GAA - Plenty to work on ahead of Cavan trip

Plenty to work on ahead of Cavan trip

Steven Doherty reports from Celtic Park

DAMIAN Barton is nothing if not a perfectionist. Many feared for Derry after that 90 minute slugfest in Armagh last weekend and the toll it took in terms of both injured and exhausted players. A nine point opening day National League win, however, undermined that theory as Derry eventually found somewhere near top gear to cruise home against a feisty enough Fermanagh side. But despite the in the end comfortable victory, Barton found plenty to be concerned about. "We gave serious ball away” he explained. “We were very flat at the start of the game. I thought it was uncharacteristic to give that amount of ball away under no pressure. We were a bit lateral and I couldn't believe the ball we were turning over at times. I was wondering, 'Where the hell is this ball going to?' Execution of basic skills was poor.” "I was glad to see our first goal going in (before half-time) and I was very happy to see half-time because it gave us an opportunity to restructure and talk about what we felt we were going wrong. A transformed Derry, no doubt with a flea in their ear, appeared from the home changing room after the break. Visibly more hungry and direct, the home side found scores much easier to come against a side that field both James McMahon and Barry Mulrone at sweeper. As has been the case so far in January, the early ball to the twin towers up top was the key to prise open a mean Erne rearguard. "Yes but we have two big men inside and we put the ball in. Getting in the ball in early in the second half to our men inside worked nicely in the inclement conditions but we'll have to up our performances over the next couple of weeks. I would be very mindful that we kicked nine into the keeper's hands as well so certainly we changed things in the second half by pushing Mark in there. In fairness, Ryan did a very good job in the middle of the park, particularly in the early stages of the second half.” Barton also paid tribute to the excellent Emmett Bradley who outshone Fermanagh captain Eoin Donnelly at centre-field. "Emmet is maturing but I thought he was fairly strong and it is a steep learning curve for young players but we came through okay.” Barton also brought a little good news regarding the misfortunate leg break sustained by Enda Lynn in Derry’s previous game. "The positive things is it is a clean break which means, apparently, he should be back quicker which is good for us. Enda has been to training on his crutches and that is his attitude. His recovery depends on what the experts say but we won't be rushing him back. “We have a few more people to come back within a week or two. On Brendan Rogers I am not sure. The last thing he needs is another crack on the face. It was quite horrific at the time and even psychologically for Brendan I think he has to work his way through training on so on.” Barton refused to pour any petrol on one of the major talking points from that McKenna Cup final – Tiarnan McCann’s hit on Brendan Rogers. "I haven't been asked and I am not going to comment as that was last week. I would prefer not to. People can make their own minds up on it but it was certainly shocking.”