Maybe it really is one of the most competitive club scenes in the land.
Derry GAA prides itself on the intense devotion of its people to its games. That leads to fierce on-field rivalries. That leads to deadly competitions.
Before Ballinderry and Slaughtneil took turns at asserting complete control over the senior football championship this decade, and winning Ulsters along the way, six different clubs had shared the John McLaughlin Cup in the seven seasons between 2004 and 2010.
Four powerful images that sum up the hardiest midfielder in the GAA
The Oak Leaf county is going through a bit of a restructure this season.
As part of a prolonged plan to strengthen from the bottom up, Derry have been populating the junior division with more clubs as the intermediate ranks were facing a ‘2 down, 1 up’ format for this last number of years.
By the end of 2018, the bottom tier of the Derry football leagues will have over a third of the teams when, only a while ago, there were just eight clubs there. Now, there will be 14 in Division 2, 12 in Division 1B and 12 in Division 1A.
To achieve that though, four must go from the top.
Two are already relegated, Glenullin and Claudy but the final two relegation spots are being fought out between six different teams.
Bottom eight of Division One in Derry. Four go down. Mathematically Bellaghy could still get sucked down. They play Swatragh and Ballinderry. ‘Screen play Greenlough. Kilrea play Claudy. Newbridge away to Lavey. Swatragh finish with rivals Slaughtneil. Some craic pic.twitter.com/hrUUXBghg6
— Cahair O'Kane (@CahairOKane1) August 22, 2018
As far up as ninth place in the 16-team league, the great Bellaghy are still in trouble, even with a game in hand.
Most have just one fixture still to play with Kilrea and Greenlough occupying the last two spots in the drop zone at present but both could rescue themselves with final day action.
What’s most dramatic is that 12th place, fifth from bottom, will have to play a playoff game against Banagher (in the division below) to determine their fate so the bottom five will all be in danger of the drop.
What’s even more dramatic than that is that clubs like Bellaghy – with two games left – will play on Friday (tonight) and Sunday.
Remaining fixtures
(Friday)
Glen v Coleraine
Swatragh v Bellaghy
Kilrea v Claudy
(Sunday)
Coleraine v Glenullin
Lavey v Newbridge
Swatragh v Slaughtneil
Ballinascreen v Greenlough
The Loup v Dungiven
Ballinderry v Bellaghy
Glen v Magherafelt
Greenlough, already in the drop zone, play fellow strugglers Ballinascreen knowing that a win will put them ahead of them on head to head but score difference will come into play if more than two teams are tied on points.
If Bellaghy were to lose to Swatragh (also in danger) on Friday, they head to one of their biggest enemies Ballinderry with their place in the top table on the line. They could drop from ninth to the second tier in one weekend and the most successful club in Derry could slip out.
This is madness.
