Derry's strength may be key factor

When the composition of Section C of the National Football League was announced it didn't take long for it to be branded `the group of death'. It contained All-Ireland champions Kerry, as well as the Ulster and Leinster champions, Cavan and Offaly, not to mention Dublin.

Offaly, who had just gained promotion from Division Four, Monaghan, Tyrone, Sligo and Wexford were reckoned not to have the faintest hopes of making any progress. By the time the section had concluded, however, the form book had been shredded. Offaly had qualified for the play-offs unbeaten and were joined by Monaghan. Offaly have since qualified for Sunday's final against Derry at Croke Park while Monaghan reached the semi-finals.

Eamonn O'Hara, who emerged as one of Sligo's most promising players in last year's Connacht championship campaign which ended in a narrow defeat by Mayo in the final, is well positioned to make an assessment of Sunday's final.

O'Hara reckons that during the past three years or so Offaly and Sligo have met five or six times. "In all those matches there was never much between us," he says. "We played each other in the fourth division several times and it was always close.

"In our last match in this year's league they got a late goal to draw the match and, quite honestly, I believe we should have beaten them. We let them off the hook really but they also proved that they are never beaten until the final whistle and Derry cannot be comfortable without a good lead going into the last couple of minutes. "As far as I know Offaly haven't been beaten since last year's All-Ireland semi-final when they really didn't do themselves justice. They have learned a lot from that match against Mayo and they have put what they learned into effect since then. They are a much stronger and experienced team now and it will take a major effort from Derry to beat them.

"Offaly are a very good side and play very attractive football.

Vinny Claffey and Roy Malone are capable of giving an opposing full back line a lot of trouble. The thing is that while Kerry will always look to Maurice Fitzgerald to give them that special spark all three of the Offaly full forward line can click at different times and if they all come good on a given day they can do untold damage," he says.

Yet he fancies Derry for the league title. "They are very strong mentally and physically. If Anthony Tohill hits form I believe that they have the all-round strength to win. I thought they were very impressive against Mayo in the quarter-final in Markievicz Park and if they can reproduce that form I believe they can win. "Just the same, it is going to be close. They have different styles but I think that Offaly will not be strong enough. Derry have great strength through the middle of the field but the game these days depends on taking chances. You can't afford to throw away any opportunities and from Henry Downey on they are very experienced and it will take a huge effort from Offaly to beat them. "Derry have so many players of top quality that I will be surprised if they don't shade it. With players like Kieran McKeever, the Downeys, Tohill and Joe Brolly it is difficult to see them being beaten," he says.

As far as his own team is concerned, O'Hara says that Sligo are not looking beyond May 31st when they play London in the first round of the Connacht championship.

The Tourlestrane player said: "We realise that Leitrim had a close call last year so that is what we want to avoid. If we win that then it is Roscommon in the Connacht semi-final in Hyde Park and another appearance against either Mayo or Galway in the Connacht final," said O'Hara.