Enda McGinley: Evolution not revolution for Odhran Lynch and Derry

RTÉ GAA analyst Enda McGinley doesn't feel that Odhran Lynch’s nightmare evening against Donegal will see Derry rip up their goalkeeping strategy.

The Magherafelt man has been given licence to roam, particularly to the middle sector on opposition kick-outs, under Rory Gallagher and now Mickey Harte, but that tactic was badly exposed at Celtic Park as three of Donegal’s four goals in their Ulster win came with the goalkeeper caught away from home.

Saturday’s collection of errors weren’t the first examples of Lynch’s adventurous spirit leading to trouble.

In the 2022 All-Ireland semi-final and with Derry searching for a way back into the contest against Galway, he was on the opposition 'D’ when Conor Glass was turned over. Two passes later and Damien Comer hit into an empty net to secure the Tribe a final spot.

Even in this year’s league against Roscommon, he opted to engage a long ball in between the 14 and 21-metre lines before the hard Celtic Park turf saw it bounce over his head giving Donie Smith a free goal to punch home too.

But for that risk, there has equally been reward with Lynch’s extra body out the field giving Derry an overload that has kick-started numerous attacking probes and defensively provided a gap-filler when teams try to target areas for restarts.

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The refinement of his exertions up the pitch were crucial to Derry’s 2023 run where they came agonisingly close to beating Kerry in the All-Ireland semi-final as well as their fantastic Division 1 campaign this season.

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