BY RONAN SCOTT
r.scott@gaeliclife.com
Derry defender Kevin McCloy lambasted the GAA qualifier system this week for taking the edge out of the championship.
Since the inception of the back door system the Oak Leaf county have won more matches than any other county to take the route. That factor makes it all the more strange that a Derry stalwart should be its biggest critics. But McCloy made his feelings about the qualifiers very clear.
"The back door is a non starter for this team this year. It's been running the last four or five years that we are the king of the backdoor. It doesn't instil belief, I don't care what the GAA has to say about it, it doesn't instil belief in a team unless you have a lot of luck," said the Lavey man.
McCloy's broadside against the system which was set up to keep more teams in the competition for longer says more about Derry than it does the GAA though.
"I just think that it takes the competitive edge out of teams. It's always going to come to that stage where you are going to be asked questions again, if you don't answer them the first day then you'll not answer them on the second day," he added.
His motives for deriding the qualifiers should be obvious though, an Ulster title is all that is on his mind at this stage of the year.
"I think anything less than a bit of silverware this year would be a big disappointment for Derry. The National League at this stage means nothing," he said.
"Them lads that I have been training with during the last eight years have very little to show for it. An Ulster title wouldn't be a lot to this team at this stage, but it would mean a hell of a lot to me."
Last year was a good example of how the safety net of the qualifiers, combined with a relatively easy first round victory, conspired against Derry and left them off guard when they arrived in Clones to play Monaghan.
"We started against Antrim last year and the lads probably got a wee bit lackadaisical, maybe after you win you always think that you have a championship win under your belt and things should just carry on from there. But it doesn't work that way and Monaghan showed us we weren't up to speed," said McCloy.
The Derry defender says it will be different this time around. Considering they have been drawn against their neighbours, and last year's National League champions, Derry will be forced to hit the ground running.
The Lavey man, who has plenty of pace himself, said that in previous years Derry may have been guilty of just trying to do enough instead of being as good as they can be. If everything goes to plan a hungrier Championship side ready to show no mercy will take the field at Ballybofey.
"This year we have put more emphasis on ourselves and getting ourselves right. We shouldn't be playing to the pace that our competitors are playing at, we should be playing to the pace that we can play at. So hopefully that is what our boys can tuned in for Sunday week," said McCloy.
Crozier mulls over his injury options
The spate of Derry injuries revealed this week might not be as big a blow as initially feared considering the amount of willing and able replacements on hand to relieve Paddy Crozier's selection problems.
Crozier won't know how many of their currently crocked stars will be available, but with Kevin McCloy fit and ready to play they will have at least one problem solved.
At Derry's press night this week, the Lavey man explained that he is very flexible where he plays, just as long as he plays. Considering that Gerard O'Kane, who played at centre half back in the National League, and Niall McCusker who was full back may not be available, then the Derry captain can slot into either position with ease.
"I'd be happy enough playing number 15 if that's where he puts me. I don't mind where I play. Obviously number three is my natural position but I have played number six under Mickey Moran. I played there at the start of the year for the club. I'm happy enough playing there to be honest," he said.
However, if he was to choose then he would rather take on the role of the attacking half back, rather than the full back who must man mark and rarely get his hands on the ball.
"I feel more comfortable playing number six to be honest. You haven't as much impression to make on the game in that it is not crucial that the man has to be stopped. But you do have to make more of an impression going forward. It's just a decision now who he [Paddy Crozier] plays out there," he added.
However, if McCusker is not fit then Derry will be missing a key player.
"I would rather run into a train than run into Niall McCusker. He took two or three men with him that day down in Kerry. I think he played a big part in turning the game around for us in the final against Kerry in the final. Having a man like that in your side is just phenomenal. Hopefully he'll be okay after the injury he got with the club," McCloy added.
