'Old scars' have McGuigan and Derry looking to Tyrone for help

Derry sharpshooter Shane McGuigan finds himself positively invested in Tyrone’s fate.

Derry’s Shane McGuigan in action against Cork’s Dara Sheedy earlier this month. Picture: INPHO/Lorcan Doherty

It’s a strange state of affairs when Shane McGuigan finds himself positively invested in Tyrone’s fate.

McGuigan and Derry have their own game against Cavan to worry about in Find Insurance Celtic Park on Sunday lunchtime. Nevertheless, a Tyrone win over Cork 55 kilometres down the A5 in Omagh, combined with a Derry victory, could see McGuigan’s side pip John Cleary’s side and Louth for promotion from Division 2.

For a Derry team who hammered Cork by 20 points earlier this month, it’s an unusual situation to be in. McGuigan just hopes the faint threat of relegation will ensure Tyrone give it their all in O’Neills Healy Park.

“I’ll make no bones about it, if Tyrone win this weekend, I’ll be a happy man albeit if we hold our end of the bargain,” smiled McGuigan. “That’s the situation we’ve got ourselves into.

“Cork, I think, will have learned from our game especially with the travel and stuff. I don’t think they expected that performance even from themselves.

“Tyrone need a win and need to gain a bit of momentum going into the championship, which with the quality of players they have I think they’ll soon find their feet.” 

But for last Saturday’s surprise defeat away to Louth, Derry would be closer to going up, McGuigan pointed to “old scars” resurfacing from last year when they went the entire season without a win.

It’s been a topic in meetings with Ciarán Meenagh and his management team. “There were definitely a lot of bad habits brought up from last year and a lot of it was that it's things within our control.

“We were one of the teams with the highest turnovers last year, one of the teams that were easiest to press a kick-out against and teams were getting their kick-out (away) against us too.

“Post the Meath game, we analysed and compared from last year and we definitely had worked on it from Tyrone prior to Louth.

“But then Louth, those old habits came about. Maybe a man switching off when we were pressed up high on the opposition’s kick-outs, dropping ball short, missed opportunities and then our skills, our basic skills let us down a bag full in Ardee.” 

As a proven finisher, McGuigan agrees his approach is closer to shoot-on-sight given the odds are favourable either in the form of two-pointers or at the very least the chance to press an opposition’s kick-out.

“Last year really opened my eyes up to the idea of becoming an out-and-out forward again because in the years gone by you were being asked to do a lot of defensive work, which I had no problem with.

“And I am still asked to do a lot of defensive work but I think now, with the game being so man-on-man, especially when you get into the opposition’s half, that you really earn your corn at being able to attack off both sides.

“You are seeing different skillset of long-range shooters. So, the risk to reward for a two-point shot now is far better than three years ago when, if you took on such a shot, you would have been lambasted for taking on such a shot. The two-pointers now have such a bearing on the game and that rule is so positive.

“The FRC (Football Review Committee) have done something really positive there. I am seeing the younger boys within the club and county putting more of an emphasis on practicing their two-point shots rather than going into the gym and putting an extra five kilos on their bench press or going out and doing extra runs.

“You want to see footballers play football rather than just run. That is something that has improved the game massively.”