Derry to face Tyrone in league opener

Derry get their campaign off to a mouth watering start with a clash against their neighbours Tyrone on Saturday evening in Celtic Park, throw-in 7.30pm. The counties have had contrasting fortunes in the McKenna Cup with Tyrone going all the way to the final while Derry lost two of their three group games.

Tyrone went on to lose the final 1-11 to 0-13 to holders Donegal but more worryingly for them they lost star forward Stephen O’Neill to a freak injury. O’Neill lost his footing going for a ball and as he fell to the ground his Tyrone colleague Kevin Hughes collided with his outstretched arm dislocating his elbow. O’Neill has been very unfortunate with injuries and this latest setback is expected to keep him out for up to three months, a real blow for the player and Tyrone. Despite that final defeat Tyrone will be reasonably well pleased with their five game McKenna Cup campaign.

From their vast wealth of under-age talent Tyrone seem to have unearthed at least one or two players who have put their names firmly in the mind of manager Mickey Harte for inclusion in the National league panel at least. Players like Kyle Coney, Niall McKenna, Peter Harte, Mattie Donnelly and Ronan McNabb will all be hoping to get the nod from Harte. Meanwhile the likes of Martin Penrose, who has been in superb scoring form during the McKenna Cup, will be hoping to be a permanent feature in the starting fifteen this season.

Certainly Derry’s campaign was less inspiring than Tyrone’s having lost to Down and Antrim, their only win coming against the students from Queens. Like virtually all the managers in the McKenna Cup, Damian Cassidy ran the rule over a number of players relatively new to the senior inter-county scene.

Cassidy did try out a few familiar faces in less familiar roles with different degrees of success it has to be said. Big Joe Diver did not look comfortable at full forward against Down, it was only when he reverted to the more familiar surroundings around midfield that he became more effective.

The Derry captain, Gerard O’Kane has flitted between the full and half back lines, but he really is at his best and most effective for Derry when he is driving forward from the half-back line. Indeed Derry have been struggling for some time around the half-forward line, O’Kane’s energy and forceful play could well be more suited to that area, certainly more so than the full back line. Mark Lynch has had a couple of outings at centre half back and has looked comfortable enough, however much tougher examinations await in the league to see if that is Lynch’s best place.

Derry will have a number of players who were involved with University teams back for consideration during the league, the likes of James Kielt, Caolan O’Boyle and Brian g McAlary will all come into the reckoning. Derry will be hoping to get experienced players, currently out with injury, Paddy Bradley, Niall McCusker, Kevin McCloy and Enda Muldoon back in action later in the campaign while the McGoldrick brothers Barry and Sean Leo are expected to be home from their world travels towards the end of the month.

The early stages of the league campaign could be fraught for Derry as they will have a fairly inexperienced look about them. And the start could not be much more difficult than Tyrone on Saturday evening. After that its Dublin away in Round Two on February 13, Round three sees Derry travel to All-Ireland champions Kerry on Sunday 7 March and then it’s back home where they entertain Mayo on Saturday 13 March in Round four.

A trip to old rivals Monaghan awaits in Round five on Sunday 21 March while in Round six Derry have a home game against All-Ireland finalists Cork on Saturday 27 March. Round seven sees Derry on their travels again for their final game, a tough trip west to take on Galway, now under former Armagh manager Joe Kernan, on Sunday 11 April.

A daunting series of games for what will, at least in the early stages of the league, be a relatively new look and inexperienced Derry side. Maintaining Division One status while developing a panel ready for the white heat of championship battle will be the goal for Cassidy’s Derry, it will be a daunting test indeed.