Plenty to ponder after Derry defeat

THERE was no doubting the disappointment of the Tyrone camp as they exited Celtic Park on Sunday well aware of the improvements that will be needed to bounce back from an emphatic National League loss at the hands of their old rivals Derry.

It was initially difficult to see the positives from the 1-12 to 0-9. But team management will look to the good things as they prepare for a key meeting against Galway in two weeks team.

An attendance of 11,269 were at the game as both counties sought their second consecutive victory in a tight top flight. Tyrone’s loss is a blow, but one that they are more than capable of responding to.

For the moment, though, this defeat against Derry is a tough one. The expected return of Mattie Donnelly, Kieran McGeary, Frank Burns, Conn Kilpatrick and Peter Harte in the coming weeks provides this result with some much-needed perspective.

Team manager, Brian Dooher, was content with how things went in the opening period and pointed to the small margins that eventually derailed the Red Hand challenge.

“We had a reasonable enough first half and we were still in the game anyway. We worked hard and kept ourselves in contention and with that wind that was probably our aim.

“In the second half, we just came out and I suppose we had the first few chances and didn’t take them. We probably got a bit nervous and snapped at a few shots. Our shot selection and decision-making could have been better towards the end.

“But I couldn’t fault the effort in general. They worked really hard, but that bit of decision-making at that end of the field just wasn’t where it needed to be in that second half.”

A key point was the 10 wides registered by Tyrone in the closing 35 minutes. Nevertheless, there are positives which both the players and management will be keen to build upon as this season gathers momentum.

Next up for them is the visit of Galway to Healy Park on February 18th, and then a second home clash against Galway.

“The wind was difficult. Derry played well and were running the ball with hard running. We didn’t cope with that as well as we should have in the second half,” added Dooher.

“We just failed to pick up men at times coming through and it’s something that we’ll have to learn from. But I think we were a bit of the authors of our own downfall at the start with the shots that we had.”