Derry selector Enda Gormley stood in the doorway and reached back a few years to illustrate the unreliability of league form as an aide to championship soothsaying.

"Two years ago we beat Mayo in a semi-final like today and by a similar margin. A few weeks later we were dumped out of the championship and they went on to an All-Ireland final they should have won."

Thus the lack of whooping and hollering from within these Derry walls.

"It wasn't a good game," said Gormley "but we limited their goal opportunities, they got through a couple of times but they didn't have clean shots."

Joe Cassidy, the lively Derry forward, reflected on a return from injury which saw him bag one of the less spectacular goals of his career.

"Maybe it's better not to talk about it. Henry Downey was boxed in at the corner and he kicked it across. I got my hands to it and whatever way I kicked it I think it came off the keeper and the defender was falling backwards over the line."

Cassidy, with a full diary for the next two Sundays (Ulster under-21 final and league final), emphasised the value of the league as a competitive exercise.

"We got beaten badly by Laois in our last league game before the championship last year. Humiliated almost. It didn't do much good. This year we wanted to win every game we played. The championship is only seven weeks away and winning games is useful for building confidence."

Eamon McEneaney, the Monaghan manager, was bearing the disappointment well.

"We didn't play well and I think perhaps the disallowed goal was a turning point. We were coming strong just then and we fell away afterwards.

Summer looms ever closer.