Arlene Foster At The Ulster Final - 4 Like(s)
Its a step forward, but I ask the question 'how sincere is the gesture'? When she was pictured meeting members of the Fermanagh team and county board she wore a red outfit, blue blouse and white necklace. Now, hopefully I am reading too much into this but why choose these 3 colours when you are going to meet a GAA team. Bbc news article. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-44509688 I am sorry, but i do not think there is alot of sincerity derp down from Mrs Foster. The DUP have been highly critical of our organisation. This is a political stunt to appease the opposition and say 'here the DUP ate reaching out' and to get stirmint back uo and running. This does not wash with me, there is bigger issues in our society where the DUP and Arlene need to reach out and prove they are willing to respect other cultured etc. Attend a GAA match would be way down my list. So no, i dont believe todays gesture will go anywhere near restoring devolution to NU.

OakGael (National) - 24/06/2018 19:48:44

Derry manager comments on Enda Lynn - 3 Like(s)

OakGael (National) - 19/06/2017 16:25:42

Armagh v Tyrone U20 Brawl - 3 Like(s)
Both teams should be expelled from the competition. This nonsense has to be eradicated from out sport. I don't care if it at Seniir, U20 or U17 level, if a brawl of this magnitude wrupts both teams should be expelled from the competition. Complete expulsion might make other counties think twice. Players involved should face an automatic 6 month band. Until the GAA takes a hardline approach this nonsense will continue. It will be too late when a player sustains a life changing injury. I am all for being competitive but a player must play within the rules. Basically, accept defeat no matter how disappointed and be man enough to shake the hand of the opposition players and move on.

OakGael (National) - 09/06/2018 11:19:38

Damian's Newspaper Article - 2 Like(s)
"I'm very disappointed that people decide not to play. It's not about me, it's about Derry. There speaks a man who cares about his county. His comments are genuine and no player is bigger than that Derry Jersey. Some players have very valid reasons i.e. work commitments, family or educational but those players who are influenced to walk away by selfish club managers is regrettable. Those types of clubs and managers are denying those players a national platform to showcase their talent and gain national recognition for their efforts. Yes, the club is important but why can't the clubs and county work in tandem for the betterment of all? Finally, I believe if the best players within the county made themselves available for selection we could compete with the best.

OakGael (Derry) - 01/06/2017 13:48:03

Unsportsmanlike Behaviour - 2 Like(s)
Is it time the GAA took action against players for unsportsmanlike behaviour during games? It was all too evident in yesterday's game from both teams. Should it be punished by a straight red card? Even though you couldn't hear it but you could see there was constant sledging going on. Also, this tactic of running across the visual line of the free taker. How low do teams have to go to won a game of football? In my opinion as already allowed an opposing player can stand the required distance away from the free taker with his hands in the air, fair enough. But to intentionally run across the kicker then the red should move the free closer 13 metres.

I just do not like how all this nonsense has creeped into our sport.

OakGael (National) - 13/08/2018 11:51:37

Meath v Derry - 2 Like(s)

OakGael (Meath) - 12/02/2017 22:28:06

Change Required - 1 Like(s)
Just out of Dennis Glennon park and have to say that was awful from Derry. We made Longford look like a Dublin or Kerry. The management team are far too inexperienced at this level. We are in free fall to Division 4 unless radical action is taken. The team is too inexperienced, Damian needs more experience in his starting 15 and gradually introduce the minors who served him so well. It's disgusting to see how far this proud footballing county has declined. The men and women who run our County board need to start asking the hard questions for the betterment of our county.

OakGael (Derry) - 04/02/2018 15:51:08

Division 4 - National League - 1 Like(s)
It was great to be at Croke Park today sitting amongst all you jolly Leitrim fans. The game itself was a good clean game with some great scores. Leitrim can be proud of themselves today. Fortunately for Derry Leitrim hit those 8 wides in the first half or it could have been a different story. However, I look forward to meeting youse again in the league next year. By the way had good banter with the lovely Leitrim blonde in section 329 of the Hoganstand.

