Seventy minutes to define Derry's season

All-Ireland SFC Round Three  |  Derry v Dublin  |  Saturday, Páirc Esler, 6.30pm  |  Referee: Brendan Cawley (Kildare)

Derry must win their first game of the season if they are to guarantee their progress in this year’s Sam Maguire story. Otherwise, it’s out of their hands.

A draw would be enough if Armagh beat Galway. Should Derry lose and an Armagh beat Galway would take it down to score difference.

With Armagh having a three-point head start before a ball is kicked, it’s an unlikely sequence of events.

That’s the ifs and buts out of the way.

Derry’s only win over Dublin in championship football came in 1993 when Johnny McGurk turned in on his left foot to kick a dramatic semi-final winner into the Canal End goal.

There has to have been a deeper degree of hope in the Derry camp since their draw with Galway.

After holding all the cards, it will have felt like a loss but there was some resolve and composure to engineer an equaliser.

Without that, it would’ve been a totally different window of preparation. Odhrán Lynch in now in the selection conversation after a return to the matchday panel. Niall Loughlin made a return and was a key cog in Derry pushing Padraic Joyce’s side out of any comfort zone a favourites’ tag may have offered. Conor Glass was absolutely immense. Brendan Rogers wasn’t far behind. Shane McGuigan was involved in so much more than the 0-5 he kicked.

Paul Cassidy looked rediscovered. Ethan Doherty was closed in but the fact Galway saw him has a threat tells a lot about his injection against Armagh.

Lachlan Murray came in off the bench to add some spark.

Going man on man on the Galway kick-out helped even thought Cluxton has more variation than Connor Gleeson when Derry get their thinking cap on this week.

Perhaps the most important ingredient at Celtic Park was desire. A hunger under the break, a savage nature that made Galway defenders uneasy.

As Saturday approaches, the biggest Dublin question mark surrounds Con O’Callaghan who was replaced in their win over Galway in Salthill.

His power, experience and low centre of gravity will change everything about Dublin’s attack.

Against Armagh, it was Paddy Small and Cormac Costello playing close to goal.

Lorcan O’Dell played ahead of the as a link. Niall Scully was picking out a kick pass. Sean Bugler is their in-form player of the season.

Derry threw away a commanding lead against Galway last week as they still look for their first win of 2025. (Photos: Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile)

Then you have Ciarán Kilkenny’s ability to win ball, score, link play and realise when the game’s temperature needs turned down.

What will concern Dessie Farrell was how they struggled on their own kick-out at Croke Park. At one stage, they had a 40 per cent return.

It won’t be lost on Tally and co. Glass, Rogers, McGuigan and Dan Higgins will offer a substantial wall. Add in Niall Toner’s ability to read breaking ball.

There is also the Páirc Esler factor. Dublin won’t be familiar and they are bound to have factored a training session there this week.

Only Theo Clancy, when playing for Kilmacud Crokes against Glen, has played a meaningful game there and that was on the foggiest day ever.

He’d have been lucky to have even saw the player in front, never mind get a feel for pitch dimensions.

As a whole, Dublin will bring plenty to Saturday. All is on the line for them too.

The past few training sessions would’ve been about composure and shot selection. The 17 wides against Armagh will have had at least one viewing in the analysis circles.

It’s always better to be creating chances but Derry will look at it too. They’ll take comfort from how they made Galway snap at kicks around the arc that aren’t on.

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It’s been a frustrating season for Derry. The understatement of the year. But there have been glimmers.

Early on against Donegal. Opening Armagh up for eight decent goal chances. Having Galway on the brink.

Their problem is still the same. Winning. Not since the Conor Doherty’s winning kick in Castlebar last year have they tasted that winning feeling.

Saturday is their last chance saloon. A winnable game. Dublin will say the same.

Seventy minutes to define a season.