By Michael McMullan

SATURDAY’S top of the table clash with Magherafelt will be an indicator of where his side sit in the Derry SFC pecking order insists Newbridge joint manager Gary Hetherington.

The ‘Bridge backed up their narrow win over Lavey with a more convincing victory over Loup.

Next up is a rematch of last season’s semi-final, Magherafelt easing through by 10 points on that occasion, with both teams well placed to finish in the top four and book a quarter-final spot.

Newbridge have had to manage without the influence of Paudi McGrogan who is on the way back from a serious knee injury.

“I am looking forward to it,” Hetherington said of Saturday’s Owenbeg clash which is part of a double header including Loup’s game with Steelstown.

“It’ll give us a better idea of where we’re at. The first game against Lavey was probably 50-50 and the conditions made it even worse because neither team could really play football.”

While their second game was a facile win over Loup, Hetherington didn’t feel the scoreline was a true reflection.

It wasn’t “do or die” with Loup not getting going whereas Newbridge hit form.

“It was one of those ones when whatever we’d hit went over the bar, you get them days,” Hetherington admitted. “All in all, this Saturday will tell us where we’re at.”

Hetherington is joint manager with Kevin Brady and they’ve had to plan without their county players for much of the season.

McGrogan, Mark and Conor Doherty were involved with the senior footballers. Earlier in the year, Oisin Doherty, Conleth McGrogan and Sean Young were on duty with the u-20s.

“That probably coincided with our league form in that there was inconsistency,” Hetherington said of their season, whislt also stating that he was happy with how the Derry season was laid out and allowed games to run ahead according to plan.

“You get that when you have a young group. One day they can be really good, and the next they’re just not so good,” he said.

“They’re in a good place age-profile-wise. Obviously, you have the likes of CD (Conor Doherty) and Mark (McGrogan) there, who lead the thing in Paudi’s absence.

“When the news broke about him, it was devastating for him first of all and then devastating for the rest of the lads.

“He is Mr Newbridge as they call him. The boys look up to him massively and to lose a leader like that, it’s tough, but it gives all the boys an opportunity, an opportunity to step up and become a leader.

“The likes of Mark McGrogan and Conor McAteer gives them that wee bit of extra responsibility in Paudi’s absence.

“Obviously, CD would be the real main man at the minute, but the others just need to step up and off the field.”