Goal hungry Derry romp to Nicky Rackard semi-finals
A RUTHLESS Derry easily advanced to the semi-final of the Nicky Rackard Cup with a landslide victory over Longford at a windswept Owenbeg on Saturday afternoon.
Derry, with the breeze at their back and with Brendan Rogers in their attack struck for goal early on. Gerald Bradley was hauled down for a penalty after just 13 seconds and Alan Grant drilled his shot to the net.
Despite the absence of Ruairi Convery, Derry were not short of scoring options. After stuttering to victory in their last two outings, Derry had a greater cutting edge, hitting two further goals in the opening nine minutes from Brian Cassidy and Gerald Bradley, to lead 3-1 to 0-2.
Rogers added a fourth goal and Brian Cassidy rattled home a fifth, and his second to leave the home side 5-10 to 0-6 ahead at the interval.
Longford threw everything at Derry early in the second half, with points from Seamus Hannon, Patrick Walsh and a Eugene Kiernan goal. When John Mulhern scored 45th minute point, Longford had bravely pegged the deficit back, 5-12 to 1-11.
Kevin Hinphey won a break directly from the puck-out and Rogers finished to the net to reignite Derry. Rogers completed a hat-trick, Alan Grant bagged Derry’s eighth goal and lively substitute Aaron Kelly scored 0-3 to ease Derry home.
Collie McGurk's side now have a three week break until the semi-final: "For us, now the championship really starts and the aim is to get to Croke Park and to win the Nicky Rackard," commented McGurk after the game.
Derry: Darryl McDermott, Paddy Turner, Sean Cassidy, Darragh McCloskey, Paul Cleary (0-1), Oisin McCloskey, Ciaran Steele, Conor McAllister, Kevin Hinphey (0-1), Gerald Bradley (1-2), Meehaul McGrath, Alan Grant (2-5, 4f, 1 pen), Brendan Rogers (3-2), Brian Cassidy (2-4), Darragh Cartin (0-1).
Subs: Brian Óg McGilligan for C Steele (HT), Chrissy McKaigue (0-1) for M McGrath (HT), Aaron Kelly (0-3) for B Cassidy (HT), Eugene McGuckin (0-1) for G Bradley (50), Gavin McCormick for B Rogers (55).
Longford: Conor Gallagher, Cian McLoughlin, Karl Murray, Thomas Egan, Gerard Moore, Daire Duggan, Johnny Casey, Patrick Walsh (0-8, 6f, 1 ‘65’), Paul Barden, John Mulhern (0-1), Seamus Hannon (0-2), Conor Keegan, Shane O’Brien, Rueben Murray (0-2), Cathal Mullane (0-1).
Subs: Eugene Kiernan (1-0) for C Mullane (11), Aidan Sheridan for P Barden (51), Eoghan Kavanagh f0r R Murray (68), Alan Sorohan for T Egan (68).
Ref: James Connors (Donegal).
Full details and photos in Tuesday's County Derry Post.