ONLY one letter of difference – and Derry boss Paddy Tally believes that any contrast between his new team and old charges Kerry is one of approach rather than ability.
The Kingdom ended Derry’s past two All-Ireland championship campaigns, both times with Tally as coach, but the Tyrone native is confident about the skill levels in the Oak Leaf panel:
“We have plenty of talented footballers up here. I don’t think the gap is as big as people maybe envisage or imagine. Good players are good players, no matter where they’re from, it’s just maybe the style of football that is different.”
Tally was set to embark on a fourth season as part of Jack O’Connor’s management team, in a new role as performance coach, before the call came from Derry, so he’s looking forward to renewing acquaintances with the Munster champions:
“I spent three years with those Kerry players and I have a lot of time for them. I know that’s the level the Derry players aspire to get to, to be as good as Kerry and be up to competing with them at the top. It’ll be a good marker for where Derry are at the moment.”
Even if star forward David Clifford sits this one out, as O’Connor said would be the case before the League started, Tally still expects Kerry to come at Derry in Celtic Park on Sunday:
“The way they focus on the game is slightly different to what we’re used to up here. The Kerry players like to play a more open type of game, much more kicking of the ball, a lot quicker transfer into the forward line when they get the chance. They also really focus on fielding, a lot of the traditional skills of the game is what they work on.
“What I have learnt from working down there is that they do approach the game slightly differently.”
While Derry lost their opener at old rivals Tyrone last Saturday evening, Kerry sat out round one, their scheduled home game against Donegal postponed due to travel problems caused by Storm Eowyn.
Tally hints that that may help Derry slightly, but knows the visitors will still be tough opponents: “They’re going to come with maybe a wee bit of uncertainty, having not played competitively under the new rules, but whatever Kerry bring will be quality, and strong.”
The team named before the postponed of the Donegal game included seven starters from the All-Ireland semi-final defeat in extra time by eventual champions Armagh: goalkeeper Shane Ryan, defenders Jason Foley, Tom O’Sullivan, and Tadhg Morley, midfielder Diarmuid O’Connor and forwards Paudie Clifford and Sean O’Shea.
The only full debutants were set to be Eddie Healy of Listowel and Cathal O Beaglaioch of An Ghaeltacht. Although Healy has operated at midfield for the Kerry U20s, it’s O Beaglaioch who was named there, with Healy at right corner-back.
The inside-forward line included the Dingle duo of brothers Dylan and Conor Geaney, either side of the recalled Donal O’Sullivan of Kilgarvan.
Derry actually had 11 of the same players lining out against Tyrone as started their flaccid All-Ireland quarter-final exit against Kerry last year, but the missing men were mostly in defence.
With Chrissy McKaigue retired, and Conor McCluskey injured, Gareth McKinless was on club duty, and appears to be set for a longer absence. Given that Padraig McGrogan also remains out injured, it’s a new-look Derry defenced that has had to try to quickly adapt to the new rules after Tally’s late appointment in mid-November.
His in-depth knowledge of Kerry should help, and the Derry forwards know each other; there was understandable ring-rust in Omagh, but the calibre of Shane McGuigan, Ethan Doherty, Paul Cassidy et al is undoubted.
Derry will need to secure more primary possession than they did against the Red Hands, but with captain Conor Glass and Anton Tohill they have the ability, even if Brendan Rogers has had to drop deeper to fill the gap at centre half-back.
The Oak Leafers’ win down in Killarney in last season’s League opener sparked their run all the way to the Division One crown. Retaining the trophy is not likely, but nor is Tally fearing the drop yet:
“We have to be wary of getting panicky or worried. All we want to do is improve our performance… It’s early to be putting any pressure on anybody, although getting a win would certainly help.”
Six points is the target for probable survival and, assuming lessons are learned from last weekend, Derry are good enough to collect two in the first of just three home matches.
Derry: TBC
Kerry (probable): S Ryan; E Healy, J Foley, T O’Sullivan; M Breen, T Morley, S O’Brien; D O’Connor, C O Beaglaioch; R Murphy, S O’Shea, P Clifford; D Geaney, D O’Sullivan, C Geaney.
Substitutes: S Coffey, K Spillane, B D O’Sullivan, C Trant, T L O’Sullivan, K Evans, C Flannery, D Lyne, E Clifford, G O’Sullivan, C O’Grady.
Referee: Martin McNally (Monaghan).
