Derry not interested in Gamesmanship

Mark Lynch had a slight groin injury in the semi-final, but should be fit for Saturday’s final

The Derry management say that they have not addressed the possibility of gamesmanship in Saturday night’s McKenna Cup final.

Two weeks ago, in chapter one of what could be a five-part saga played out between the two Sperrin rivals, things got heated when a tussle between Cathal McCarron and Emmet McGuckin got the latter man sent off for a second yellow card.

McGuckin said that he had been targetted by McCarron, and admitted that he had been foolish to fall for rising to the bait and getting involved in the fracas.

Yet assistant Derry manager Brian McGuckin said that they have moved on from that game, and their players do not need to be warned about getting sent off.

“It is not something that has been mentioned. We played Tyrone in the McKenna Cup, and I thought that it was a good competitive game. It was physical football. I didn’t see anything untoward about it,” McGuckin said.

“I thought that both groups of players approached the game in the right manner.”

That said, a good deal of Tyrone and Derry fans will expect a feisty encounter in the Athletic Grounds on Saturday night.

The Tyrone Derry rivalry is an old one. Indeed Brian McGuckin knows it well having been a Tyrone player himself, and also from the time when he lined out for Ballinderry.
He knows that they game could get feisty.

With a chance to win the first title on the line, and also the early bragging rights between two teams who have to meet again in league and championship, McGuckin accepts that the game will be competitive.

“We have played Tyrone a couple of times already this year, and they have been two completely different games. Both in terms of intensity and of the squad that has lined out.”

This Saturday it will be different again.

“These games can take on a life of their own. Both teams want to win.
“Will it be feisty? Possibly.”