In 2014, Derry contested the National Football League Division One final.
After finishing second in the regular season table, beating Dublin at Celtic Park, they overcame Mayo with just 14 men in the semi-finals before falling to the capital in the decider.
In 2015, they were still playing Division One but the decline was beginning.
Today, they are a Division Four side.
Perhaps now the media will stop considering them as ‘Derry’. Thinking of the name, the success of the 90s and the really, really strong teams of the noughties who beat Tyrone and Armagh. Those days are gone and Derry are a Division Four side.
Offaly, yet again, have survived the drop to the basement of the league and Kevin McLoughlin’s heroics have seen Mayo hang on yet again to the top table at the expense of Donegal who’s last-second concession sees them drop out of Division One.
"Now behold the stubbornness of the most stubborn team in all of sport" – @ConanDoherty can't believe he's still surprised by Mayo's refusal to die https://t.co/2eRsNq1lc8
— SportsJOE (@SportsJOEdotie) March 25, 2018
After a jam-packed Sunday of GAA action, there were some late bolters and guys caught out resting on their laurels in a dramatic final round.
All the results
Allianz Football League Div 1
Donegal 0-13 Mayo 0-13
Tyrone 1-17 Kerry 0-14
Dublin 0-17 Monaghan 2-12
Kildare 0-10 Galway 0-16
Dublin and Galway in final.
Kildare and Donegal relegated.
Allianz Football League Div 2
Roscommon 0-17 Cork 1-11
Cavan 0-17 Tipperary 2-10
Meath 4-14 Down 1-14
Clare 3-12 Louth 1-11
Cavan and Roscommon promoted.
Louth relegated – another round to play for some teams.
Allianz Football League Div 3
Sligo 3-11 Derry 2-12
Wexford 0-12 Armagh 1-08
Westmeath 1-14 Offaly 1-20
Longford 1-09 Fermanagh 1-10
Armagh and Fermanagh promoted.
Derry and Wexford relegated.
Allianz Football League Div 4
Leitrim 2-15 Wicklow 0-10
Limerick 0-12 Antrim 1-13
London 1-14 Waterford 1-16
Carlow 0-08 Laois 1-06
Carlow and Laois promoted.
And it gives an interesting complexion now on what each table is going to look like next year.
2019 National Football League
Division One
Dublin
Galway
Monaghan
Tyrone
Kerry
Mayo
Cavan
Roscommon
Division Two
Kildare
Donegal
Clare
Tipperary
Fermanagh
Armagh
Plus two of Cork/Down/Meath
Division Three
Down/Cork/Meath
Louth
Offaly
Sligo
Longford
Westmeath
Carlow
Laois
Division Four
Derry
Wexford
Antrim
Leitrim
London
Wicklow
Waterford
Limerick
