National League Division Three

SO  how does a team approach a game that is essentially a dead rubber, just a week ahead of playing against Armagh in the Ulster Senior Championship?

There are a couple of approaches and they are predicated upon what the team expects to get from the game.

The first is to play a strong team, similar to the one that will field next week, in the hope that they will gel together in time for the championship match.

The second is to play an experimental side, offering younger players a chance, and introducing newer players to the squad.

The third way, is a mix of both. And that’s likely the route that Rory Gallagher will take this weekend.

There is a spine of the team that need to stick together but also a group of players who need time to join the squad, and understand the dynamics.

If we take a look at the team that played last weekend we can see a few storylines emerging.

For the game against Longford, which was really just a training game as the possiblity of Derry getting promoted was slim, Rory Gallagher played 11 players who will likely start against Armagh.

The spine of the team was coloured in the marroon and white of Sleacht Néill, in Brendan Rogers at full-back, Chrissy McKaigue at half-back, Padraig Cassidy at midfield, Enda Lynn at half forward, and Shane McGuigan at full forward. Lynn’s the only non-Neiler in that line up, though he’s an experienced head. That line up for a non-event against Longford suggests that Gallagher is gearing his team up for Armagh. He might have even asked the players to imagine that their Leinster opponents were wearing orange.

Compare the team that played Cork in March with the one that played last weekend and there are nine players who started both games. And there is little change to the spine of the team.

Of the defence, there were three changes, with Paul McNeill, Conor Doherty and Michael McEvoy coming in to replace Padraig McGrogan, Shea Downey and Niall Keenan who were the starters back in March.

Of the forward line, Ethan Doherty, Lynn and Patrick Kearney were introduced. Last March, Emmett Bradley, Benny Heron and Niall Toner started. So there is definite tinkering there, the experienced players are Lynn, Bradley and Heron, while newer men Doherty, Kearney and to a lesser extent Niall Toner are being tried out.

It looks like Gallagher is trying to find the balance on his team, trying to work out who plays well together.

So what can they expect from this game against Offaly?

Unfortunately they may not put up as much resistance as Derry would have liked. Offaly have the second worst defence in Division Three this year, only the relegated Louth have conceded more points. Up against Tipperary last weekend they shipped 1-16. Tipperary have the fifth best attack (and perhaps would be sixth if Down had played last weekend), so conceding that amount suggests that here is an Offaly team that won’t test the Derry forwards. That’s an issue as Derry are preparing for a game against an Armagh team that are so well drilled at the defensive end. The Orchard have the third best defence in Division Two this year even if they can have periods where they switch off.

Perhaps the aspect that Derry fans would prefer to focus on is that Conor Glass is back. The man who captained Derry to the Ulster Minor Championship is now playing senior football for the county after he got the AFL bug out of his system. He played very well last weekend off the bench, and another run out this weekend will be very pleasing for the Oakleafers.