The National Football League returned this weekend, with GAA fans around the country set to be treated to some brilliant games over the coming weeks. One of the standout fixtures from the opening round of games came in Tralee, where there was a rematch of last year's All-Ireland semi-final as Kerry took on Derry.
Of course, it is unlikely that teams will have their full compliment of players featuring at this time of the year. As new players are given an opportunity to impress, some mainstays in the side may be rested. That is especially true for those who had long club commitments over the winter.
For example, neither David Clifford or Paudie Clifford will feature for Kerry over the first couple of rounds of the league as they recover from their endeavours at club and county level over the last couple of years.
In saying that, there was quite the contrast in the Derry side this evening.
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Sean Cavanagh criticises Derry handling of Glen stars
Derry club Glen produced a huge victory last weekend, defeating St Brigid's at Croke Park to claim their first ever All-Ireland club title on Sunday afternoon.
A number of inter-county players featured for the team on that occasion and it was expected they would be given a break ahead of the league campaign.
However, the trio of Conor Glass, Ethan Doherty, and Ciaran McFaul were all surprisingly named to start for Derry against Kerry just six days after winning that club title.
In an age where player welfare is such a concern, quite a few people have criticised the decision.
Ah Jesus 3 lads in the Derry squad from Glen, not even a week after winning the club All Ireland. Give them lads a break 🤷♂️
— Mr. Brightside (@noel_fogarty) January 27, 2024
Unless the Glen lads get a rest at some stage in the league, you can rule Derry out of the All Ireland talk.
— Dublin fan page (@Dubfanspage) January 27, 2024
That group includes former Tyrone star Sean Cavanagh, someone who knows Derry boss Mickey Harte very well.
Speaking on RTÉ, Cavanagh questioned the decision by his former manager to not allow the Glen players to have more time off after their exploits at club level in recent times.
I'm not surprised at all.
With Mickey going there, he probably offended Tyrone people, offended Louth people, and probably offended some Derry people as well.
To garnish that total respect from Derry, he needs to win games. The pressure is on him from day dot...
To bring them in after six or seven days, from a medical or health (point of view)? You look at the two Cliffords, two stalwarts of Kerry right now, they haven't played football in two or three months. They're still being rested while these guys here tonight were out in Croke Park last Sunday.
It just doesn't feel right. If one of them got injured here tonight, I think they will be very regretful over it. Look, that's what you get when you get Mickey Harte, you get a winning culture and mentality.
Mickey Harte clearly intends to set down a marker early in his Derry tenure.
His decision to join the county after such a long associated with rivals Tyrone has proven to be a controversial one, with Cavanagh himself admitting he was not a fan of the move.
It's not great for for a Tyrone man, watching him come in a Derry top there tonight...
I suppose it's a personal thing for me. Mickey is a Tyrone man, I'm a Tyrone man, it's very hard for me. Maybe I'm a little bit nostalgic or old-school in my thinking. Mickey taught me that more than anyone, he taught us that siege mentality that Tyrone people look after Tyrone.
I know things didn't work out in the end with Tyrone, but at the end of the day after 26 years with Tyrone, would Alex Ferguson have gone to Man City or Liverpool after 26 years? I couldn't see it, it's hard to accept.
It will be interesting to see if the Glen trio will be given a rest at some stage during Derry's league campaign.
If not, it is something that could end up coming back to bite them during the championship later in the year.
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