Derry probably have had a bit more success at underage than us in recent years but, still, they were in div 4 not that long ago and have shown that an Ulster championship is achievable.
I’ve beaten this drum for a long time now but Rory Gallagher & Derry have further proved my point. The ‘right’ manager can turn around the fortunes of a team that have previously been seen as poor or average.
I'm not sure this sort of thinking is accurate nor useful.
Derry haven't just had 'a bit' more success than us at underage level in recent years - they've had way, way more success.
Derry have appeared in 6 of the last 8 Ulster minor finals, winning 3 of them (and they really should have added a fourth title on Sunday). They also won a minor AI in 2020. By contrast, it's been 9 seasons since we last appeared in an Ulster minor final - 2014, when we were hammered by Donegal.
Derry have also appeared in 3 out of the last 6 Ulster U21/U20 finals, including beating us well in the 2018 final. That 2018 final is our only final appearance at this grade in the last 13 seasons!
Derry schools have been more successful than our schools over the last decade, with Maghera and Magherafelt sharing 6 of the last 10 MacRory Cups between them. And Derry club sides have typically been much more competitive than our clubs at Ulster level in recent years.
So Derry have been outperforming us at every level and every grade for the last decade, outside of the senior intercounty set-up - but it was only a matter of time before they caught up and passed us by at this level too.
Derry are
not an example of an underperforming group just getting their shit together under the right manager. They are an example of a county beginning to reap the benefits of getting their player development structures into good shape.
It is inaccurate to think that they have just hotwired their way to success by employing the 'right' manager - and it is dangerous to think that we could replicate their accomplishments with our own 'right' manager, especially given that we have had none of the same recent player development success.