Derry 0-20
Leitrim 0-16
Brendan Graham reports from Croke Park
A SHANE MCGUIGAN exhibition in front of goal gave Derry a four-point win against a dogged Leitrim side in Croke Park this afternoon.
It was end-to-end stuff within the opening five minutes with Leitrim getting the scoreboard up and running after just 53 seconds courtesy of Dean McGovern – to a huge roar from the crowd.
A Conor Doherty score from the kick-out ensured a quick response from Derry before an exchange of points between Shane Moran and Enda Lynn, and a curling effort from Ryan Bell, edged Derry ahead 0-3 to 0-2 inside the opening five minutes.
Leitrim’s forwards did extremely well in the opening half, finding plenty of space for themselves ahead of their defensive markers and racing onto the quick ball from midfield.
Frees from Leitrim forwards Evan Sweeney, Ryan O’Rourke and Domhnaill Flynn gave Terry Hyland’s side the response they needed after a succession of bad wides and inched them into the lead by 0-5 to 0-3 entering the fifteenth minute.
Derry didn’t panic against a strong breeze in the opening half and kept in touch with Leitrim before they really started to raise the intensity of the game with Enda Lynn pulling the strings in attack.
Six points without reply in the last fifteen minutes of the first half for Derry ensured they made their way in at half time leading 0-10 to 0-7.
The opening minutes of the second half began just like the first with both sides exchanging early scores through Emlyn Mulligan and Shane McGuigan.
Four points in the second half from lively forward Ryan O’Rourke ensured Leitrim kept their chances of a comeback alive right until the final whistle, but it wasn’t to be for Terry Hyland’s men on their first return to Croke Park since the Tommy Murphy Cup final of 2006.
The open style of football displayed by both sides for the duration of the game ensured a really enjoyable watch for supporters of both counties at GAA HQ.
Leitrim, to their credit, didn’t allow their heads to drop and pushed Derry all the way in the second half with scores from Mulligan, Maguire and O’Rourke keeping them in touch.
Any chance they managed to construct a score for themselves though, Derry responded immediately with two of their own.
It was McGuigan for Derry who would make the most telling contribution on the scoreboard in the second half, a dominant performance from the Slaughtneil forward with five second-half points.
Those crucial McGuigan scores, coupled with two trademark second half points from captain Christopher McKaigue, ensured Derry emerged victorious.
Scorers for Derry: Shane McGuigan (0-6, 2f); Enda Lynn (0-3); Chrissy McKaigue, Emmett Bradley (0-2) Ryan Bell (0-2, 1f) Christopher Bradley(0-2, 2f); Padraig Cassidy, Conor Doherty, Niall Toner (0-1).
Scorers for Leitrim: Ryan O’Rourke (0-6, 4f); Evan Sweeney (0-2, 1f); Michael McWeeney, Paddy Maguire, Raymond Mulvey, Mark Plunkett, Shane Moran, Dean McGovern, Emlyn Mulligan, Domhnaill Flynn (0-1).
Derry
Thomas Mallon
Karl McKaigue
Brendan Rogers
Paul McNeill
Michael McEvoy
Chrissy McKaigue
Niall Keenan;
Padraig Cassidy
Conor McAtamney
Emmett Bradley
Enda Lynn
Conor Doherty
Shane McGuigan
Ryan Bell
Christopher Bradley
Subs:
Pearce Dolan for Cillian McGloin (32)
Benny Heron for Enda Lynn (50)
Niall Toner for Ryan Bell (50)
Jason Rocks for Conor Doherty (59)
Eamon McGill for Karl McKaigue (64)
Ryan Dougan for Christopher Bradley (70)
Leitrim
Cathal McCrann
Aidan Flynn 1f
Michael McWeeney
Paddy Maguire
Sean McWeeney
Shane Quinn,
Raymond Mulvey
Mark Plunkett
Shane Moran
Dean McGovern
Emlyn Mulligan
Domhnaill Flynn
Darragh Rooney
Evan Sweeney
Ryan O’Rourke
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Serious atmosphere here in Cavan. This is exactly where you want to be playing the All Ireland Champions. Whatever the result these games against the top 4 will stand to us in the summer months
It’s exactly the gate the county board needed as well
Mind blowing that people would actually travel to watch that rubbish sport.
@Ordinary lad: the much “hyped” Irish Rugby team lost yesterday. How much money do those lads earn?
Mind blowing that someone would take the time to open an article about a sport they consider to be ‘rubbish’ and then take the time to comment on it.
How can a team that receives €120k in funding compete against a team that receives €1.4million
Hahaha give over Al . Deep down you love the gaa
@Alan b..: Sure all the money we’ll be spending here we’ll double that funding for you pal ;)
a decent workout so far get rid of the Jamaican rum and redstripe against another nordie team who’s sole intention is to pull drag and hit off the ball.
Don’t know what game your watching. The hits off the ball have been 50:50.
Eh cavan is in the south of Ireland Einstein
fergal reilly should count himself lucky to share a pitch with these wonderful dublin footballers instead of going around like a drunk at a wedding looking for a fight.
That was stared by the Dublin man on the ground. You’re incredibly anti ulster football
And then mdma was the first man to get involved.
And who look for a figth at a wedding
ah lorcan stop it now.
fergal reilly would.
it’s north of me ya tit
@Alan b..: that explains why the dubs were late they looked at a map and headed north. When did this geographical transplant take place.
don’t be a tit like alan cavan play in ulster which is up north so they are nordies.
Cavan is not in Northern Ireland you don’t cross the border or use sterling
I didn’t say it was in Northern Ireland .
What do you mean by nordie then?if you are calling them that cos they’re north of you does that mean someone from cork would class Dublin as a nordie team
if they wanted to yes beacuse they would be northern to a Cork person now cavan is in ulster and part of the Republic of Ireland beacuse the brits didn’t want the kip so yes you are nordies which we where stuck with.
Stop you’re just embarrassing yourself
What part of Dublin are you from?
what difference does it make?
cavan play in the ulster champions with the other 8 nordie counties it’s no big deal just accept it is the way it is don’t be embarrassed alan.
All the complaints about dublins fans. Have any other county brought a few thousand fans with them today ?
@Gavin Byrne: In comparison Dublin have a fan base of about 10 times what other counties have. So of course they will bring large numbers with them.
Fair play today they really brought a fantastic atmosphere and plenty of money to Cavan town today
That a few time in the last three years the cavan has been delayed because of the fans.
If the dubs can’t make it to croke park on time how do you expect them to make it to cavan on time
@Lorcán Coyle: Should know by now that nothing in Cavan ever starts on time, nearest fifteen minutes, sure that’ll do.!!!
Ref jersey looks too like Dubs
We’ll save that excuse for later
Massive achievement if Roscommon can some how stay up in Division 1.
Lorcan are u watching the match