OakGael (Leitrim) - 30/03/2019 23:03:38

The Big Question - Support Or Lack Of - 1 Like(s)
Today our county played in a National Final in GAA HQ and won. Everyone you meet in GAA circles will tell you that 'Derry is a proud GAA county'. Thus may be true. However, the support at Croke Park today was somewhat embarrassing. In all my life attending finals at Croke Oark I have never witnessed such a subdued celebration. My heart went out to the players and staff. It felt like we were embarrassed to celebrate. The least we as supporters can do is show our appreciation to the players, management etc on their achievement. However, I am really angered by the lack of support. I know people have their own personal reasons as to why they couldn't be there or simply put others just don't give a damn about the county. We are the worst supported county in Ireland an accolade bestowed on us for years now. Yes, you can sit back and criticise or you can get off your backside and support the team. No one wants to see Derry playing in the lower leagues of the NFL but we are. We have to earn our right to be playing at a higher level and we achieved objective 1 by getting promoted and winning the Div 4 title. Now to me this is progress. However, if we as supporters show up in large numbers at matches it will resonate with the players as they will see that their efforts are being appreciated. Slaughtneil got a bigger supporter turnout at their Ulster club and All Ireland clubs finals than the county gets over a season. I am not knocking Slaughtneil in anyway as they have done wonders for club and county. So, why are those supporters who are not directly affiliated to Slaughtneil but go to their games not turning up to support their county? I'll finish by saying 'thank you' to the hardcore supporters who attend today and who followed the county throughout their league campaign. We will enjoy the glory days when they return and I have no doubt about that.

OakGael (Derry) - 31/03/2019 02:09:20

Kildare V Mayo - 1 Like(s)
I stand wholeheartedly with Kildare GAA in this issue. The GAA sets the rules therefore they should implement them as per the rule book. As Kildare was the first team out of the hat then as per the rules it's a home draw. Reading Kildare GAA's statement it seems that they have approval from all the necessary bodies that is the Garda, Health & Safety Executive etc to hold the game at St Conleth's in Saturday at 7pm. Are we getting to a situation where the GAA has no regards for it's own rules? I feel that the Croke Park hierarchy' are getting further and further removed from the clubs and county boards. If they have no regard for the players and management how can they expect to receive it. Respect is a two way street. Derry played Kildare in the 1st round of the qualifiers and they brought with them a large travelling support. The cost of travel, match ticket is expensive for supporters of all counties. So, are the GAA sticking two fingers up to the Kildare supporters with this decision. Let's us not forget, it's the countless men and w women who volunteer their services to club and county on a daily basis that makes the GAA so special. Without us the GAA is nothing. It is time for for Croke Park to lay their cards on the table and tell it's members that Sky is priority number 1 and everything else is secondary. If this decision is not reversed I will never step foot upon the hollow turf of a GAA ground again and U hope others will follow. It's time to give the game back to the real Gaels if Ireland. Kildare May the force be with you!

OakGael (National) - 26/06/2018 00:20:02

Derry Panel 2018 - 1 Like(s)
I am very surprised at Damian's first Derry panel. It's great to see Kevin Johnstone, Liam McGoldrick etc back. However, where is Daniel Heavron? He's been Derry's top performer for the past 2 seasons. Also surprised by the omission of Emmett McGuckian. I know his performances suffered under Barton but he has still something to offer at county level. Mark Craig is another, very versatile player. There was 15 senior county players who didn't represent Derry last year for various reason. Out of those 15 only a few have returned. I wonder if these players plus the ones named above were actually invited back? The panel Damian has assembled will be hungery and eager to impress and bring success to the county. I sincerely hope we can make positive steps forward in 2018. It would be more advantageous to integrate new talent into an experienced team instead of other way about. Jim McGuinness built his team on experience with a minority of young and upcoming talent. Rory Gallagher continued this and integrated more talent over the next few seasons. I hope we are developing systems of play, we have been to one dimensional for years. It made us to predictable and easy too beat. If Damian uses the same philosophy of play that he used in this years Minor Final we will whipping boys. Senior football is a big step-up and you need players and management all pulling in one direction. The manager must be respected and we can't have players throwing the dummy out of the park as in the past. Finally, we need the whole county getting behind the team.

OakGael (Derry) - 08/12/2017 23:00:45

Derry vs Fermanagh - 1 Like(s)

OakGael (Derry) - 03/04/2017 23:22:19

Different Year Same Old Problems - 1 Like(s)
What is going on within our county?

