A PINCH of salt is needed, perhaps, to digest this little gem from The Championship archive as 1993 All-Ireland winners Derry prepare to face unfancied Monaghan tomorrow.
Championship football never fails to hit on some curious fact or two, and the tradition attached to this weekend’s Ulster Senior quarter-final clash is no exception.
Clones has repeatedly proved a talisman in the competition for Monaghan since the two counties first met in 1948. Derry have never beaten them at the venue in three games, yet never lost to Monaghan in seven other meetings outside of Clones in the Anglo-Celt series.
It would be the first unexpected shock of The Championship were rank outsiders Monaghan to serve-up another Clones turnover. Their last coup was in 1985. An Ulster final win, Sean McCague masterminded it then.
McCague’s back this weekend aiming to guide Monaghan to unexpected victory on RTE’s live Sunday Game. Derry are odds-on to finally break this strange but true hoodoo.
In the 1990s Derry are unbeaten in nearly 300 minutes of Championship action against Monaghan. It looks set to stay that way. A 6/1 shot for the All-Ireland, Derry are considered title-winning material.
A long way off, they need no reminder that for the past three seasons they have failed to make it to an Ulster final. Three years of Championship underachieving it is often argued.
Opinion this season suggests there is certain promise and are tipped to join Kerry, Mayo and Meath in the All-Ireland semi-finals.
The pressure is on for Tohill, Brolly and Co to perform this summer, especially after last year’s second Ulster exit in-a-row to Tyrone.
CLIFTONVILLE were unable to agree new contract terms with defender Gerry Flynn last night and it’s expected negotiations will continue for several weeks.
Flynn leaves the north soon for his annual coaching school in the United States and returns shortly before the new season. It’s believed Glentoran and Portadown are waiting in the wings should Flynn leave Cliftonville.
National League club Limerick City are also aiming to sign Flynn, who could become the third Cliftonville player to leave on the Bosman Rule following the departures of Paul Stokes and Mark O’Neill.
Fan favourite Flynn could also hold out over the summer and take advantage of a new Uefa ruling. Europe’s footballing authorities are set to pass new legislation which would allow players over the age of 24 and out of contract to move freely within their domestic leagues.
Portadown are keen to have Flynn in defence while Glentoran would like to see Flynn back in his usual midfield role.
Reds boss Marty Quinn is also hoping to agree a deal over the weekend to take Bangor striker P J O’Connell to Solitude.
DARREN CORBETT has a purpose in life and Chris Okoh is the reason he lives.
When Irish champ Corbett takes his final head-to-head with the Commonwealth champion, before punches trade, in Monday’s Sky TV screened Battle on the Waterfront, the Belfast man will realise his calling.
“Boxing is the reason I am on the earth and Chris Okoh has been made specially for me,” says Corbett.
“His life was designed to win the Commonwealth belt and hold onto it for a while until I was ready. Well, now I’m ready.
“Between Okoh and Frank Maloney (Okoh’s promoter) they can say what they want about me, they can talk all day long.
“I’d like to hear what they have to say on Monday night when I send them packing back to England with nothing but their wages.”
