RTÉ Sport Reporter
It s not peak-time for GAA content, what with Congress in the rear-view mirror and no on-field action for a while yet.
This time around, we re going back 20 years, to the inaugural back-door championship in 2001.
In a nice turn, the first All-Ireland championship under the new format ended up being won, via the backdoor, by the only county to vote against its adoption at Congress.
What else? The Rossies lit up the championship and then allegedly lit up their rivals jerseys. The Dubs headed off on tour, Hill 16 pitching up on the Killinan side of Thurles in one of the more famous games of the decade.
McKeever relives Derry s decade of joy in the league
Derry legend Kieran McKeever speaks to RTÉ Sport s Raf Diallo about the achievement of bringing home four National League titles between 1992 and 2000 and how important the competition was to their generation of 93 All-Ireland winners.
• 8 Mar 2021
RTÉ Sport Journalist
As Autumn set in and oak leaves would start to settle on football s forest floor, 1993 was the year when it all clustered together perfectly for the Oak Leaf County.
For those of a Derry persuasion, that 19 September was the date that stands above all others as All-Ireland glory was finally achieved.
Yet what can t be forgotten is how Derry would blossom consistently in the 1990s and how the National League became the regular benchmark for what a talented crop of players was capable of.