WHILE DERRY MANAGER Mickey Harte might be clinging to the hope that they can rescue their season with a potential win over Westmeath in the final round of the Group 1 round robin, the nosedive in form from the league champions was closely scrutinized on the Sunday night highlights show of The Sunday Game.
Former Kerry footballer Tomás ÓSé said in reviewing the match about a side that has gone from National League champions after a thrilling penalties win in the final over Dublin to one that has been decimated by Donegal, Galway and Armagh in consecutive games; “You don’t become a bad team overnight. This is a team that was within a kick and probably should have beaten Kerry in an All-Ireland semi-final last year.
“But that belief, that pomp, that confidence… Teams feared playing them, recently (that’s been) battered over the last two months, I’d say.”
Ó Sé continued, “They had been flying for so long but they are being dominated in midfield, they are conceding goals for fun. The same punch up front isn’t there. (Shane) McGuigan isn’t getting the same space he used to get, their defence is leaking, they’re being attacked a punished on the counter-attacks.
“The same players, the same core group of players, but the confidence is smashed. And if you take the four goals they conceded against Donegal in the championship, the two goals against Galway in the championship, the three goals for Armagh, all in convincing wins for the opposition, then, you’re in trouble. You’re in serious trouble.
“They’ve slowly crumbled since the start of the season and there will be questions asked of Derry. They haven’t answered any. After each game we were waiting for an answer and they haven’t answered anything yet.”
The former Mayo defender Lee Keegan was also similarly amazed at the downturn in Derry, pinning the blame on the lack of cohesion in defending that has infected the side.
“I don’t think they have learned anything since the Donegal game. If anything, they have gotten worse and it’s evident from what we have seen today,” said Keegan.
“There’s no structure to them, there’s no confidence, they are just a team that has no belief at the moment.
“They look dead on their feet, to be honest and they were just overran by Armagh from minute one to the last and the game was over at half time.
“Derry, I feel like they have forgotten how to defend.”
