Challenging weekend awaits struggling Derry

Ulster SFC Preliminary Round  |  Donegal v Derry  |  Sunday, Ballybofey, 2pm  |  Referee: Brendan Cawley (Kildare)

Derry enter the lion’s den on Sunday as they step into championship action against reigning champions Donegal.

Jim McGuinness’ side are almost impossible to beat in Ballybofey and have been on an upward curve since his return as manager.

It has been a disappointing season for Derry with an injury crisis and relegation mixed into their championship preparations.

The highs of Ulster final days from 2022 and 2023 are in the past.

The Derry story has turned full circle in the last 12 months.

With Mickey Harte at the helm, the Oakleaf County were looking like All-Ireland contenders after their league success.

Since then, Harte has stepped down and stepped on board the Offaly train on the way to last weekend’s Division Three title.

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It’s impossible to think of Derry’s date with Donegal and not think of last year’s championship clash in Celtic Park.

Derry were favourites but Donegal were preparing in the long grass for the ambush of ambushes.

When Derry pressed up, Shaun Patton launched his kick-out’s long and Dáire Ó Baoill was ruthless in his finishing.

It was the same when Armagh came to Derry in the All-Ireland group game. A mauling.

A look at the Division One league table makes stark reading for Derry fans. One point and bottom.

It tells a story of inconsistency and a failure to close out games.

There were spells – like their defeat against Dublin in Croke Park – where they were totally outplayed.

There were plus points. They played some excellent football against Kerry before being hit for three late goals.

They dominated their game against Donegal before being reeled in my Michael Murphy’s impact and Shane O’Donnell’s goal.

There were spells in the Mayo game when Derry looked like pushing on.

When they found themselves in deep trouble against Galway, they dig deep and should’ve got a win out of it. Even right at the end, after Galway’s comeback, Ethan Doherty late chance for a winning ooints was blocked by John Daly’s hand.

That’s been Derry’s season. Bits and pieces. But that doesn’t cut it.

In a normal year, there were enough to knit together for a championship push.

Derry head back to Donegal for the second time in just over a month.

This is no ordinary year. Chrisopher McKaigue ahs retired. Gareth McKinless is out for the season with a knee injury.

Conor McCloskey is the same. That’s three All-Star defenders.

Another, Brendan Rogers, is a doubt after a ankle injurty sustained in their defeat to Donegal in Ballyshannon.

Goalkeeper Odhran Lynch is out and Padraig McGrogan is only coming back into a run of games after his own injury problems.

Ciaran McFaul has missed most of the league and Anton Tohill has been ruled out with a broken hand from the defeat to Armagh.

In attack, Lachlan Murray has shown glimpses but has been unavailable as much has be been fit for selection.

Niall Loughlin, like McGrogan, has been getting minutes in the legs.

That’s Derry’s collective problem. Too many players with championship experience are ruled out or have question marks.

Derry were favourites last year and came a cropper. This time, it is different.

Donegal are hot favourites. They have stability and they have a realisation they are among the All-Ireland contenders.

It’s Derry’s turn to hunker down in the long grass. A challenging afternoon awaits.

Meanwhile, Ryan Bradley, an All-Ireland winner under Jim McGuinness in 2012, is convinced that Donegal will beat Derry with something to spare and will go deep into the All-Ireland series this summer.

“I don’t know whether Derry recovered from losing to Donegal in Celtic Park last year,” he said.

“Their confidence took a serious dent, and they never recovered through the championship

“Donegal wasn’t at full strength for the league game down in Ballyshannon and had more than enough to beat them. I can’t see it being any different in Ballybofey. A fully-fit Donegal should have too much firepower for Derry.

“It would be a shock if Derry win the game."