By Michael McMullan

NEW Derry manager Paddy Tally feels his side are stepping into the most competitive Division One in recent years.

The Oakleafers travel to Omagh on Saturday to face a Tyrone side who are also under new management following the appointment of Malachy O’Rourke.

Tally’s focus on the league is to maintain their top flight status and develop new players ahead of the championship later in the year.

“I think this is as strong a National Division One as we’ve seen in years,” Tally told Gaelic Life.

“If you take the four Ulster teams. Armagh are All-Ireland champions from last year, Donegal were close to an All-Ireland last year and played really well.

“You have Derry, who were National League champions last year. Tyrone have new management in place, they’ll be a great kick in Tyrone this year.”

Tally adds in the “perennial” teams – Dublin and Kerry, with Connacht side Mayo and Galway.

“They are the top eight teams in Ireland, on form, over the last number of years and they’re all in Division One,” he summed up.

Tally will have to play without the experience of the retired Chrissy McKaigue with Emmett Bradley deciding not to take up Tally’s invitation due to personal commitments.

The trio of Niall Loughlin, Paudi McGrogan and Conor McCluskey are on their way back from operations with Gareth McKinless not available this weekend due to Ballinderry’s All-Ireland final.

In absence of that experience, Tally will run his eye over some of the panel.

Anton Tohill and Jack Doherty have both made a return with a host of new players coming into the fold.

Callum McGrogan (Newbridge), Jody McDermott (Glen), Charlie Diamond (Bellaghy), Dan Higgins and Conall Heron (both Magherafelt) are on board. Patrick McGurk, a panellist in recent seasons, has been joined by Lavey teammates Louis Regan, Rory McGill and Ryan Mulholland.

Regan is one of four goalkeepers on the squad. The others are the established Odhrán Lynch, Newbridge’s James Gribbin and Neil McNicholl of Glenullin, a former Derry outfield player who has been converted into a goalkeeper.

“We needed another player who had an opportunity to play out the field as well,” Tally said of McNicholl’s inclusion.

“With the way the new ‘keeper role is going; you could be pretty advanced and need somebody who’s experienced in that and is a good player.”

While the derby with Tyrone – and the other great Ulster rivalries – is a factor this weekend, Tally feels the new rules will be the main talking point.

“I think ourselves, as coaches, we’ve been trying to work our way through them and what is best at the moment,” he said.

“We don’t really know until we start playing really competitive games. We’ve had a couple of challenge matches (Cavan and Galway) which have been fine and we’ve learnt a bit from them there.

“We’ve been playing as much football as we can in training to see what’s coming through.

“Until you really start playing competitive games, we’ll not really know.”