Derry secure Division 2 status with comfortable victory
The Oakleaf side had 15 points to spare on their Connacht opponents.
ALLIANZ NHL DIVISION 2
Derry 1-26
Roscommon 0-14
Derry have secured their Allianz Hurling League Division 2B status for 2022 after a comfortable home win over Roscommon.
The victory was marred slightly by a late injury to Na Magha's Alan Grant, who fell awkwardly during the final move of the game.
In a first half where Roscommon made three changes, all of Derry's forwards and midfield wrote their names on the score sheet, with Kevin Lynch's John Mullan hitting three from play.
The hosts also spurned a number of early goal chances, with Shea Cassidy, a late change for Brian Cassidy, racing through on three separate occasions.
Roscommon's Cathal Dolan notched all five of the visitors' first-half total, and ended the game with a ten-point haul as the Rossies looked to find a way back into the game.
Points from Odhran McKeever, Cormac O'Doherty and Sé McGuigan saw them extend their lead, before Derry found the net on 54 minutes when Gerald Bradley scooped to the net from close range.
John Mullan rounded off a 0-5 total on 70 minutes to leave a winning margin of 15 points, but the end of the game was soured after second-half substitute Alan Grant sustained an injury in the dying moments.
DERRY: Oisin O’Doherty; Conor McAllister, Brian Óg McGilligan, Darragh McCloskey; Sean Cassidy, Conor Kelly, Meehaul McGrath; John Mullan (0-5), Gerald Bradley (1-2), Mark McGuigan (0-1), Cormac O’Doherty (0-7, 4f, 1 65), Richie Mullan (0-1), Odhran McKeever (0-4), Shea Cassidy (0-1), Sé McGuigan (0-3)
SUBS: Deaghlán Foley (0-2, 1f) for Shea Cassidy (HT), Brendan Laverty for Richie Mullan (52), Ruairí McWilliams for Cormac O'Doherty (52), Alan Grant for Sé McGuigan (52), Cathair McGilligan for Darragh McCloskey (59)
YELLOW CARD: Conor Kelly (64)
ROSCOMMON: Enda Lawless; Paul Dolan, Darren Fallon, Naos Connaughton; Eoghan Costello (0-2), Shane Naughton, Peter Kellehan; Ben McGahon, Eoin Coyle; Cathal Dolan (0-10, 2f, 1 65), Jason Kilkenny, Conall Kennelly; Mathew Comerford, Conor Mulry, Michael Brennan
SUBS: Cathal Kenny (0-1) for Connell Kennelly (18), Cormac Coyle for Matthew Comerford (18), Oisín Kelly for Michael Brennan (31), Pat Nolan for Paul Dolan (44), Diarmuid Treacy for Conor Mulry (52), Trevor Fallon for Eoin Coyle (52), Darragh Heavey for Jason Kilkenny (54).
REF: Colum Cunning (Antrim)