Derry hurling manager Johnny McGarvey delighted with lifeline

After three successive defeats, Derry turned into the crunch time in the league with victory over Meath and manager Johnny McGarvey was “over the moon”.

The Oakleafers now face into their final game, a clash with Donegal in Letterkenny, with their Division Two future in their own hands. Win and they’re safe.

There was a first start for Cahal Murray who won the first two frees in a quickfire start, as Derry shot into a seven-point interval lead.

The Royals battled back but could never get within three points of a Derry team who hurled like their season depended on it.

“I’m really over the moon,” McGarvey said. “We hurled really, really well. I thought the first half was magnificent, I thought it was the best that we've hurled in my time here.”

Derry shipped two heavy defeats, to Down and Kerry, before a rise against Kildare, but McGarvey was aware their season would hinge on the final two results.

“We were magnificent today,” he added. “Cahal Murray brought us energy up front, something that we didn't have. He won ball in the air, won ball on the ground, he turned men over. As brilliant as I thought our defence was, I thought our forwards worked great.”

Right from the warmup, Derry were on it. In the early stages, the ball was moved fast. When Meath were in possession, there were red jerseys cutting out his line of sight. Intensity was Derry’s magic word.

“Somebody said that to me over there as well,” McGarvey commented on their warmup, “I was probably more pumped up myself over there.

“You do realise how important it is and all the work that's went in before it. You've two games then to save yourself and look, that's one of them. An absolutely brilliant performance.

“Every man. It takes every single man. Cormac's (O’Doherty) back out there, Cahal's back today, Mark (Craig) missed with flu,” said the Derry poss.

Bar Shean Cassidy, who was sent off late on, the Oakleaf management hope to be picking from a full hand for the Donegal game.

Cassidy was show red after an incident that saw Meath defender Dáire Shine carried off injured.

“Shea was unlucky there, I thought at the finish,” Cassidy said of a moment when Shine dived in to block Cassidy, with the Derry attacker sent off for a strike.

“I didn't see it to be honest, but it looked like the ball dropped and he had a chance to pull. It's very unfortunate and I hope the lad's alright.”

Derry manager Johnny McGarvey (Photos: nwpresspics)

For McGarvey, Derry’s win came down to their focus and always having a response. When Meath’s goal shaved Derry’s lead back to two points, Cahal Murray, Richie and John Mullan landed points to ease themselves back into a position of strength.

“Probably, in the last couple of games, when we've conceded goals, we've conceded off the goal,” McGarvey said.

“Whereas today, I thought composure-wise, we were really, really impressive. We didn't overdo it at the back.

“We played the ball long a lot. Some we got, some we didn't. Conceding the goal, especially off a mistake as we've been doing, to come up and get the next three scores was just vital.

“It cancels the goal out within two or three minutes and all of a sudden, you're back on that level keel again. We're really, really happy.”

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It leaves a pep in the step going into the Donegal game. Meath, Kerry, Derry and Donegal all sit on four points in a division where the bottom two teams drop to the tier below. And Derry’s 2024 mantra was all about getting into Division Two.

“We've a job to do in Letterkenny,” McGarvey summed up. “If we do our job, it's in our own hands.

“If we don't, we have to rely on other things. We put ourselves in that position so there's no point looking around (at other permutations).

“That'll be a hell of a game. They're a top, top side. They've been a hell of a lot more impressive in this campaign than what we have been.”