Brian Dooher: Tyrone must keep focus on football ahead of showdown with Mickey Harte's Derry, warns joint-manager

Kilpatrick was given a straight red for a high tackle on David Murray

Brian Dooher says Tyrone will appeal the red card which could rule Conn Kilpatrick out of Sunday's Division One league clash with Mickey Harte's Derry.

The midfielder received a straight red for a high tackle early in the second half of the 0-17 to 1-11 win over Roscommon in Healy Park in Omagh.

Dooher labelled the dismissal "harsh".

The Tyrone joint-manager also insisted the focus must remain on football, not on individuals or sub-plots, ahead of the showdown with their bitter rivals.

Derry are now managed by Harte, who led Tyrone to six All-Irelands including three senior titles.

"It is just another match for us," claimed Dooher, who captained Tyrone to All-Ireland titles in 2005 and 2008 under Harte.

"We have to get back to what it is, which is a football match, 15 against 15. That's all we should be looking at.

"We will go away this week and prepare as well as we can.

"Hopefully the boys will give a good account of themselves and wherever that takes us, it takes us."

Derry started life in Division One under Harte with an impressive one-point win away to Kerry, while Sunday's victory was the first time Tyrone had won their opening league match since 2020.

Asked if the prospect of coming up against Harte, who faces Tyrone for the first time as Oak Leaf boss at Celtic Park, might become a distraction during the week, Dooher told BBC Sport NI: "I don't think so".

"I think it's all about football, the boys are here to play football and here to represent Tyrone and do their best in a Tyrone jersey.

"If you go back to those principles, that's what you want."

'Our backs were to the wall'

Harte celebrates as Tyrone win their opening league match for the first time since 2020

Dooher was delighted with Tyrone's second half performance and how they responded to the setback of losing Kilpatrick so early in the second period, for a high tackle on David Murray.

"Our backs were to the wall in the second half with a man down so early after a dubious or harsh decision," he admitted.

"I thought it was harsh so we will appeal, yes.

"The boys they dug deep and applied themselves very well and you couldn't ask any more from them."

Dooher continued: "It was disappointing the goal we conceded [scored by Donie Smith], but we got noses ahead at half-time and then dealt with the blow of [losing] Conn.

"I think they got their due rewards because they put in a big second half. All you can ask is the players acquitting themselves well and we got that.

"We got a really honest performance from the lads, with some bits of quality in there as well. That's what we want to see more often and I'm sure the Tyrone supporters want to see that."

'There is a transition going on'

Canavan scored eight points to help Tyrone to victory

Tyrone, like Roscommon [who were aggrieved by a late disallowed goal for a square ball], were regarded as relegation favourites prior to the start of the Allianz League, having lost some experienced players in the off-season.

Two home points may not change those opinions, but Dooher was encouraged by the performances of the six league debutantes, the "general awareness and vision" of Darragh Canavan, who hit a majestic 0-8, and the second-half performance of Brian Kennedy.

"I'm probably a bit ignorant of that [talk of relegation] because I wouldn't be a big social media or newspaper person," he said.

"I will focus on what we have in the changing room, that's what we can control.

"Outside of that there's no point worrying too much about it. You have seen where we are and what we have.

"There is a transition going on and other players who are working on trying to get back from injuries, but we will go out every day and put our best foot forward."