Morrison confident Derry can adjust for Tyrone replay

DERRY’S cover may have been blown, but the Oak Leafers have a few extra tricks up the sleeve, according to coach John Morrison.

The element of surprise is one weapon they have had to decommission ahead of Saturday’s Casement Park replay with Tyrone, the loss of playmaker Conleth Gilligan is another drain on the firepower.

But to underestimate the resourcefulness of Mickey Moran and his assistant would be to hand the initiative right back to Derry. Having got the tactical battle almost spot on at Clones last Sunday, Morrison is confident Derry can adjust and adapt to a new set of circumstances, which could include the absence of key defender Sean Marty Lockhart.

The Armagh native admitted the loss of suspended Gilligan will be a blow, given the huge impact he had on the drawn game.

“He’ll be a big loss, and we’ll miss him, but we have other ideas which will come into play,” he said.

The Derry trainer is content to get straight back into action less than a week after a bruising Clones encounter, despite the fact players carrying knocks have little time to recover.

“As a coach, I prefer that. To me, Gaelic football should be played week to week. It suits a coach better in terms of preparation and I have no problems with that at all.”

Morrison and Moran, along with selector Kevin Collins, have been wasting little time this week in analysing a game that took numerous twists and turns before ending in spectacular stalemate.

“In the first half they bombarded us, they looked quality in the first 15 minutes. It was actually a great match between two good teams. It was a good match to be involved in. They’ll be hopeful of finishing it the next day, and so will we,” he said.

But he pointed to the loss of Lockhart, who had held Peter Canavan scoreless from play, as a turning point.

“Sean Marty going off injured ruined the rhythm because we had a set pattern of substitutions ready for making, and we had to disrupt that.”

Meanwhile, the Munster Council have decided to make Sunday week’s Guinness SHC semi-final between champions Waterford and Limerick at the revamped Semple Stadium, an all- ticket affair.

Although a crowd of only 20,000 attended the high profile pairing between Clare and Tipperary at Páirc Uí Chaoimh last Sunday, it is predicting the Thurles clash will be a sellout, the first of the new championship season.