After a securing a place in the All-Ireland quarter-final, this after a period of uncertainty following three consecutive losses, Enda McGinley now believes Derry are "a team to be feared" as they head to Croke Park.
After winning Division 1 on Easter Sunday, Mickey Harte's side were viewed as genuine All-Ireland contenders. However, championship losses to Donegal, Galway and Armagh saw the Oakleafers drop down the pecking order.
Last week's win over Westmeath did not inspire much confidence that they could turn their season around. Mickey Harte's side were underdogs as they headed to Castlebar to take on Mayo in Saturday's preliminary quarter-final. In a game not short of drama, Derry were certainly up for the fight, we saw many glimpses of their true worth. In the end they prevailed after a penalty shootout.
Speaking on The Saturday Game, Enda McGinley felt it was like the Derry we saw during the spring.
"Derry are no fitter than they were three or four weeks ago; they are no different in terms of skill, but in terms of mentality they were back to their old selves," he said.
"Defensively, they were really, really tight. It was the leadership of the key men and maybe whenever teams are in a difficult position, key men step up.
"I thought they were very careful in possession, much more methodical in how there were building up the pitch. When Derry are at their best, they are so clean and good in possession and they make it look so simple."
💬 "Derry are a team to be feared from here on in"
— The Sunday Game (@TheSundayGame) June 22, 2024
Enda McGinley pinpoints how Derry were able to get vestiges of their old selves back in the win over Mayo
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While outsiders will no doubt have pondered whether or not all was well in the Derry camp during their early summer slump, McGinley believes the group are now pulling in the one direction.
"The hole that they've been in; the attitude they showed today to turn that around, it's purely the group," he added.
"It's purely the group within the dressing room, on that training pitch, up in Owenbeg, away from everybody, listening to all they've been listening to. They have got it together and have welded that circle tight. Whenever a team comes through a difficult spell they come out a different team and Derry are a team to be feared from here on in."
Cora Staunton concurred with the latter point, when saying: "They'll obviously be boosted by today's result. Going to Croke Park, they won't fear anyone. We know what they did to Dublin in the league final. Dublin or Kerry would not like to see Derry coming. They'll get huge confidence from today."
Watch the Tailteann Cup semi-finals, Antrim v Laois (2pm) and Down v Sligo (4pm), on Sunday from 1.30pm on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player, follow a live blog on rte.ie/sport and the RTÉ News app and listen to commentary on Sunday Sport on RTÉ Radio 1
