Derry seeking to set the record straight says Chrissy McKaigue ahead of Armagh test

The Slaughtneil star will lead the Oak Leafers against Armagh in Sunday’s Ulster Championship Quarter-Final in Celtic Park when Rory Gallagher’s men will be underdogs against a side who secured a return to Division One football last weekend.

That tag won’t worry a Derry side who have recorded back to back Division Three victories since the restart after welcoming back a number of key players McKaigue hopes can help silence some of the doubters.

“It has has already been brought up a couple of times this week, our record in Ulster, but sometimes the record can be very misleading,” explained the Derry captain.

“I would be one of those advocating for changing the structure of the championship. When you are regularly drawing Tyrone or Donegal in the first round of Ulster and you are having really competitive games with them - okay you’ve not came out on the right side of them too often in the last decade - but these are teams that are knocking around All Ireland finals and semi-finals every year.

“There has to be a degree of logic applied and you have to be rational about how you analyse that record. With all due respect, Ulster is by far the most competitive province. There is never a ‘gimme’ game in Ulster and I’m not sure you could say the same for the rest of the provinces. Maybe they have become more competitive in some ways but certainly in Ulster for many years, a lot of the teams were playing in the upper echelons of the National League.

“Obviously that is an excuse, I am aware of that, but you have to recognise the quality of the team you are playing. We played Tyrone last year in the first round of Ulster and there was one point in it with four or five minutes to go. That goes down as a loss of course but Tyrone were a kick of a ball away from an All Ireland final so you have to be aware of these things.

“If you just looked at the record alone you wouldn’t bother pulling on the boots!”

McKaigue, who has tasted provincial success with his club, says he can see plenty of positive signs from the revamped panel Derry have put together over the lockdown.

“I think this is the first time since maybe 2013-14, that Derry have had a squad together again that can hopefully climb up the National League standings relatively quickly. That’s exciting. I now see a blend of youth and experience that maybe we haven’t had access to with players coming back from injury and hopefully that stands us in good stead.

“People are aware that we have a few players back from injury and a few of the youths who have been very good at underage level, they have come through the ranks but we have no problems going in with the underdogs tag. We have to give Armagh that because they have earned it.

“They got their Division One status and at the end of the day, we just want to be competitive. If we can be competitive then we’ll take whatever else comes with that.

“I said it before, had someone in March offered us the chance to play championship football for Derry at this stage you would be raring to have a crack at it and we’re looking forward to it.”