In Derry, the once invigorating breath of spring has transitioned into an oppressive, heavy summer. The deflated condition that developed around four weeks ago does not seem to be improving anytime quickly. Starting afresh in the All-Ireland series is a necessity for all teams, but it is uniquely critical for Mickey Harte’s squad to find its footing quickly.
The loss to Donegal a month ago was not a mere defeat, it was an embarrassment for Derry. Despite having a number of older players who were present during their drop to Division Four, humiliation is a sensation largely alien to the majority of the Derry team. It is uncharted territory for them and they have no precedent on how to handle it.
The upcoming match in Salthill presents a novel scenario. It is necessary to turn back the clock six years to find the last instance when Derry suffered consecutive losses. Their loss to Donegal in the Ulster Championship in May 2018, 2-16 to 0-16, was followed by a 2-22 to 2-14 loss at home to Kildare in the qualifiers three weeks later.
They have since competed in 62 league and championship matches without enduring successive defeats. To understand how unusual this is, comparing to the records of all other Sam Maguire teams is helpful. Dublin, Mayo, Galway, Tyrone, Monaghan, and Roscommon all experienced successive losses in this year’s league alone. Kerry had lost last year’s All-Ireland final and the first match of the 2024 league, coincidentally against Derry.
Further analysis of the scores clarifies that the second longest streak without facing consecutive defeats is that of Armagh. The last time they experienced it was against Galway and Tyrone at the conclusion of the 2023 league, 19 matches ago.
Through the ups and downs of four different divisions, varying championship structures, and leadership under three different managers, Derry stands out with a unique ability that no other team has demonstrated; they have always been able to bounce back after a loss with a strong performance and victorious result in their subsequent game.
Throughout the span of six seasons, the team and line-up have undergone complete transformation. Only four members from the Derry squad that competed against Donegal are still present from the double losses in 2018. Aside from Chrissy McKaigue, Brendan Rodgers, Shane McGuigan, and Emmet Bradley, none of the current senior intercounty players have experienced such a situation.
The crucial question arises – does this matter? Undoubtedly, it might carry weight outside the team. Even though an early departure from the Ulster games might not dampen their wider All-Ireland aspirations, however, if another crushing defeat follows, it could dash their hopes entirely. The bountiful support they received during the league could possibly evaporate.
The significant query within the Derry team now revolves around their plans for the future. They’ve had a month to transform their game, given the assumption that transformation is their objective. If not, which may be the more plausible scenario, they’ve had the same time to assure that the Donegal defeat is not repeated.
Unquestionably, the role of Odhran Lynch, their goalkeeper, will be under close scrutiny from the first whistle in Salthill. The key questions are where Derry will place him during Galway’s kick-outs, and how much they will let him participate in open play.
Despite the disastrous defeat to Donegal, Lynch would be cognizant of their last championship encounter with Galway – the 2022 All-Ireland semi-final – when Damien Comer managed to score into an unguarded goal after Lynch was mispositioned.
Whether intentional or not, Derry appears to be signalling an impending shift. At the All-Ireland series inauguration last week, defender Pádraig McGrogan not only defended Lynch, as expected, but also hinted at a change of mindset for the forthcoming All-Ireland series.
“There’s nowhere for the unfortunate goalie to run, is there?” McGrogan queried. “He’s the focus of considerable scrutiny. Indeed, we have spent a significant portion of the year honing this skill and it proved advantageous in several matches. However, Donegal successfully exploited it, and it’s uncertain how much blame rests on Lynchy.
“It’s true that he was not in position, but, examining some of the goals, they would have inevitably resulted even if he was in his correct position. They frequently bypassed our defence, outsmarting five to six players each time.
“This is a lesson we must take on board. We need to shed our naivety. From early on, it was evident that our strategy was failing, yet we failed to adjust.”
What changes can we anticipate now? A brief perusal of the career trajectories of Mickey Harte and Gavin Devlin might provide some insights. With both Tyrone and Louth, their impulse has always been to coach their squads with a defensive bias. Interestingly though, there have been instances when an overly offensive approach has backfired, causing them to reassess their strategies.
Two exemplars are especially relevant. After being outplayed by Dublin in the 2018 All-Ireland final, Tyrone adopted a generally more offensive strategy in 2019. A respectable league performance led them to a third-place finish in Division One. They began the Ulster in top form, scoring 1-19 against Derry and 2-23 against Antrim. Later on, they came face to face with a stubborn Donegal team that put up a staunch defence, bringing their winning streak to a halt.
Fast forward to four years later, when Harte and Devlin’s team, Louth, faced Dublin in the 2023 Leinster final, they came in with an aggressive strategy. They advanced on kick-outs and refused to take a more defensive position as other teams typically would – a tactic Louth would eventually adopt in 2024. Unfortunately, this audacious move led to a resounding defeat.”
The fascinating aspect of both matches was the subsequent aftermath. In 2019, Tyrone faced Longford in the trials with Tyrone being the clear favourites. The eventual outcome was never questionable. However, they soon reorganised all their 15 players to their own 45 right after the match commenced. A swift and unrelenting default to defensive tactics took place, taking them to the All-Ireland semi-finals.
Louth last year adopted this similar defensive strategy after being reproached for their aggressive attacks. When they entered the All-Ireland series, they made every effort to draw more preferred teams into wrestling matches driven from their wrestling lesson from the Leinster final – defending as a group. The ultimate result didn’t turn out as planned but the performances were decent despite the unwanted outcomes.
“Wouldn’t agree with the opinion implying defensive play in a low block represents negative football,” said Devlin. “Reflect on this, you’re basically handing over your half of the pitch to the counterpart. If you decide to go down this route, you need to know what you’re doing. Playing the game in your own half carries significant risk. Turning over the ball requires immediate aggression.
“Consider Derry’s attack strategy and the manner in which they position men ahead of the ball. It cannot be termed as negative football. However, the trick lies in commencing in a low block and promptly moving out as a team. There’s no simplicity or linearity in playing in such a manner.
“We need to be strategically shrewd. We’re not oblivious of the consequences. Persisting with defense throughout the match and expecting to win is not feasible. The essence lies in attempting to win. There’s simply no room for defensive play on your own kickoff, for instance. The game needs to be won.”
The predicament is, an All-Ireland victory is too enticing to ignore. No one is more aware than the Derry panel that July at Croke Park is the reckoning place for overly defensive football. They sent shivers down Kerry’s spine the previous year by taking a u-turn and aggressively adopting a fearless attacking approach, which had previously landed them in hot water against Donegal.
To secure an All-Ireland win, it seems inevitable that they must polish and perfect their game strategy. However, if they are to take heed of the lessons from Celtic Park just a month prior, the inclination to restrain their tactics for a match or two to stabilise their position might be undeniable.
Should they switch to a different strategy altogether? Or should they simply return with a revamped, more potent version of their original plan?
This indeed, is the quandary.