Chrissy McKaigue is talking through some of the time and distance it has taken Derry to win back another Ulster football title. If the 24 years wasn’t long and hard enough to endure then some of the gaping distance in between certainly was.
Two months shy of 33, McKaigue is the oldest player on the Derry panel, one of only two over 30 – along with forward Benny Heron. Derry’s last Ulster final appearance before Sunday was 2011, before that 2000, and for McKaigue there was at least some sense his time may never come again.
Already he’s looking ahead, McKaigue in Croke Park on Tuesday for the All-Ireland football championship series launch, which for all four provincial winners is not yet entirely clear: their places in the All-Ireland quarter-finals already secured, they await the four winners of the round two qualifiers.
The quarter-finals will be an open draw, subject to avoidance of repeat pairings. What is certain is that should all four provincial winners progress from there, this year’s semi-final draw pairs Connacht with Ulster, and Leinster with Munster (or if not the teams that beat the provincial champions at the quarter-final stage).
When Derry last came through Ulster in 1998, they were also paired with the Connacht champions, like this year also Galway, who beat them 0-16 to 1-8. Galway then went on to beat Kildare in the All-Ireland final. Only that’s getting well ahead on time and distance.
“It was a very important day for the players,” says McKaigue, reflecting on Sunday’s win over Donegal after extra-time, the team that they also beat in the 1998 decider.
“It’s been a long time since Derry won a provincial title, but we’ve young players successful throughout the years with Derry minors, Derry under-20s, they’re well used to winning, that’s a big thing, and hugely energising for me.
“The likes of Shane McGuigan, Conor Glass, even Matthew Downey, captained the Derry minors to an All-Ireland, Lachlan Murray who came on, all different generations coming through. It takes all of that to happen, and a very special manager too.
“So it been a hard old struggle, but hugely satisfying.”
Equally adept in football and hurling for his club Slaughtneil, McKaigue has won three Ulster club titles in each code, and also admits to his unique honour of playing in league finals in all four divisions, including the 2009 division one final, which Derry lost to Kerry 1-15 to 0-15.
Given that experience, it’s one of the reasons he never lost all sight of the idea of getting Derry back to the top table.
“I did, because it went downhill that quick too. I have the privilege of saying I played in all four division finals, one, two, three and four. It’s not a pathway I’d recommend, but it’s certainly one I’ve been on.
“I knew they were many variables as to why Derry found themselves in that position, but knew too if we’d the right things in place, the right people involved, we could turn it quite quickly. Sunday was massive, for the belief of the county, and it’s something we need to protect and really keep pushing on.”
He also played down the notion club conflicts were holding the county back: “I’m not sure it’s as divisive as some people have made out, I think maybe that’s been used as an excuse. We just hadn’t existed on an intercounty stage, but the reality is there’s been a conveyor belt of talent coming through, and a manager in Rory Gallagher, the two curves have meet.
“We still need a signature win to validate yourself, and I’ve made no reservations about it, I don’t think we would have achieved it without Rory Gallagher and his know how. He’s been good for Derry, but I think Derry have been good to him too.”
The second round of the qualifiers is scheduled for the following weekend, before the All-Ireland quarter-finals will take place on the weekend of June 25th/26th. In keeping with recent seasons, the two semi-finals will take place on back-to-back days at Croke Park on the weekend of July 9th/10th with the Tailteann Cup final also scheduled for Saturday July 9th.
GAA All-Ireland football championship series
June 4th/5th – All-Ireland qualifier Round One
June 11th/12th – All-Ireland qualifier Round Two
June 25th/26th – All-Ireland quarter-finals
July 9th/10th – All-Ireland semi-finals – Croke Park
July 24th – All-Ireland Senior Championship Final – Croke Park
