Derry step onto the All-Ireland trail once again

All-Ireland SFC quarter-final
Derry v Cork
Today, Croke Park, 1.45pm
Referee: Joe McQuillan (Cavan)

By the time Joe McQuillan throws in the ball today, Derry will be one of the last six teams left in the race to get their hands on the Sam Maguire Cup.

It’s a first meeting of Derry and Cork since the 1993 All-Ireland final, a September Sunday that saw the coveted silver booked in for a first winter in the Oakleaf County.

Some of the chatter among the Derry fans this week pointed to it being the best offering available from Monday’s draw. The fact Cork couldn’t get out of Division Two, you can see this line of thinking. But it’s misleading.

Football isn’t about that. It’s about form lines. The here and now. While, they were outdone by Clare in Munster, Cork’s All-Ireland path is an ever elevating one.

They asked plenty of Kerry. There was the dismantling of a Mayo team in the conversation for the title.

When Roscommon turned up the heat in the closing stages last weekend, it was Cork who stood tallest.

Brian Hurley’s hamstring problems leave him 50-50, but Rebels manager John Cleary was able to call on Steven Sherlock in his absence against the Rossies. Add in Chris Óg Jones and Eoghan McSweeney and soon there are scoring options aplenty.

Wing back Luke Fahy is also on the doubtful list this week, but in Sean Powter and Rory Maguire they have players to punch holes in Derry if they sit deep and invite the Rebels to try their luck.

Both teams’ scoring averages are close. They drew in the league meeting earlier this year, albeit the Oakleafers had zero to play for and rested six players against a lineout that included 11 names who played against Roscommon last weekend.

Aside from Leitrim, Cork were the second top scorers in the league and there is a bit of hope growing that they are on the rise back to the top.

Derry are no slouches either. Gone are the lowly days of Divisions Three and Four. The underage promise has delivered. Rory Gallagher, and now Ciaran Meenagh, assembled a settled team with a backbone to match.

Rogers. Glass. McKaigue. McGuigan. All leaders. Paudi McGrogan, captain of the 2017 minor team is now a player Derry always take to battle.

Derry’s issue is panel depth. Thomas Mallon, called in for cover with injury to goalkeeper Ryan Scullion, takes the number of players getting on the bus this weekend to 30.

Matthew Downey is a long-term injury. Oisin McWilliams, one of the impact men earlier in the season, is out for the rest of the campaign with the recurrence of a shin injury.

The good news is that Chrissy McKaigue, rested against Clare, it good to go this weekend after a knock picked up against Donegal.

Derry have been consistent without shooting the lights out, but they’ve had two weeks since their last outing – often seen as the optimum break between games – to rev up again.

Shane McGuigan is in All-Star form. And while he is their leading scoring light, Derry’s system lends itself to engineering scores from elsewhere.

When they were at their hottest against Monaghan in Ulster, they had 10 different scorers contributing to the overall jigsaw. That’s what you get with optimum level Derry.

There is a midfield duo with a bit of everything. Rogers punches holes on the way forward with a mindset to cover back. Conor Glass will be found anywhere a fire needs put out. Back making a block. Hoovering up a ball in the defensive pocket.

For all Derry have going for them, there has to be an inner desire to deliver in the big house. Their last three wins at Croke Park were against Leitrim, Offaly and Clare.

After controlling Galway last year in the semi-finals, the wheels came off when the Connacht side pulled three ahead and it was impossible to find a way back in.

It was a similar scenario in the league final against Dublin earlier this season. Their first half was as good as you’d wish for, but the Oaks didn’t score enough and a first Dubs’ goal started the battering of Derry’s defence.

Where Derry are at in the All-Ireland race will be defined by the scoreboard. When Joe McQuillan sounds his final whistle, they’ll be in our out.

Where does their performance level lie? That’s today’s million-dollar question. Playing football in Croke Park is different. Yes, it’s another pitch with two sets of posts, but it’s just different.

Derry are favourites with odds in the bookies that disrespect Cork’s wins over Mayo and Roscommon.

This is where the real overall progress is measured. Even the Ulster final is a distant memory. Today is where Derry need to lay down another marker.