Gallagher calls for change to 'ridiculous' subs rule

Derry manager Rory Gallagher has called on the Ulster Council to address the "ridiculous" unlimited substitutes rule in the McKenna Cup.

The Oak Leaf County came out on top of a pulsating January clash with Down at Pairc Esler, advancing to a first McKenna Cup final since 2017 after a penalty shootout success.

While the early season competitions can be much maligned - the O'Byrne Cup drifted towards farce last week with teams not fulfilling fixtures - Gallagher is a fan of the McKenna Cup given the short run-in to the Allianz League.

He is however strongly opposed to the unlimited substitutes rule the competition allows.

While Derry only introduced three replacements, last night's meeting of Tyrone and Cavan saw 16 substitutes given game time.

"You see the crowd that comes out if it's [weather] any way middling," he told RTÉ Sport. "There was a bit of nonsense for years with colleges in it, that devalued it, but now you have nine teams, three groups of three, so you have only two games, but it's our third game in eight days, so we're not complaining.

"It's a good preparation going into he national league and it's good when teams take it serious. I disagree with unlimited subs, I think it's slightly ridiculous.

"I would urge them (Ulster Council) to remove the extra subs."

The Derry boss was pleased with the commitment from both sides - "It probably felt there was more at stake than a McKenna Cup final" and was encouraged by some of the fresh faces looking to stake a claim in 2023.

Anton Tohill, son of 1993 All-Ireland winner Anthony, was in the starting team, as were teenagers Eoin McEvoy and Lachlann Murray.

How they handled themselves under pressure more akin to a league encounter will be significant for the development of the