GAA - When only one Tribe goes to war...

NFL Division Two

When only one Tribe goes to war…

Steven Doherty reports from Celtic Park

A highly impressive Galway were much too slick for an under par Derry in a real promotion ‘4 pointer’ at Celtic Park. The Tribesmen ran out three point winners but the final scoreboard, with Derry hitting two late consolation goals, certainly flattered the home side. That Derry went in just three points down at the break was somewhat of a surprise, given their disappointing and flat-footed opening half. The first half narrative saw the Oakleafers, lacklustre and leaden-legged, toil as they advanced and whenever they did manage a laboured score, Galway would counter swiftly and directly and score with some ease. Having trailed by a point early, Galway hit six in a row with six different players all raising the white flag. The returning Brendan Rogers scored on his county return with Mark Lynch, at full forward, and James Kielt converting one point each but it was clear from early on that Derry weren’t clicking. Only a much-needed late rally where the home side hit three of the last scores including Ryan Bell’s third from play, this time with the outside of the right, saved Oakleaf blushes. If Derry were poor in the first half, with manager Damian Barton serving an eight week suspension and missing from the sidelines, they were worse in the second. Adrian Varley’s 38th minute goal handed Kevin Walsh’s side a 1-11 to 0-07 lead. The Tribesmen hit four of the next five scores to all but wrap the game up. The Tribesmen – hungry and athletic - attacked Derry from all sectors of the sun-kissed Celtic Park pitch, with rampaging half-back Johnny Heaney scoring four superb points from play. Eamon Brannigan and Eddie Hoare scored three points for Galway, with Enda Tierney weighing in with a brace. Paul Conroy was the pick of the midfielders and knocked over two from play himself. Derry managed two late goals through Emmett McGuckin and Niall Loughlin but by that stage the game was a dead rubber. The Magherafelt man appeared to get the last touch from a dangerous sideline ball in from his club mate Shane Heavron, while Greenlough sharpshooter buried his 70th minute major to complete the game’s scoring. But at no stage did the home side look like winning this one, and it was abundantly clear the two week break had come at exactly the wrong time for a Derry team that had been purring nicely before it. Ryan Bell was one of the few positives a shell-shocked Derry fans could take out of this game. Where many of his team mates looked decidedly off the pace, the Ballinderry man was quick and direct and hit six fine points - all from play. Gareth McKinless, his Ballinderry club mate, was also in the thick of the action and as always up for the fight. But elsewhere Derry were all but wiped out in the middle third and were more often than not second to the breaking ball, even on their own kick out. Almost everything that Derry had thrived on in 2016 was missing. Only fleetingly did the early ball come in to Mark Lynch or Emmett McGuckin, and all too often the build up play was lateral and laboured. With both Christopher Bradley and Cailean O’Boyle missing, Derry lacked both key supplier and finisher. Players that looked to be in the shape of their lives in the wins over Cavan and Fermanagh struggled to get out of second gear all game. Emmet Bradley looked a pale shadow of the midfielder who began the season so inspirationally, while seasoned quality performers such as Danny Heavron, Benny Heron and Chrissy McKaigue all failed to reproduce anywhere near their best. And Derry’s ability to carve open goal chances looked a million miles away. Meanwhile at the back Derry were abnormally slack. Even when bodies were flooded back, maroon shirts had little trouble finding space and then punishing their opponents with scores. Thomas Mallon pulled off a cracking save to deny Liam Silke in the 54th minute and keep his side in contention, but that proved only a stay of execution as an in-form Galway continually worked the scoreboard and were more than worth their win. The Tribesmen and Tyrone both leap-frog Derry in the table. The defeat leaves Derry travelling to Healy Park on Saturday night where anything but a win could see his side miss out of their key aim this year – a return to Division One football. There’s work to be done at Owenbeg this week, with that big game against old foes Tyrone taking on even more significance for a team just out of that second promotion spot.

Scorers- Derry: Ryan Bell 0-6, James Kielt 0-3 (0-2f), Shane Heavron 1-0, Niall Loughlin 1-0, Mark Lynch 0-1, Brendan Rogers 0-1, Emmett Bradley 0-1 Galway: Adrian Varley 1-1, Johnny Heaney 0-4, Eamon Brannigan 0-3, Enda Tierney 0-2, Damien Comer 0-1, Liam Silke 0-1, Shane Walsh 0-1f

Derry: Thomas Mallon , Ryan Ferris , Chrissy McKaigue , Karl McKaigue , Mark Craig , Gareth McKinless , Danny Heavron , Emmett Bradley , Brendan Rogers , Benny Heron, James Kielt, Ciaran McFaul, Ryan Bell, Mark Lynch, Daniel McKinless Subs: Niall Loughlin for D McKinless (30), Niall Holly for R Ferris (HT), Sean Leo McGoldrick for B Heron (41), Shane Heavron for C McFaul BC (44), Emmett McGuckin for D Heavron (50), Conor McAtamney for E Bradley (57)

Galway: Manus Breathnach, David Wynne , Declan Kyne , Eoghan Kerin , Liam Silke, Garry O’Donnell, Johnny Heaney, Shane Walsh, Paul Conroy, Tomas Flynn, Eddie Hoare, Enda Tierney, Eamon Brannigan, Adrian Varley, Damien Comer Subs: Finian Hanley for D Wynne (10), Cathal Sweeney for J Heaney (61), Paul Mannion for E Brannigan (63), Sean Denvir for A Varley (70) MOM: Johnny Heaney

Referee: Ciaran Branagan (Down)