Bank of Ireland Dr McKenna Cup Section A: Derry 4-6 Tyrone 1-16
IF there is such a thing as a McKenna Cup thriller, then yesterday’s showdown between neighbours Derry and Tyrone ticked all the boxes.
It rained goals – particularly for 14-man Derry – there were some fine individual displays, a hatful of super points and a couple of controversial incidents that kept the 5,179 crowd engrossed until the last seconds of the game.
The Red Hands managed to claw back a nine-point deficit to claim a one-point win yesterday and are now odds-on to secure a semi-final berth.
Despite losing yesterday’s derby clash, Derry boss Damian Barton was content with what he’s seen in their two McKenna Cup games to date – but he was miffed by the events that led to Emmett McGuckin’s 42nd minute dismissal for a second yellow card offence.
Tyrone had momentum at that stage, and a little bit more once the Magherafelt clubman was sent off.
McGuckin and Tyrone’s second half substitute Cathal McCarron were both booked for a wrestling match on the edge of square.
The upshot was a yellow card apiece – McCarron’s first and McGuckin’s second. Barton insisted his player was hard done by and was surprised Tyrone ended the game with a full quota of players.
“A forward is surely trying to get space,” he said.
“We won two penalties and Tyrone ended the game with 15 men on the pitch. It seems a bit ridiculous.
“[In future] I’ll tell our defenders to maybe take somebody down rather than [let them] score a goal. We were in to score a goal from open play which would have pleased me more.
“But the fact that we had a half-back [Mark Craig] scoring a goal was very encouraging, but we’ll learn from today.”
Barton, however, was pleased with many aspects of Derry’s display with his side now having racked up eight goals in two Bank of Ireland McKenna Cup games.
“I think that we were happy to give Tyrone a contest,” he said.
“But we’re warming up and we’ll be ready for the next couple of competitions and I think you can see that.”
Even though they’re not out of contention for a McKenna Cup semi-final berth, the 1993 All-Ireland winning forward was “happy enough” with Derry’s campaign ahead of Wednesday night’s tie against Queen’s.
“[If we don’t make the semi-finals] The boys will be maybe glad of a rest. But I’m happy enough. We’ve got enough out of the McKenna Cup. We’ll make a lot of changes for the Queen’s game.
“We played well for the first 25 minutes and we’d the initiative in the first half in particular. But we got a wee bit lazy. Tactically, maybe we have to look at ourselves on the sidelines in terms of who we left free.
“When we went down to 14 men, I thought the boys defended valiantly. I couldn’t have asked for any more from the players.”
Naturally, Tyrone boss Mickey Harte was the happier of the two managers – and not just because the Red Hands went back home with the points.
Newcomers Richard Donnelly, David Mulgrew, Jonathan Munroe and Niall Sludden all caught the eye in Owenbeg yesterday afternoon. Donnelly bagged four points from play and was voted man-of-the-match, while front-foot defenders Munroe and Sludden were perpetual motion throughout.
And Mulgrew of Ardboe acclimatised well to yesterday’s daunting derby challenge and Patrick Quinn grabbed a brilliant three-pointer in the opening half.
“I was very impressed with Johnny [Munroe] in the O Fiaich Cup and he carried that form on today,” said Harte.
“And young David Mulgrew is a very good footballer. He was a three-year minor. He has a lot of quality. He’s a young lad learning his trade and he acquitted himself very well for his first game.
“And Richard Donnelly has been really carrying on his Trillick form right into the county scene here now. We knew there’s a quality footballer there and his work-rate is up a lot from what it was in the past and that’s making such a difference. He’s a real bonus.
“There were encouraging performances but a lot of work to do. We were cut open too many times and we conceded four goals. No team would be happy with that. So, yes, it’s nice to win but there are lots and lots of things to work on.”
Harte acknowledged McGuckin’s sending-off swung the game firmly in Tyrone’s favour.
“If we hadn’t had the extra man it would have been difficult to climb back and win the game, but with the extra man we were able to utilise that and pick off the scores that we needed.”
Tyrone’s experienced defender Justin McMahon was black-carded in the first half for dissent, a rare infringement that was enforced by referee Ciaran Brannigan.
“We all know refs don’t have an easy job and at this time of year it makes it even more difficult,” said Harte.
“He [McMahon] probably engaged with him in a way he shouldn’t have. We’ll learn from that, we’ll accept that and if there is a lesson in January it would be better now than falling victim to it later in the year.”
