Moran's men have come a long way

Gavin Cummiskey finds the Derry manager headed for Croke Park to face Westmeath quietly confident after an eventful odyssey through the qualifiers.

After messing up in Omagh in early summer, Mickey Moran's Derry were forced to, literally, take the scenic route to Croke Park this Saturday. The evidence of that journey suggests a hungry team that has found its groove.

A trip to the sleepy town of Aughrim, in Co Wicklow, last June reinvigorated their season. After being embarrassingly dumped out of the Ulster championship by Tyrone, an 11-point drubbing, they had to dust themselves off and make a 330-mile round trip to the Garden of Ireland. The people of Derry had already written off the championship, while Wicklow waited in the undergrowth.

Last year Derry laid down their weapons with little more than a whimper, allowing Dublin the victory in Clones.

That was bad enough but defeat in a remoter, albeit picturesque, venue would have forced an inquiry, sackings even, in a once-mighty football county.

They survived with five points to spare.

"The most important game, the most pressurised one, was going to Wicklow after the Tyrone defeat because Wicklow is certainly a fortress. They are no mean team at home. That victory set us up," said Moran.

The manager steadied the ship before the best possible slip of paper came out of the qualifiers hat: Cavan in Celtic Park. What better way to reignite the flame than an Ulster scrap. There was also the psychological barrier: their messiah Eamonn Coleman was now with Cavan.

The contest was a classic, Moran's troops eventually striding clear in extra time with 10 unanswered points.

"I knew they were better than how they performed against Tyrone," continued Moran. "If you asked any manager, I don't care what county he is from, he believes in his team, believes the county can be successful. Otherwise, there is no sense in starting training in October, unless you have aims and belief."

With Anthony Tohill attempting to shed light on things in the RTÉ studios and Seán Marty Lockhart confined to local radio in the early rounds, because of a leg infection, two familiar voices were missing. Although Derry's plight was not as drastic as Fermanagh's they needed others to lead.

Of course they had plenty of strong personalities in the ranks, not least Johnny McBride, Paddy Bradley, Enda Muldoon and Niall McCusker.

"Against Wexford and the last day we didn't select Seán Marty Lockhart because we had to be fair to other players," said Moran. "The defence didn't do anything wrong. The media looks to big names but only the management know the mental and physical state of the team. There is also a responsibility to the individual. Seán would be the first to admit that."

Finally, they

got some good fortune. Their third and fourth-round opposition, Wexford and Limerick, both came out of provincial semi-finals and finals suffering from fatigue. First, Mattie Forde's fearsome reputation was silenced by Paddy Bradley's bullets in Parnell Park. Then Limerick meekly folded in a Roscommon field named after Dr Douglas Hyde.

So, after all that the main stage awaits. The new aristocrats of Ulster are out while Derry are still standing.

This weekend they have a decent shot at making an All-Ireland semi-final with a team that is supposed to be in transition. Westmeath are not traditionally a team to fear but in the present climate the Leinster champions go in as favourites.

Moran doesn't downplay the challenge, even after last weekend's underdog heroics.

"Football never surprises me. Fair play to both Mayo and Fermanagh, they were deserving winners. We're delighted for them but it bears no relevance to Westmeath, Derry, Dublin or Kerry. Those results don't matter if we are beaten on Saturday so we are just focused on Westmeath. That's our sole purpose and sole aim.

"They have had four games in Croke Park, they are on a crest of a wave and there is the Páidí element. They are very strong in the middle of the park but all over as a team they can play football. They are very fit and very focused.

"If we were to focus in on one area it would probably be to our own detriment. We had better up our work rate 100 per cent from the Limerick game to get a result."

Do that and the magical mystery tour could be talked about in the same tone as 1993.

Derry's road to Croker

May 9th, Omagh: ... Lost to Tyrone 1-17 to 1-6

June 12th, Aughrim: ... beat Wicklow 1-15 to 1-10

July 4th, Celtic Park: ... beat Cavan 0-25 to 2-9 (after extra-time)

July 17th, Parnell Park: ... beat Wexford 2-16 to 2-5

July 24th, Dr Hyde Park: ... beat Limerick 0-10 to 0-7