DAMIAN Barton has admitted last year’s Dr McKenna Cup “took a toll” on Derry – and he is keen to avoid a repeat in 2017 as the Oak Leafs gear up for the start of the inter-county season.
Derry came flying out of the blocks in Barton’s first year in charge, reaching the McKenna Cup final in impressive fashion before losing out to Tyrone after extra-time.
However, apart from the disappointment of falling to their neighbours in a feisty affair, that game proved costly in many other ways.
Barton was handed an eight-week touchline ban as a result of his involvement in an on-field melee, while Brendan Rogers needed 14 stitches in a facial injury following a challenge by Tyrone's Tiernan McCann seconds after throw-in.
Perhaps most damaging of all though was a broken ankle sustained by the quicksilver Enda Lynn, forcing the Greenlough playmaker to spend the majority of the season on the sidelines.
And Barton is understandably wary of damaging the Oak Leafers’ hopes of a strong Division Two campaign, which starts at home to Clare on February 5.
He said: “It’s been a learning curve, not least from a competitive point of view.
“We started off very strongly, arguably both ourselves and Tyrone made the McKenna Cup. You saw other counties not putting the same emphasis on the competition in relation to the players they committed to it.
“I’ve learned from that, I don’t mind saying that. We lost a gem in Enda Lynn for an entire season, arguably the Brendan Rogers escapade, arguably my eight week suspension, which was quite ridiculous… it took its toll on us last year.”
Donegal have already indicated they intend to field their U21 squad during the pre-season competition, and Barton is still in the process of finalising his own panel ahead of the McKenna Cup.
The 1993 All-Ireland winner has lost a number of experienced players after Danny Heavron, Sean Leo McGoldrick, Liam McGoldrick, Gareth McKinless, Conor McAtamney, Emmett Bradley, Ciaran McFaul, Eoghan Brown, Christopher Bradley and Niall Holly opted off the panel.
With the injury-hit Dermot McBride also unlikely to feature, the Derry boss will have to rely on his fair share of young players to prove they are ready for the inter-county stage.
“There’s a whole lot of things involved in getting players ready for the start of the League season. Clare in the first weekend in February is a huge game,” said Barton.
“Because of obvious reasons, we have lost a bit of experience and quality, we’ve younger players coming in that we’re trying to develop and it’s a very demanding environment to develop a young player in.
“Unless you’re playing them in the likes of the McKenna Cup, you don’t know how they’re going to deal with it.”
Despite being without a host of key personnel, Derry will hope to welcome the Slaughtneil contingent back into the fold at some point during the National League – depending on their endeavours in the All-Ireland Club series.
Men like Chrissy and Karl McKaigue, as well as Rogers, are mainstays of the team but the likes of midfielder Padraig Cassidy and forward Shane McGuigan are expected to be given a chance in county colours.
Barton, though, is keeping a respectful distance from the Derry champions while they are competing on so many fronts
“They have a fantastic team as a unit and the guys you mentioned fit into their team ethic and processes of play,” said the former Slaughtneil manager.
“The younger players have come in and fitted into their system very well and been very successful. Meehaul McGrath, Paul McNeill we know about his potential, young Keelan Feeney is realising some of his potential.
“There are players we’re looking at, but it would be totally unfair to distract them from the task at hand. They’re probably glad to get a breather now so the last thing they need is me plaguing people.”
