Six games. Six defeats to the hands of the neighbours across the Sperrins in two seasons, yet Maurice Deegan will throw-in the ball on Sunday for the latest instalment of Ulster’s greatest rivalry.
The early vibes coming out of the Derry camp indicated a different game this time. The result wasn’t mentioned but more the game and an improvement. References to being bullied in Derry’s own backyard last year, the plot of land on Derry’s Lonemoor Road that was once a fortress. Not anymore.
At Derry’s press night the references were made to the clash of club fixtures and the age old problem of club versus county. Seldom has there been so little interest on a championship clash. Relegation, another defeat at the hands of Mickey Harte’s side in the McKenna Cup has dampened the enthusiasm.
A win over Westmeath in Derry’s last challenge game was an improvement on an earlier defeat to Monaghan. But then latest bombshell arrived last Tuesday with the departure from the squad of Padraig Cassidy.
Cassidy was the battering ram that hurt Westmeath. Carrying the ball at them, breaking the line - something Derry couldn’t do last year.
Two passages of play sum up the difference between the sides in last May’s encounter.
With lack of a target and faced with a sea of white jerseys, Danny Heavron was forced into a lateral handpass to Brendan Rogers who got bottled up by Peter Harte and Richie Donnelly on the Tyrone ‘65’ metre line. The ravenous Red Hands stripped Rogers of possession and 15 seconds later and four passes (two fisted and two kicked), Ronan O’Neill kicked the ball to the net. Ruthless and incisive.
Derry’s approach was a stark contrast. In the second-half, Gareth McKinless took a sideline ball back in his defence. With no options, he was forced to kick backwards. Some 16 passes (13 fisted, three kicked), Karl McKaigue kicked over the bar – a considerable 64 seconds later. An altogether different pace to the game.
After the Westmeath game, Cassidy’s display of attacking play would have been tipped as a useful key to unlock Tyrone’s defence and test Colm Cavanagh’s stopping credentials. Two days later, Cassidy opted out of the squad and Derry will now face a rejig.
Danny Heavron or Cassidy’s Slaughtneil club-mate Brendan Rogers could be handed the role now. But creating the overlap time and time again is what is needed - while still creating a defensive cover. With Heavron in a more offensive role, Carlus McWilliams role as sweeper is all the more important in front of the marshalling Chrissy McKaigue
All through the earlier games of the season McWilliams and Peter Hagan were the men to slot back in the hole. The early signs were promising but in the McKenna Cup Final, also against Tyrone, Derry wilted after a bright opening.
RAINING GOALS
In 12 competitive games in 2017, the Oaks have shipped 16 goals. Half came in two games - five against Galway and three in a trimming dished out by Meath in Navan.
With the return of the McKaigues and Rogers, Derry kept clean sheets against Cork and Fermanagh, with last year’s skipper Chrissy vocally organising the timing or the attacks in the Brewster Park. When to sit and when to break.
At Derry’s press night, Barton pointed to the lack of continuity, hampering any system to be bedded in. A total of 67 players have now player under the former All-Ireland winner in two seasons. Some were token McKenna Cup appearances but even still, the high numbers hinders any cohesion or continuity.
A staggering 28 players who played in 2016 have not played this season, far a variety of reasons.
If U21 players Conor Doherty and Shane McGuigan feature the number will rise to 69. Newbridge player Doherty is very much in the mould of Padraig Cassidy – mobile, fit and is intelligent reader of the game. Popping him into a senior championship game would be a big ask.
McGuigan burled four points in a substitute appearance against Westmeath and is almost certain to make his senior debut, either from the start or from the bench.
Neil Forester is a doubt after being replaced in Steelstown’s recent win over Ballerin. Connor Nevin missed Ballinderry’s game against Kilrea, Mark Lynch sat out part of training last Thursday night, so Damian Barton and his selectors will have to make a decision over the trio’s inclusion.
With the absence of Conor McAliskey, Tyrone’s main danger in attack will come from Darren McCurry, with Sean Cavanagh also coming to the fore in the league. Ronan O’Neill was in an out, without really setting the world alight and still doesn’t seem to have won Mickey Harte’s trust.
The manager’s nephew Peter Harte is the lynchpin. The only Tyrone player to have started all 12 games this season, racking up 3-34 in the process.
Outside of all the match-ups in defence, it’s the influence of Peter Harte that needs quashed the most.
In defence, Tyrone are facing somewhat of a mini-crisis. Johnny Monroe left the squad and Joe McMahon has retired.
Cathal McCarron stated virtually all of Tyrone’s games this year, but speaking at Tyrone’s press night, the Dromore man is ‘a real worry’ with a hamstring problem. It will leave Aidan McCrory, Padraig Hampsey and Ronan McNamee as the defensive duo.
The decision between the posts will be interesting. Niall Morgan and Mickey O’Neill were rotated all through the season. Morgan has kept four clean sheets, including one against the Dubs in Croke Park, and scored 0-2 from frees, with Clonoe’s O’Neill keeping four shut-outs.
O’Neill’s range of short kicking has improved, but with Tyrone’s free-taking problems, Morgan may get the nod for his ability from the placed ball.
All the signs point to a Tyrone victory. Last year the word ambush was bandied about in the run-up to the championship encounter. It fizzled out with Ronan O’Neill’s early goal.
Until there is continuity on the Oakleaf camp, things are not going to change. On Sunday Tyrone will take their first stop to retaining their Ulster title.
VERDICT: Tyrone
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