Football

Derry's Damian Barton wants calm heads for Tyrone clash

&nbsp;Derry manager Damian Barton believes his players will keep their discipline despite the intense rivalry<br />Picture by Margaret McLaughlin&nbsp;
 Derry manager Damian Barton believes his players will keep their discipline despite the intense rivalry
Picture by Margaret McLaughlin 
 Derry manager Damian Barton believes his players will keep their discipline despite the intense rivalry
Picture by Margaret McLaughlin 

DERRY manager Damian Barton has urged the media not to whip up a frenzy of ill-will ahead of his side’s Ulster Football Championship clash with arch-rivals Tyrone.

He anticipates a sporting contest, unblemished by scenes of indiscipline.

Tensions have never been far from the surface during previous encounters this season, with Barton handed an eight-week ban as a result of an incident during the Dr McKenna Cup final.

“I can’t see there’s any sparks gonna’ fly particularly between Derry and Tyrone as any other contest.

“Again, I just hope the media don’t go down that route, and whip this up to something it’s not,” he said.

“I think the media has exaggerated it out of all proportion. It obviously makes good press, it sells papers, and at 80p a pop it’s not bad.

“But what do you want to do? Do you want to look back at the history of the GAA and confrontation, and what this game is all about. It’s a physical contest between not just 15 players, but beyond that. Isn’t that the beauty, or one of the beauties of this game?”

Barton also dismissed suggestions that Ulster teams adopt a more physical, confrontational approach to the game than those from the southern provinces.

“I think it’s a perception. I’m sure if you asked any other province, and the teams that are competing against each other, they would like to think there’s physicality in their games as well. 

“Certainly whenever you play against any of the southern teams, I can’t see any difference from a physical point of view.

“Again, I think it’s a notion as much as anything else. I think whenever southern teams have been turned over by absolute work-rate and passion of some of the northern teams, sometimes they have cried foul.

“But at the end of the day it’s a competitive environment, and I can’t see any difference between any of the teams.”

The Oak Leaf boss insisted he’s approaching the Celtic Park clash with Tyrone as a must-win tie.

To him, this is knock-out Championship football, and the issue of back door reprieves through the Qualifiers is not on the agenda.

“We all look at the Ulster Championship as unique, it’s a knock-out, and I’m certainly not thinking of back door and safety nets. It’s going to be a good day and I’m hoping Derry people come and support us.

“It’s Ulster Championship, it’s knock-out, you can’t afford to be thinking otherwise.

“I think Tyrone will admit too that the previous games will have no significance on this game.

“It’s a different occasion and it demands a different focus, and a different type of performance.”

The momentum lies with Tyrone, who went through their NFL campaign unbeaten, on their way to promotion and the Division Two title.

Derry, on the other hand, endured a disappointing campaign after a promising start, and hovered just above the relegation zone.

However, Barton feels his team is in a good place, and the players have prepared well for a huge test on May 22.

“Nothing beats winning, in terms of confidence, but we’re happy enough with where we are at the minute. Things have been going pretty well, and players have been back getting their diet of club football, which is a good thing as well.

“But it’s a different occasion, and I still think you toss a coin before a game not just to see what way you’re going. Certainly, we don’t know the outcome, and they’ll have to come to Celtic Park and beat us.”