Oisin McConville: 'Derry could have beaten Tyrone more convincingly'
- Published
Brendan Rogers in action against Darragh Canavan during Sunday's game at Celtic Park
Former Armagh All-Ireland winner Oisin McConville says Derry "could have beaten Tyrone more convincingly" in Sunday's Football League Division One game between the sides at Celtic Park.
Derry manager Mickey Harte guided his side to a 1-12 to 0-9 win over his native county that he had led to three All-Ireland titles.
"If Derry wanted to up the ante a little bit they had the ability to do that. Anytime they really pressed Tyrone, Tyrone really struggled," McConville told The GAA Social podcast.
Derry edged the first half 0-8 to 0-5 having had a strong wind at their backs while Tyrone went 32 minutes without a score either side of the break.
The Red Hands hit 10 wides in the second half of a game that failed to catch fire as Conor Glass put the finishing touch on the victory for the Oak Leafers with a late goal.
"I actually thought at half-time Tyrone were in a nice position and they would have had the ability to kick on a bit," said McConville.
"One thing I would point out in terms of the difference between the two teams, there is a vast difference experience wise. The more experienced players on the Derry team far outweigh the guys on the Tyrone team.
"There is a bit of short-term pain for Tyrone, but long-term, a lot of those guys who are playing and finding their feet, I think this is the best way for them to find their feet in the cut and thrust of league football against the better teams in Division One.
"Last week, [an opening 0-17 to 1-11 win over Roscommon] they will have taken a lot of confidence from that game, but this will be a bit of a knock for them but it will give them the realisation that as much as they have a lot done, there is still so much more to do.
"From a Derry point of view, they are the real deal. If they were to go on and lose the next five games in the league I would still go into the Championship and say they are one of three or four teams that could go on and win the All-Ireland.
"They have more depth than they had in the last number of years."
Cormac Murphy has emerged as an exciting prospect for Derry
McConville was impressed by the performance of Derry's promising young forward Cormac Murphy, as Derry made it two wins from two for the new league campaign.
"He [Cormac] is the worst kept secret in Derry football and people are very much aware of him. For me the big thing has been how easy he has made the step-up to inter-county football.
"Nowadays, inter-county football at any level, it is very difficult for young lads to pop in and do what he has done.
"He is wise beyond his years and I love the exuberance of youth, he is going into places where the older more reserved players just won't go. You need that.
"As much as high level club football is brilliant preparation for inter-county football there is so much more to inter-county football, it is the set-up and what is expected.
"It is like going from secondary school to college. You get spoon-fed a lot at secondary school but at college you're on your own. It is a massive step-up in so many ways. He is the standout.
"Is he the last piece in the jigsaw for Derry? I feel there are a couple of different aspects where Derry can improve and that certainly is one of them."
David Clifford celebrates after scoring a goal in Kerry's win over Monaghan
Elsewhere in Division One, David Clifford returned with a goal and a point as Kerry picked up their first league win in 2024 with a 3-15 to 1-12 victory over Monaghan in Clones.
Footballer of the year Clifford scored a fine individual goal late on as Kerry outscored their opponents 2-6 to 0-7 in the second half.
"The one thing we may have asked about Kerry before was 'can they come and mix it with Ulster teams and dig in. They can dig in with the best of them," observed McConville.
"They will fight for everything and they have loads of quality.
"Every time David Clifford got the ball there were two or three Monaghan players sucked towards him. He was able to give that little dink pass and away they go.
"Kerry just looked so much more assured when he was there, not because he was on the ball an awful lot but because he takes an unbelievable amount of watching.
"If Kerry could afford Sean O'Shea and David Clifford in their full forward line I don't see how those two could be held by anybody."