Derry ‘fed up’ at being written off
“When we’re underdogs we always perform”
ENDA LYNN claims Derry footballers haven’t received their due credit for their Championship performances in recent seasons.
The Oak Leafers have been written off ahead of Sunday’s Ulster quarter-final clash with Donegal following a disastrous spring, which saw the county relegated to Division 4.
But Lynn, who has retained the captaincy of the team under new manager Damian McErlain, is weary of hearing Derry being talked down and claims their recent Championship record proves they remain a team to be reckoned with.
Two years ago they went on a run through the qualifiers which saw them take out Cavan and Meath before losing out by a point in a fourth-round shootout against a Tipperary team that went on to reach the All-Ireland semi-final.
Last summer they travelled to Castlebar, led Mayo for the majority of the 70 minutes and took the argument against the All-Ireland finalists to extra time.
Lynn believes those performances should have received more praise.
‘We played Mayo last year and should have beaten them but the talk was all about how poorly Mayo played [rather] than us playing good,’ insisted Lynn.
‘The year before — against Tipperary — it was the same, we could and should have won that game and it was all about how well Tipperary played. I don’t think that we have been getting the credit we should be getting.
‘We showed last year when we went down to Mayo as total underdogs and we were within a kick of the ball of beating a team that went on to reach the All-Ireland final.
‘It is the same going in against Donegal on Sunday, no one is expecting us to be within two or three points of them.
‘It is at Celtic Park, we have nothing to lose and we feel that if we perform we can take them,’ claimed a bullish Lynn.
While Derry’s relegation in this year’s Allianz League can be explained by the absence of their Slaughtneil players for much of the spring, the reason for their decline from Division 1 champs in 2008 to Division 4 chumps in 2018 is down to a chronic turnover of players.
Derry have the second highest turnover rate in the last 10 years with 97 players having tasted Championship action — only two fewer than chart toppers Leitrim — with Lynn conceding that it has had a disruptive effect.
‘I think it is very hard for players who might not be getting gametime with the county and are still missing games with their clubs.
‘They can come under pressure from their club manager and then walk away.
‘I think Derry has been reasonable this year in trying to work with the clubs,’ suggested Lynn, but it is also the lack of tangible reward which is making it easy for players to rescind their commitment.
Derry have not won an Ulster title since 1998 — when, coincidentally, they defeated a Declan Bonner managed Donegal side — and last reached the final in 2012.
‘Success is a massive factor as well when it comes to holding onto players and also in getting your best players out.
‘It is easier when you are winning, everyone gels together better,’ added Lynn.
‘But the weird thing about Derry is that we always perform when we are big underdogs so hopefully now we can pull off a result against Donegal that nobody expects. This will be the first time this year that we will be absolutely full strength and it something we are looking forward to.
‘We know what we are capable of but people outside who don’t know that think it is just a matter of Donegal turning up.’
That’s not the case in Lynn’s mind.