Over the last couple of weeks we've had U21 players declining invitations to join the senior team, now today's Irishnews has an article in it that says, Ryan Bell and Benny Herron are considering going to the states to play football for the summer plus Eoin McNicholl has left the panel.

Personally speaking, I think clubs and players within the county do not give the Derry Jersey the respect it deserves, it should be an absolute honour to be asked to represent your county but in Derry it seems to be nothing more than another Jersey. I understand there is a huge amount of commitment involved, however I don't understand why players throw in the towel half way through a season. Eoin McNicholl apparently left the panel due to his position as number 1 goalkeeper with Glenullin could be under threat, come on, if that is true it's such a lame excuse. Maybe his decision to leave has been influenced, not the first or last Glenullin player to walk away from the county in a huff.

Damian Barton has red and white blood running through him and he desperately wants a successful Derry team, if we had clubs and players with the same attitude we as a county could be successful,again.

OakGael (Derry) - 14/04/2016 15:36:27

Different Year Same Old Problems - 1 Like(s)
That was absolutely embarrassing, starting line-up questionable and can someone explain to me what Derry's tactic was? We were over run from start to finish, Tyrone won all their individual battles, we played the same old Derry way of lateral football which Tyrone swamped up. There is no pride in the jersey anymore, we as a county need success on a continuous basis at Minor and U21 level to change the mentality of players coming through. When player see the possibility of success it will drive them on to achieve greatness. You don't see the same togetherness in the Derry panel as you do in the Tyrone panel, they work for each other and the team, there will to win can't be questioned. The opposite can be said of Derry. Barton hasn't been in the job a year yet but I am failing to see any progress from the Brian McIvor era, to be honest I think we are heading backwards at a rate of noughts. This is not a knee jerk reaction, it's a realistic view. Why are U21's not willing to play for their county? Players not committing for the season, going to USA etc? To me this highlights that the respect for the jersey has gone.

OakGael (Derry) - 22/05/2016 17:38:10

Division 4 - National League - 1 Like(s)

OakGael (Leitrim) - 31/03/2019 15:25:32

Derry Vs Donegal - 1 Like(s)
I have been critical over the league campaign, rightly or wrongly. However after today's effort I believe Derry have a base to build upon. We played a Donegal team which I feel were very unfortunate to get relegated from Div 1. Donegals tactics worked like a well oiled machine. There goalkeeper was initiated every attack with his quick accurate kickouts. We kept Murphy relatively quite but McBrearty stepped up to the plate and delivered. Derry need to learn to use the full width of the pitch and stretch the opposition defence to enable us to get runners in behind. Too many times to day we drove at the heart of the Donegal defence and coughed up possession. In the latter stage of the 1st half we trailed by 3 and had an easy scoring chance which we missed and within the next couple of minutes Donegal tagged on 3 points. Instead of possibly going in at halftime 2 or 3 points down we were 6 down. Playing with the breeze in the 2nd half I though Damian would have introduced James Kielt, never happened. Liam McGoldrick made a positive impact as did all the subs but in all honesty I think today we lost the game because our tactics were wrong, bad shot selection and we only had two players from the starting 15 on the scoresheet, not good encounter at intercounty level. I am going to finish by heaping praise on Emmett Bradley. He is having a great year, our best player throughout the league and carried his form into today's game. He's had his critics over the past number of years but he is now showing his true potential. If Emmett continues to progress he could become a serious player for Derry over the coming years. I hope we get a decent draw and build momentum through the qualifiers because it could reall develop some of the younger players. The return of Niall Loughlan, Niall Keenan and Ciaran McFaul would be a bonus but I am not too aware if the trio have returned from their travels. Not to downbeat but optimistic. Poor Derry support today but unfortunately I feel that is the norm now. People have their reasons whether valid or not it's not up to me to comment. However, the greed for money from the Ulster Council and the GAA I feel is keeping supporters away, the tickets are way too highly priced and with the introduction of charging U16's has just added to the cost. Why not introduce discounted family tickets to help families who want to go to the matches but have to prioritise financial resources thus meaning they cannot afford to pay the current over inflated ticket prices.

OakGael (Derry) - 28/05/2018 02:23:20

The beginning of the end? - 1 Like(s)

OakGael (Mayo) - 22/06/2017 19:07:19