Rory Gallagher: We felt Tyrone were a wee bit vulnerable

Derry manager Rory Gallagher congratulates Brendan Rodgers. ©INPHO/Lorcan Doherty

TYRONE 0-10 DERRY 1-18

At the final whistle, the Derry players lingered on the pitch soaking up the moment. They had knocked Tyrone off their Ulster perch, had won the game by 11 points, and laid down any number of psychological pointers that they are ready to step into the bracket of heavyweight contenders.

In 2013, the current Derry manager Rory Gallagher was on the sideline as assistant to Jim McGuinness. They watched on helplessly as Mayo ran through them in Croke Park to win 4-17 to 1-10. So he knows when you might be doing too good a job of convincing yourself that everything is just right.

“I felt they were a small bit vulnerable,” he said.

“It’s not easy being All-Ireland champions. I know myself from the experience from being involved with Donegal. You think you’re doing things right but sometimes you need a wee kick up the backside.

“They’ve got that now. They’ll respond. From my point of view, I felt we were getting better. We wanted to play against the better teams but you have to start beating them.” 

Derry’s warm-up was off the scale in intensity. They were granted little chance in the previews but they summoned something from deep inside. Eleven points was the margin by the end. Has any defending All-Ireland champions lost a Championship game by as much on home turf? Doubtful.

There is something amiss among the bushes of Tyrone. All winter the management watched on as retirements and years out and so on mounted. By the end, seven players from the All-Ireland winning panel had made it clear they would not be about for 2022.

Throw in an injured Matthew Donnelly looking on who could be three weeks away from featuring again, and it is just not the same team.

Their downfall came in a three minute spell that sunk their chances.

In the opening quarter, Niall Morgan had hooked two kickouts over the sideline close to where Gallagher was patrolling, all intense energy, stress and hand-spits.

When Morgan needed a different target last year, he got into the habit of booming long. He did this on 25 minutes and found Brian Kennedy. As Kennedy was returning to gravity, he was ragged by Gareth McKinless and aimed a half-hearted kick at his shins.

Spotted. Red card from referee Paddy Neilan. Seventh red card in nine games for Tyrone.

Next play was a throw-up ball. Conor Glass won it, was fouled and made a fast play. Ethan Doherty played Paul Cassidy in with a backdoor handpass. Cassidy was rounding Morgan when he was pulled down. Penalty.

Shane McGuigan calmly rolled it into the corner. Derry were now 1-7 to 0-4 in front.

Given their level of organisation and motivation, and the staggering fact that Derry had not won an Ulster Championship game since 2015, they had all the motivation in the world.

Tyrone… Well it’s hard to say where exactly they are. By half time they had just one point from play. By full-time they had a mere three points from play.

At the break, they took Cathal McShane off. Frank Burns went with him. By the finish, 2021 Footballer of the Year Kieran McGeary was watching from the bench, a strangely familiar sight this season.

On the hour mark, Conor McKenna was fed up with it all and indulged himself by throwing the ball at Ethan Doherty. It earned him a second yellow card. Tyrone’s eighth now, in nine matches.

In every measurable optic, Derry cleaned Tyrone out. They just had far too much composure on the ball and used the free man expertly. Brendan Rogers enjoyed long possessions untroubled and they had standout performances from wing-back Conor Doherty with his two excellent points, Benny Heron having his best ever game for Derry, along with Shane McGuigan and Niall Loughlin being utterly clinical.

Five wides in the entire game says a great deal about Derry, just as Tyrone’s two wides all days says something about them.

Can Tyrone arrest the slide?

“A lot of people read into these things too much,” said joint-manager Brian Dooher.

“It’s alright, you look back and things go well afterwards, you say it’s a turning point. Really, was it? It’s hard to know. It fits the story, but in reality, probably a bit but I wouldn’t put that big an emphasis on it.

“It’s something we have to look at ourselves individually and collectively and see where we want to go, what our ambition is. That’s the harsh reality of it. A few home truths maybe. Everyone has to look at it and say ‘what do I want here and what am I gonna do?’ Management as well as players, because we’re all in this together.” 

That’s for them. In the meantime, Ulster has a new contender. Since 2011, Rory Gallagher has stood on the sideline for six Ulster finals. One more win against Monaghan and that remarkable record is updated.

Scorers for Tyrone: D McCurry (0-4, 2f), C McShane (0-2f), D Canavan (0-2, 1f, 1xm), N Morgan (0-1, ‘45’), R McNamee (0-1). 

Scorers for Derry: N Loughlin (0-7, 4f, 1x’45’), S McGuigan (1-4, 1-0 pen, 0-2f), C Doherty (0-2), B Heron (0-2) G McKinless, E Doherty (0-1 each), E Bradley (0-1m). 

TYRONE: N Morgan; M McKernan, R McNamee, P Hampsey; R Brennan, F Burns, P Harte; C Kilpatrick, B Kennedy; C Meyler, N Sludden K McGeary; D McCurry, C McShane, C McKenna. 

Subs: D Canavan for McShane, M O’Neill for Burns (both HT), B McDonnell for Brennan (55m), C Monroe for Sludden (66m), M Conroy for McGeary (70m).

Red cards: B Kennedy (27m), C McKenna (60m).

DERRY: O Lynch; C McKaigue, B Rogers, C McCluskey; C Doherty, G McKinless, P McGrogan; C Glass, N Toner; P Cassidy, S Downey, E Doherty; B Heron, S McGuigan, N Loughlin. 

Subs: E Bradley for Toner (55m), Padraig Cassidy for Paul Cassidy (65m), L Murray for Heron (67m), B McCarron for E Doherty, P McNeill for Downey (both 70m). 

Referee: Paddy Neilan (Roscommon).