CHRISSY McKAIGUE knows great expectations have changed the Derry narrative but insists they can still win the big one.
The Oak Leaf were seen as serious Sam contenders after winning back-to-back Ulster SFC titles in 2023 and, under Mickey Harte in 2024, the NFL.
But their Championship hopes unravelled last year as Donegal stunned them in Ulster and All-Ireland group-stage losses to Galway and Armagh followed.
They survived to dismiss Mayo on penalties in the preliminary quarter-finals before Kerry ended their misery in the last eight and Harte walked.
McKaigue also called it quits as Paddy Tally took the reins for this year — but they are yet to win a game under him.
A group draw against Galway has kept them alive ahead of Saturday’s final round against Dublin.
McKaigue remembers playing Division 4 football in 2019 but their revival raised the bar.
He said: “Expectation is a wonderful thing and it’s often created by a world outside the bubble itself.
“There has been a narrative created that Derry’s senior footballers had the worst season ever last year.
“I can accurately remember many poorer years for Derry in the Championship but last year was sort of built up into this catastrophe of a year.
“It was more so we didn’t meet expectations. I’m not saying that everyone follows that narrative, but I felt Mickey Harte last year got a lot of scrutiny that was a wee bit over the top at times.”
Still, the 2022 All-Star believes Tally can take them all the way for the first time since 1993.
He added: “I still feel that Derry are a contender for Sam Maguire.
“Maybe not this year in the same capacity as last year but do I feel this Derry squad will have the potential to be a contender for Sam Maguire in the next number of years.
“Derry have a fair bit of talent and probably a nice enough age profile in that squad too that would suggest that they’re still going to be knocking there or thereabouts the next number of years.
“I feel that the underage in Derry is really strong and you’ll probably be yet to see a couple of the players that I’d be really excited about.
“From a Derry perspective, that’s really pleasing because for a long number of years as we know, we weren’t anywhere near that level.”
l CHRISSY McKAIGUE was speaking at the 2025 Electric Ireland GAA All- Ireland Minor Championship launch
Pictured is former Electric Ireland Minor Championship star Chrissy McKaigue of Derry at the 2025 Electric Ireland GAA All-Ireland Minor Championship Launch. This summer, Electric Ireland will use their social channels to spotlight players from across the Championships, in their ‘Parent Point of View’ series highlighting the major impact that playing Minor can have on players and their families #ThisIsMajor.
