Mickey Harte expects Derry to be gunning for revenge when they host Tyrone in next year's championship.

The neighbours will meet in the Ulster SFC quarter-final at Celtic Park for the second year in-a-row after they were paired together in last night's draw. In last May's meeting, the Red Hands cruised to a 3-14 to 0-12 victory en route to lifting the Anglo-Celt Cup.

"The history we had with Derry last year, they still will want to get back at us," the Tyrone manager told the Belfast Telegraph.

"They will still believe they under-performed in the championship, and the fact that they are back again in Celtic Park, they will feel they have to redress the balance.

"So I think there is going to be a challenge there."

Harte isn't reading anything into reports that the Oak Leafers are in crisis after nine players recently dropped themselves off the panel.

"I am sure that by the time championship comes around, maybe a lot of men who have left temporarily, I don't expect them all to be away come championship time next year. I think that's a bit of a red herring to think that Derry are in free-fall. I don't believe that for a minute.

"That's as far as we can look. Up until we went up to Celtic Park this year, it was mooted that it was a place that Tyrone had never won an important game in. Having won one game there this year doesn't give us any license to say we are looking forward to going."

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