All-Ireland SFC Semi-final Derry v KerryGavin Cummiskey talks to Derry's Conleth Gilligan, who is content to play a walk-on part as long as the impossible dream continues

Derry are supposed to be in the infancy of redevelopment. The last link with 1993, Anthony Tohill, has departed the scene so maybe it's time for a new year to be imprinted in the memory banks.

Admittedly, this is wishful thinking but it keeps with the theme of the 2004 championship. Derry's season has been notable for the progress of the unknown soldier. Seán Marty Lockhart, their leader, only came back the last day against Westmeath, so his influence has been minimal; and former regular Conleth Gilligan has to be content with a walk-on part.

Nevertheless, their panel is considered inferior to the one Jack O'Connor has at his disposal.

Without Séamus Moynihan, Kerry were expected to struggle against Dublin. Guess again. Now, despite their main man still resting his crocked ankle on a treatment table in Tralee, they are expected to stroll into another All-Ireland final, mainly because of their superior reserves.

True, it's hard to compete with the likes of Johnny Crowley.

And yet Derry's Eamon Burke came in and kicked one of the points of the championship to stall the Westmeath revival in the quarter-final, while Gilligan must constantly make Mickey Moran's job a little harder when he sits down to pick the starting 15. The Ballinderry forward was a fall guy of the disastrous defeat to Tyrone earlier this summer but has since been introduced in every game. A starting berth is again unlikely when Moran names a team tomorrow night but the Gilligan factor from the bench is another string to the bow.

"When the team keeps winning it's hard to find a place in the starting 15 but all I can do is keep training away and hope I can catch a break," said Gilligan.

If a player of his quality cannot force his way back in, despite scoring contributions against Cavan and Wexford, the Derry attack can hardly be dismissed. Allegedly, Paddy Bradley and Enda Muldoon are the only primary source of scores. More accurately they are the only household names up front.

So, what about the others? Johnny McBride and Conleth Moran had no joy against Westmeath but they have been ruthless on other days. Ask Cavan. "From 93 onwards the Derry half-forward line has constantly been criticised. You learn to live with that as well - water off a duck's back now," said Gilligan.

"You look through the campaign; the scores have been fairly evenly distributed through the forwards and midfield. The last day, obviously, was the most high-profile game this year. Enda and Paddy took the lion's share of the scores but that's the way some games go. If we win on Sunday I don't think anybody will care where they come from."

Nobody likes to be criticised but Derry couldn't have asked for a better build-up this week. They are being told they don't have a prayer and are 10 to 1 for the All-Ireland.

"Well there is nothing we can do. We are not getting much of a chance in many quarters but going in as underdogs suits us down to the ground," said Gilligan.

Yet, everyone is second favourite against Kerry, where teams that don't feel relaxed with being favourites are considered to be rotten apples; tribunals begin in the Kingdom. So any advantage is negated. Also, in the last two years the green and gold jersey has been treated with disdain by Ulster's finest.

"It's going to be a different prospect to any we have faced this year," Gilligan continued. "No disrespect to Limerick and Westmeath but Kerry are one of the top sides in the country every year.

"At a canter they disposed of Dublin. They did it very, very easy. Kerry have had the rough end of Ulster teams, you know. Tyrone's and Armagh's style didn't suit the game they wanted to play but we play an open game so there will be no negative tactics or four-man full-back lines."

The fact remains that if a team is to win the All-Ireland, Kerry must be conquered. Can it be done on Sunday?

"We're just going to impose our style of play on the game," explained Gilligan "and hope our work-rate and ability to win ball in the middle can see us through. We are under no illusions how massive the game is going to be for us. Kerry are always one game away from giving any team a real hiding."