park combined with what happens in Páirc Esler in Newry between Derry and Dublin could be enough to send the Connacht winners out of the competition. Knowing manager Kieran McGeeney as he does, 2003 footballer of the year McDonnell expects Armagh to try and put their rivals on the rack despite the Ulster finalists having already qualified for the All-Ireland quarter-finals at the end of the month. 'Armagh are going to make changes, but those changes will be seamless,' says the 2002 All-Ireland winner and three-time All-Star. 'Like, Greg McCabe will probably get game time, Connaire Mackin, Blaine Hughes may come in. You saw the run on the form that he went on last year. 'Tomás McCormack has been extremely unlucky to miss out on corner-back over the last couple of games. He's had a fantastic league campaign and played really well against Antrim as well. 'These boys are going to come in with an eagerness and a hunger as well to impress before the All-Ireland quarter-final. So, if anything, it may play into our hands a wee bit. Read More Nine big questions ahead of a blockbuster Sam Maguire weekend 'Regardless of what team they put out, Armagh will be good enough and strong enough to go out and beat Galway. The strength of their squad is there for everybody to see, and I think that's the stance they should be going at.' McGeeney demonstrated last year that he picks on form and that approach will give those beginning Saturday's final All-Ireland SFC Group 4 game massive incentive to perform, McDonnell believes. 'If I had a starting 15 jersey this weekend, I'd be making it as hard as possible for the management not to pick me for the quarter-final. You saw last year the likes of Barry McCambridge and Niall Grimley coming good late in the season. Those two players were absolutely fantastic from quarter-final stage on. 'I don't think it's in the management's DNA, I don't think it's in the players' DNA to go out and underperform or taking things easy just because there's a quarter-final in a couple of weeks. They certainly won't be doing that this weekend.' McGeeney doesn't do half-measures as McDonnell realised several times when they were teammates. 'One game that sticks out in my mind was the 2003 qualifier against Dublin. First half, we were lacklustre and average at best. Second half, we came out a different animal, and a million percent Geezer and Joe [Kernan] would have fucked us out of it at half-time. Geezer will give the kick up the backside if he sees a drop-off.' McDonnell doesn't go as far as saying there is Galway blood in the water but there are doubts surrounding them. Read More Chrissy McKaigue: I still feel Derry are a contender for Sam Maguire 'It's hard to know where they are at right now. They haven't been hitting the levels they have the last few years. Are they able to cope without marquee players like Armagh did when Rian O'Neill wasn't available? 'Damien Comer came off the bench against Derry but they will probably need more from him. Shane Walsh's form has been up and down but I've no doubt he will be a handful this weekend. 'It's Galway consistency that is letting them down. For long periods of the game against Derry, they were outplayed. Then they started to play a bit of football and came back at Derry and they probably could have kicked on and won the game when they were looking dead and buried with 15 or 20 minutes left.'
Irish Independent
2 hours ago
- Irish Independent
GAA team news: O'Callaghan named on Dublin bench as McCluskey returns to Derry squad while Armagh name strong team for Galway
Con O'Callaghan has been named in the Dublin squad for Saturday's crucial All-Ireland qualifier against Derry in Naas.
