Allianz Football League Division Four: Waterford v Derry (tomorrow, 12.30pm, Fraher Field)
TO put the scale of Derry’s weekend trip into context, London’s journey to Ballinascreen last week was only marginally longer as the crow flies than for the Oak Leafers’ jaunt to Fraher Field.
This land of early throw-ins takes a bit of getting used to. By the time the other 11 Allianz Football League games throw-in tomorrow, Waterford and Derry will be back in the changing room with the points dispersed.
Damian McErlain’s men were never quite troubled by London last weekend and, even though it wasn’t a hugely convincing display, there’s little to deflect from the theory that they should have a fairly straightforward run into the final two games with Leitrim and Wexford.
When these two met 18 months ago in a qualifier, Derry were still a Division Two team, but one that wasn’t in a brilliant place.
Not to keep harping on, but you have to go back to the point that keeps undermining their attempts to build. Just 10 of the 21 players used that afternoon are still on the squad.
The latest spring collection have four points from four, as expected. They were lucky to get out of Corrigan Park but there was always a sense that it would be their most difficult game, certainly of the opening half of the campaign.
Losing both Enda Lynn and Shane McGuigan to knocks early last weekend didn’t help their attacking rhythm, though Emmett Bradley’s switch to full-forward offered them a physical presence that the Exiles simply struggled to deal with.
McGuigan recovered to play the full 60 minutes of St Mary’s Sigerson Cup win over Maynooth in midweek, as did Niall Toner beside him, while Lynn should also be fine for tomorrow.
There’s good news too for Brendan Rogers, who is set to make his return after a lengthy and frustrating absence. The Slaughtneil man has been tormented by a torn plantar fascia in his foot, an injury with no real set timeframe for recovery, but he’s made progress in recent weeks.
Jack Doherty, who started last weekend after having a good impact off the bench in Belfast, is carrying a knock and is doubtful, though Michael McEvoy (who was involved in UU’s Sigerson campaign which ended this week) and Conor McCluskey should be available following Magherafelt’s loss in last weekend’s Ulster U21 club championship.
Waterford are coming it with two losses behind them. They were beaten by a point in their opening game against Wicklow and then saw a decent first half undermined by a slack second as Limerick took control to win by six.
New manager Benji Whelan, who took The Nire to a Munster club final in 2014 where they ran Austin Stacks to four points, managed to convince forward Shane Aherne to return to the fold after a four-year absence.
He’s slotted in at full-forward but, as has been the way in recent years, it’s been Jason Curry doing the bulk of their scoring beside him.
Derry will have noted their struggles to deal with the physicality and directness of the Limerick attack last weekend, with their policy of playing early to Seamus O’Carroll and Patrick Begley paying dividends.
The game’s only goal was fisted home by the latter from a dropping ball and given the impact Emmett Bradley had when he moved to the edge of the square against London, they may choose the same horse for this course.
Hard to see it not being three from three for Derry.
