Derry hurling manager John McEvoy unsure about third year in charge of Oak Leafers

Laois native McEvoy, who watched his side exit the Christy Ring Cup against Offaly on Saturday, was appointed in December 2018 had guided Derry through a superb league season this year, topping Division 2B before the coronavirus shutdown in March.

The lockdown stopped that momentum in its tracks with Derry unable to reach those heights after the resumption despite some encouraging performances and with the doubts hanging over what structure the 2021 season will take, McEvoy revealed he hoped to have some clarity on his future by the end of November.

“It’s too early to say,” revealed McEvoy. “I just said to the guys in there, the players will meet at the end of the month. We are 36 hours on the road every week, but don’t mind doing it when you have committed players. I haven’t had any discussions with the County Board, it has been all about this year. I’d imagine that by the end of the month, we will have, one way or the other, decided going forward.

“I couldn’t give you an answer on that at this moment in time. It was with the view of doing three years, but at the same time. A couple of things will predicate the decision. The structure of the championship next year. Is it going to be inter-county from February until July, or is it going to be mixed? If it is mixed, it is going to be difficult, particularly in a dual county like Derry.

“I have no issue with Gaelic football, but it is very difficult on these lads to come in and be fresh for games. I think it hits us harder than most.”

McEvoy stressed that whatever his own future holds, he was delighted to work with some excellent people at Derry, both on and off the pitch.

“The boys have been brilliant, the hurlers have been brilliant and there are no egos in there,” he added, “You are not looking over your shoulder thinking ‘We could have this fella or that fella.’ There are 30 fellas working hard. There is a brilliant management team there with Johnny McGuirk, Brian Delargy, Eoin McNicholl, Terry (Gray), the back-room and medical team.

“We added to the back-room team this year and you are trying to get inches all the time to get closer to the top. The culture has changed in the group, but it is that last 10 percent that we need to drive on and get ourselves out of this division.”

McEvoy has guided Derry to two Division 2B finals in two years only to miss out on promotion to Wicklow in 2019 and Down three weeks ago at the Armagh Athletic Grounds. The Derry manager revealed the Oak Leaf hurling squad has had to contend with absenteeism due to the pandemic since the inter-county game returned and he believes fatigue may had played a part in both the league final defeat to Down and Saturday’s loss against Offaly.

“I think it was both (physically and mentally). There was a bit of fatigue in that we started training last November and you are right through the club championship – football and hurling – and coming back into inter-county where you are bringing it up a notch again.

“Covid had a serious effect on ‘three or four’ players inside. It limited the amount of work we could do at a critical stage before the league final and selection. They are not excuses, they are the facts. It is the tale of the season. There were two or three boys that were close contacts and we were limited to what we could train. We followed the PHA guidelines all the time and didn’t put anybody at risk. Those are the things that came to mind in the last 15 minutes, you could just see them wilting. There wasn’t much left in the legs.”

If McEvoy does remain in charge, he says strength and conditioning will be an area of focus.

“Offaly were a big physical team. I think the lockdown did affect us because we were in the gym two or three times a week and got ourselves into serious nick. We were able to do zooms (gym sessions) but it is not the same and it did affect us

“The lads are going in and playing club matches without any gym work. I agree, in terms of conditioning, there is another three or four years in these lads to get them properly conditioned.

“We are two years in, we have put a huge emphasis on it, and hurling, but at the same time there is serious ground to be made there. Time and consistency there is no point in shirking the issue, we need to do that. You need a hunger there in the player base and I think it is there. We need to keep people within the group and that’s a decision for the players. They have to have a hunger to improve every day they go out and play for Derry.”

The Derry manager admitted the season had been one of frustration but stressed Derry hurling has plenty of reasons for optimism.

“We have one of the smallest panels in the Christy Ring Cup. We have 30 hurlers. We are not missing anybody, but they are the 30 hurlers that are constantly going to war for you. You can do little in terms of rotation because of that.

“There are a few young fellas coming in. Fintan Bradley is a tremendous hurler, but another season of inter-county (will bring him on). Ryan McGill coming in is probably unheard of.

“Seán Kelly today, would you have seen a better ‘keeper in the Joe McDonagh, Liam McCarthy Cups? I don’t think so. Some of our players would grace any field, but it is getting the intensity of preparation three times and a week. When they are off that, they are at the alley improving their touch and there can be no distraction from that.”