Mickey Harte leads Derry to victory in his first game in charge

Dr McKenna Cup Round One 

Derry 0-15

Cavan 1-10  

It was a winning start on the road for Mickey Harte in his tenure as Derry manager.

Four points for Paul Cassidy saw him named as man of the match with All-Star forward Shane McGuigan adding two points in a second half cameo from the bench. 

Gerard Smith’s 41st minute goal kicked the home side ahead, 1-6 to 0-8, before Derry settled to come back into the game. 

It was a big night for the Steelstown club with four players seeing action and all getting on the scoresheet. 

It was Paul Cassidy who kicked Derry into an early lead with points before Cavan pegged back Paddy Lynch and Padraig Faulkner. 

Cavan were getting joy from the attacking prowess of Niall Carolan but their wasted goa chances came back to haunt them. 

Niall Toner, from a free, and Paul Cassidy had Derry back in front but Cavan stuck with them.# 

Raymond Galligan’s side will rue their slow build-up in not getting enough men on the overlap after Derry turnovers. 

Ruairi Forbes marked his debut - one of five for Derry on the night - with a score and Ben McCarron fisted over on the way to a 0-7 to 0-4 interval lead. 

With the breeze at their backs, Derry stretched their lead with a Paul Cassidy playing McCarron in for a second. 

Paddy Lynch Oisin Brady replied with two Cavan points before the game’s only goal, dispatched the bottom corner by Gerard Smith. 

Diarmuid Baker finished off a fine run with a score before Shane McGuigan saw a rasping half chance for goal ping over off the bar. 

Paddy Lynch kept the Cavan score ticking over, taking his tally to five points, but Derry closed the door. 

Paul Cassidy curled a fine score off his left foot with Cahir McMonagle adding a score with his first touch. 

Derry: J Cassidy; D Baker (0-1), E McEvoy, C McGrogan; C Doherty, P McGrogan (0-1), P McGurk; D Higgins, D Gilmore (0-1); R Forbes (0-1), D Cassidy, Paul Cassidy (0-4); B McCarron (0-2), N Loughlin, N Toner (0-2, 1f) 

Subs: S McGuigan (0-2, 1f) for B McCarron (50), M Doherty for P McGurk (51), C McKaigue for C McGrogan (55), C McMonagle (0-1) for N Toner (67), R McNicholl for D Cassidy (73) 

Cavan: L Brady; O Kiernan (Denn), K Brady, C McKeogh; J McLoughlin (0-1), N Carolan, B O'Connell; J Galligan, P Faulkner (0-1); O Kiernan (Castlerahan) (0-1), T Madden, R Donohoe; P Lynch (0-5f), J Smith, O Brady (0-2) 

Subs: G Smith (1-0) for R Donohoe (HT), L Fay for K Brady (HT), C Timoney for B O’Connell (55), Caoimhin O’Reilly for J Smith (55), Peter Smith for N Carolan (58), J Tully for O Brady (63), M Magee for J McLoughlin (63), E Shehu for  T Madden (69) 

Referee: J Lewis (Fermanagh)