DERRY MANAGER PADDY TALLY has confirmed the Oak Leafers are looking at a severe injury crisis ahead of the Ulster championship preliminary round meeting with Ulster champions Donegal in Ballybofey.
In the final league defeat to Armagh on Sunday, midfielder Anton Tohill broke his hand to add to an already chronic injury list.
Swatragh midfielder Tohill was a surprise inclusion in Tally’s squad, having only fleetingly appeared on Derry teams in the past, but had nailed down a starting slot before his untimely injury.
“Anton’s played 6 matches and then, just because I must have drove over another black cat yesterday, Anton broke his hand yesterday in the game,” Tally stated at the Ulster championship launch.
“So he’s now out for a month to six weeks.”
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Anton Tohill. James Lawlor / INPHO
James Lawlor / INPHO / INPHO
Derry travel to Ballybofey to meet Donegal on 6 April and from the team that would have been available a year ago, they are without four All-Stars and eight players in total.
The All-Stars are Chrissy McKaigue, who has now retired. Brendan Rogers sustained an ankle injury in the league defeat to Donegal in Ballyshannon.
Gareth McKinless suffered a cruciate ligament injury during Ballinderry’s run to the All-Ireland club intermediate final which ended in a loss to Crossmolina.
Conor McCluskey’s groin injury has proved hugely problematic, with Tally saying, “We thought he’d be back in February, but unfortunately he had more setbacks then. Conor knows long term, all being well, to get back before the end of the football season. But really at the moment, it’s going to take time.”
Others that are currently injured include frontline players Ciaran McFaul, goalkeeper Odhran Lynch, Niall Loughlin and Lachlan Murray.
“We’re just at the minute picking up a lot of injuries. It’s been a heavy load there, it’s been seven matches in nine weeks, and I would say the games are more demanding now than the old game,” said Tally.
“There’s been a lot more load through the players, so at the moment we’re just trying to piece ourselves together and be as strong as we can for the championship.”
Tally was announced at the end of a protracted period that Derry needed to appoint a successor to Mickey Harte. Starting back later has left him in a difficult situation with preparing the team physically, with Derry being relegated from division 1.
“When you look at the league overall, we just don’t have the strength and depth at the moment. I think that was a problem. I think it’s something maybe that Derry have realized for a while,” said Tally.
“I’ve been speaking to a lot of the Derry people, the football people will say the same. We had to use this year to see if we could find a few players, and division 1 was very difficult. The standard of football is so high up there and if you’re not on your game every day, you get caught and it happened a few times.
“Having no pre-season games this season, being thrown straight into the new year was heavy for the players.
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“And then the games come thick and fast, definitely that’s having an effect on how much you can do with them as well, because you’re trying to recover in between.”
He continued, “At the same time, you’re starting to train through the league because you have your championship coming so soon after it.
“So if you don’t train hard during the league and load the players heavily, they’re not going to be able to sustain the type of intensity in championship football.
“It’s a double-edged sword. If you take it easy in the league, to make sure you protect your players, you’re gonna break down later down the line.”
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Tally confirms Conor McCluskey, Brendan Rogers and Anton Tohill out for Donegal clash
DERRY MANAGER PADDY TALLY has confirmed the Oak Leafers are looking at a severe injury crisis ahead of the Ulster championship preliminary round meeting with Ulster champions Donegal in Ballybofey.
In the final league defeat to Armagh on Sunday, midfielder Anton Tohill broke his hand to add to an already chronic injury list.
Swatragh midfielder Tohill was a surprise inclusion in Tally’s squad, having only fleetingly appeared on Derry teams in the past, but had nailed down a starting slot before his untimely injury.
“So he’s now out for a month to six weeks.”
Derry travel to Ballybofey to meet Donegal on 6 April and from the team that would have been available a year ago, they are without four All-Stars and eight players in total.
The All-Stars are Chrissy McKaigue, who has now retired. Brendan Rogers sustained an ankle injury in the league defeat to Donegal in Ballyshannon.
Gareth McKinless suffered a cruciate ligament injury during Ballinderry’s run to the All-Ireland club intermediate final which ended in a loss to Crossmolina.
Conor McCluskey’s groin injury has proved hugely problematic, with Tally saying, “We thought he’d be back in February, but unfortunately he had more setbacks then. Conor knows long term, all being well, to get back before the end of the football season. But really at the moment, it’s going to take time.”
Others that are currently injured include frontline players Ciaran McFaul, goalkeeper Odhran Lynch, Niall Loughlin and Lachlan Murray.
“We’re just at the minute picking up a lot of injuries. It’s been a heavy load there, it’s been seven matches in nine weeks, and I would say the games are more demanding now than the old game,” said Tally.
“There’s been a lot more load through the players, so at the moment we’re just trying to piece ourselves together and be as strong as we can for the championship.”
Tally was announced at the end of a protracted period that Derry needed to appoint a successor to Mickey Harte. Starting back later has left him in a difficult situation with preparing the team physically, with Derry being relegated from division 1.
“When you look at the league overall, we just don’t have the strength and depth at the moment. I think that was a problem. I think it’s something maybe that Derry have realized for a while,” said Tally.
“I’ve been speaking to a lot of the Derry people, the football people will say the same. We had to use this year to see if we could find a few players, and division 1 was very difficult. The standard of football is so high up there and if you’re not on your game every day, you get caught and it happened a few times.
“Having no pre-season games this season, being thrown straight into the new year was heavy for the players.
“And then the games come thick and fast, definitely that’s having an effect on how much you can do with them as well, because you’re trying to recover in between.”
He continued, “At the same time, you’re starting to train through the league because you have your championship coming so soon after it.
“So if you don’t train hard during the league and load the players heavily, they’re not going to be able to sustain the type of intensity in championship football.
“It’s a double-edged sword. If you take it easy in the league, to make sure you protect your players, you’re gonna break down later down the line.”
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Crocked Derry GAA Gaelic Football Injury List