TOMORROW’S clash between Offaly and Derry is a repeat of the 2021 Christy Ring Cup decider, and the Oak Leaf County will be hoping for a much different result. That day in Croke Park, the Faithful County ran riot and racked up a huge 0-41 to 2-14 victory.
The rankings between the teams in 2022 told it’s own tale as Offaly competed in Division One while Derry were two divisions below in 2B, but contrasting seasons saw them end up in the same league this year.
Offaly proved to be the whipping boys of Division One Group A, losing all six of their games, including a relegation play-off against Antrim. Derry on the other hand were flying high during their league campaign and finished the season with some silverware, winning Division 2A.
Both teams made very different starts to their league campaign this season, however. Offaly shook off the attentions of Down, to win by three-points, while Derry lost out heavily to Kerry, with 14-points the difference in Celtic Park.
It’s a new-look Derry side, with a new manager in place and they are a team enduring a period of transition. Johnny McGarvey lost a number of key personnel, players that had helped earn promotion last season, so it’s a rebuilding job for the Lavey native.
Goal scorers from that 2021 Christy Ring Cup final meeting Gerard Bradly and Odhran McKeever are off the panel, as is Darragh McCloskey and Deaghlan Foley, who both featured in that game.
They can still call upon the quality and scoring capabilities of Cormac O’Doherty and James Friel, who shared 0-9 between them last weekend. The work rate of the underdogs was impressive early on against the Kingdom, although it was admittedly helped by a Kerry red card inside the first four minutes of the game.
Derry were still in contention when the half time whistle sounded, with five points the difference at the break, 0-13 to 0-8. But two second half goals from the visitors provided an uphill battle that Derry simply couldn’t mount.
The realistic goal for McGarvey’s men is to remain in the division, but they were dealt a horrible opening two rounds. A trip to Offaly offers as tough a challenge as you are likely to get in the groupings, so Derry will go in hope rather than expectation.
But it’s early days and there’s huge potential in the squad, as they demonstrated on the opening day. A performance will be the main objective for McGarvey’s men as Johnny Kelly’s Offaly team look too strong to overcome.
