The following is a summary of Derry county football team's 2008 season. Details of the 2008 Derry club competitions are also shown.
Dr McKenna Cup
Derry had a relatively successful 2008 Dr McKenna Cup, winning all three groups games and reaching the final, before losing to Down. Manager Paddy Crozier used the competition to try out young promising players,[1] such as Enda Lynn, who won the TG4 Man of the Match award against Armagh on his inter-county debut.[2] Paddy Bradley ended the competition as Derry's top scorer with 2-15.
Group games
Armagh
0-06 – 2-09
Derry
Brian Mallon 0-02, Stefan Forker 0-02 (0-02 frees), Gregory Loughran and Conor Clarke 0-01 each.
Seán Leo McGoldrick 2-00, Enda Lynn 0-03 (0-01 free), Enda Muldoon 0-02 (0-02 frees), Cathal O'Kane 0-02, Coilin Devlin and Ciarán Mullan 0-01 each.
John Cunningham 1-00, Paul McAleer 1-00, Paul Carvill 0-04 (0-03 frees), Barry McGoldrick 0-02 (0-01 free), Gareth O'Neill 0-01, Michael Pollack 0-01 (0-01 free).
Coilin Devlin 1-01, Raymond Wilkinson 1-00, Paddy Bradley 0-04, James Conway 0-02, Cathal O'Kane, Michael McBride, Seán Leo McGoldrick, Enda Lynn and Fergal Doherty 0-01 each.
Shaun Doherty 1-02, Matthew Keenan 0-03 (0-03 frees), Mark Little 0-02 (0-01 free), Eamon Maguire, Damian Kelly and Ryan Keenan 0-01 each.
Derry won the 2008 National League, their first League success since 1999/2000 and sixth in total. They finished top of the group stage standings and along with Kerry qualified for the final, played in Parnell Park. Derry defeated Kerry on a scoreline of 2-13 to 2-09, with Fergal Doherty grabbing the man of the match award.[4][5] As in the McKenna Cup, Paddy Bradley ended the competition as Derry's top scorer with 1-39 (42). Indeed, this was third overall in Division 1, behind Kerry's Bryan Sheehan (1-41 (44)) and Galway's Michael Meehan (4-31 (43)).
Colm McFadden 0-05 (0-03 frees), Michael Hegarty 0-01 (0-01 free), Michael Doherty 0-01 (0-01 penalty), Leon Thompson, Frank McGlynn and Christy Toye 0-01 each.
Apps stats are recorded as (Starts) (Substitute appearances), i.e. (2)(3) indicates a player started two games and came on as a substitute in a further three games.
Ryan Dillon (QUB), Mark Lynch (UUJ), Barry McGoldrick and Michael McIver (both St. Mary's) all represented their college sides during the McKenna Cup, as they have first choice over players for the competition.
Joe O'Kane,[10] Shane McGuckin[10] and Enda Lynn[11] were called up to the Championship panel ahead of the Fermanagh game.
Christopher McKaigue[12] and Dermot McBride were called up to the panel ahead of the Monaghan game.
^McCann, Chris (8 January 2008). "Crozier satisfied with opening day win". County Derry Post. p. 77.
^McCann, Chris (8 January 2008). "New faces impress as Derry make solid start". County Derry Post. p. 80.
^"Hughes inspires Down to Glory". Ulster GAA Council official website. January 2008. Archived from the original on 5 May 2008. Retrieved 19 June 2008.
^"Derry 2-13 Kerry 2-09 2008 National League Final report". RTÉ. Archived from the original on 30 April 2008. Retrieved 27 April 2008.
^"Derry 2-13 Kerry 2-09 2008 National League Final report - Derry GAA website". Derry GAA website. Retrieved 27 April 2008.
^McCann, Chris (8 April 2008). "Bradley's sparkling seven-up sees of Tyrone". County Derry Post. pp. 94–95.
^O'Kane, Cahair (24 June 2008). "Oak Leaf's semi-final heartbreak continues". County Derry Post. pp. 86–87.
^"USFC: Bradley too hot for Donegal". Ulster GAA Council official website. June 2008. Retrieved 19 June 2008.
^"USFC: Fermanagh through to Final". Ulster GAA Council official website. 23 June 2008. Archived from the original on 19 July 2011. Retrieved 23 June 2008.
^ abMcCann, Chris (17 June 2008). "Crozier looks to Loup for reinforcements". County Derry Post. p. 88.
^"USFC Semi-Final Derry v Fermanagh Team News". 19 June 2008. Retrieved 19 June 2008.