The unravelment of Derry’s situation has occurred in a mere two months, with a shocking setback established by nine goals. As the mediocre football tournament unfolds, one of the most unlikely narratives arises – the increasing pressure faced by Mickey Harte and Derry, barely two months after clinching the league title. Even a magician like Keith Barry might have declined to concoct such a story.
The championship structure, unhurried and forgiving with its chance of survival for a team even after three losses, provides a buffer against a complete crumble of Derry’s season. But for the moment, their yearly performance lingers perilously on the verge, only supported by sheer remnants.
Disappointed Derry fans began their crestfallen departure from Celtic Park on Sunday, way before the culminating whistle cemented their team’s third consecutive defeat post the league triumph over Dublin at Croke Park on March 31st.
Derry’s season balances precariously after continuous losses since the victory over Dublin. In their triad of championship matches, they’ve let go of nine goals – four against Donegal, two against Galway, and three versus Armagh, with Derry still in pursuit of their first ‘green flag’. They are struggling.
Mickey Harte, visibly dejected, found himself bereft of explanations to Derry’s performance. “I am at a loss of words,” he muttered helplessly, “I fail to comprehend the sudden degradation of our team’s performance. But we have to sift through the wreckage, gather ourselves and improve for the forthcoming game, there’s no embellishing the situation, we’re in dire straits and we have to brace ourselves and work on rectifying it.”
Up to the triumph in the league championship, Derry had established a strong claim to be contenders alongside Dublin and Kerry for the Sam Maguire cup. It was widely believed that the All-Ireland champ would surface from this trio.
While both Kerry and Dublin are on track for a spot in the All-Ireland quarter final, Derry’s chances hang in the balance. They must secure a win against Westmeath in a fortnight to stay in contention. Reflecting on their performance, Harte stated, “Our boy’s difference in performance level from the game on 31st March to the subsequent ones are difficult to understand. The reason could be mental stress, post-victory fatigue from the league win or even injuries.” The result of their season now hinges on their match against Westmeath.
Armagh’s back-to-back wins after their defeat in the Ulster final have revitalised their season. As they prepare to play Galway in the last round-robin game, they are battling for the top position in Group One. Dublin and Mayo, after their triumphs over Cavan and Roscommon, will go head-to-head in a critical Group Two showdown in two weeks. Meanwhile, Roscommon and Cavan will battle for third place in the group.
In Group Three, things are less certain following Cork’s victory that concluded the last unbeaten streak of the season, defeating Donegal at Páirc Uí Rinn on Saturday. With Tyrone’s victory over Clare, the final positions will be decided in the closing round of games. Donegal will take on Clare, while Tyrone clashes with Cork.
Jim McGuinness conceded this was the team’s initial difficulty, and plans to reassess the performance, noting both positive aspects and areas to be enhanced. Following their victory against Meath, Kerry, who scored four points, are leading Group Four. Louth, the runners-up with three points, managed a tie with Monaghan, who earned one point. The final round of games sees Kerry taking on Louth, while Monaghan faces Meath.
The draw for the initial quarter-finals of the Tailteann Cup happened on Sunday evening, revealing matchups between Leitrim and Wicklow, Laois and New York, Limerick and Tipperary, and Antrim and London.
Kildare, Sligo, Fermanagh, and Down have succeeded in reaching the proper Tailteann Cup quarter-finals by dominating their respective groups.
On a different note, Niall Carew, after a five-year tenure ended his responsibilities as the manager of Carlow, marking the inaugural managerial exit of the summer season.
With intensified focus on Harte’s position as the Derry manager, the question arises whether the existing system, which allows a team to suffer three losses and yet remain in the championship, undermines the competition. Harte confessed that it might be something the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) could revise down the line.
Commenting on potential adjustments to the structure, he remarked that he might support such a move if weren’t the subject, and expressed his desire at being part of such a wave. Nonetheless, Derry seems to be swiftly exhausting their opportunities to feature significantly in the 2024 championship.