Derry hurlers see off London at Celtic Park

Derry 1-27         

London 2-15

Johnny McGarvey feels his Derry team have now done enough to guarantee Division Two hurling next season, but the manager is also aiming at the league final, and feels just one victory from the next two games will seal it.

It is now three wins from three for Derry this season, and while London had their moments at Celtic Park, they ultimately didn’t have enough to keep pace with the hosts, who were always able to keep them at arm's length despite a few scares.

Derry’s start to this game, in which they went 0-7,0-1 after 19 minutes, laid the foundations for this latest victory, but just as crucial was the response to each of the London goals, hitting back with six successive scores in the first half and then seven successive scores in the second. London, at times were just blown away, and McGarvey is now looking at a league final as a result.

“The way results have gone, another win will do it,” he said afterwards. “We have Wicklow away and Roscommon at home and that’s where our aim is at now. We’re now building towards a league final.”

Still, the Derry boss was a bit frustrated that his team left the door open for London one too many times.  

“We talked about this at half time,” he stated. “We had that patch in the second half against Tyrone and a wee patch in the first half against Donegal, it’s just trying to put it all together over 70 minutes. It just hasn’t happened yet. I mean, we’re getting there. For large spells today we were very, very good and we were totally dominant all over the pitch, and then there was that wee lull after 20 minutes; I think we were eight points up and then we conceded a goal and a point. We have plenty to work on, but we’re just not where we want to be just yet.

“We responded well (to the goals) and we were probably never really in danger. Once we went six or seven points up in the first half we always looked like we had enough firepower to get us over the line, so we’re happy enough.”

Less than 24 hours after playing in the U20’s semi-final, Ruairi O'Mianain, Aimon Duffin and James Friel all featured, with O’Mianain impressing with 0-3 in a Man of the Match performance.

Derry’s start was impressive, and while they stacked up five wides early on, they were well in control after just 10 minutes, leading by six, thanks to two apiece from James Friel, O’Mianain and Cormac O’Doherty and one from John Mullan.

But London shocked Derry with an empathic response, hitting six successive scores, including a goal from Eoghan McHugh to level the game by the 20-minute mark.

For a brief period, the Derry defence looked rattled, but their attacking players soon regained control, and hit six unanswered points themselves, O’Mianain, McGrath, Cleary, Mullan and two more from O’Doherty taking it to 0-13, 1-4.

Jack Goulding, on his way to a total of 1-13, was chipping away to keep his team interested, but Derry were on top completely as half time approached, Dara Mooney and Cathal Murray stretching the lead to seven. Murray was getting better with each passing minute and two in a row for him on the stroke of half time sent Derry in with an eight-point advantage.

Half Time 0-17, 1-6

There was a nightmare moment for Derry goalkeeper Eoin Mulholland just 35 seconds into the second half as he hesitated in possession and his attempted pass forward was charged down by Goulding with the sliotar ending up in the net.

Mulholland held his head in his hands, but he needn’t have worried as his team mates fired up seven points on the bounce in a brilliant response, two from Cleary and one apiece from O’Doherty, O’Kane, Murray, O’Reilly and substitute Darragh Magilligan took the score to 0-24, 2-6.

Goulding scored three of the next four points as London refused to give in, and they could have reduced the gap further after they were awarded a penalty on 54 minutes. Aimon Duffin received a black card in the process, but Goulding, so accurate all day, saw his effort smack back off the upright.

Within minutes, Derry had their first and only goal of the game courtesy of a fine finish across goal and into the corner by Murray, and London’s resistance finally ended. Goulding finished with four more to his name, but the result was beyond doubt long before the final whistle.

Teams and Scorers

Derry: Eoin Mulholland, Aimon Duffin, Mark Craig, Sean Cassidy, James Friel (0-2), Richie Mullan, Meehaul McGrath (0-1), Cormac O'Doherty (0-6, 5f), Ruairi O'Mianain (0-3), Corey O'Reilly (0-2), Cahal Murray (1-4), Callum O'Kane (0-1), Dara Mooney (0-1), John Mullan (0-3), Paul Cleary (0-3).

(Subs): Darragh Magilligan (0-1) for Ruairi O’Mianain 45’, Padhraig Nelis for Dara Mooney 57’, Niall Farren for Mark Craig 64’, Thomas Brady for James Friel 66’, Reece McSorley for Cormac O’Doherty 66’.

Black Card: Aimon Duffin 54’, 

London: Padraig Collins, Eoghan Ryan, Padraig Muldoon, Matthew Barlow, Evan Kelly, Niall Gheoeghan (0-1), Cathal O'Carroll, Tom Millerick, James Desmond, Sean O'Meara, Kevin Reid, Adam Conney, Eoin McGrath, Jack Goulding (1-13, 5f), Eoghan McHugh (1-1).

(Subs): Paul Kennedy for Eoin McGrath 41’, Padraic Mullen for Tom Millerick 60’, Cillian McSweeney for Padraig Muldoon 66’, Stephen Whelan for Matthew Barlow 69’,

Yellow: Matthew Barlow 40’,

Referee: Kevin Brady (Louth)