 In 2009 a "backdoor" system was introduced -

The cup for the winners of the Derry Senior Football Championship is named after John McLaughlin, a former leading official in Derry GAA.He was a native of Innishowen, Co. Donegal, having been born in Fahan.He was for a long time chairman of the North Derry Board and he was elected chairman of the County Board about 1943/44 in succession to Paddy Larkin, a post he held until his death in 1961.