Footballers see off Derry to claim Div 2 crown

DUBLIN 4-6 DERRY 0-11

Dublin turned on the style in the second-half to ease to a seven-point victory over Derry in their Allianz National Football League Division 2 final at Croke Park on Sunday afternoon.

They trailed by two points at the break but dominated in the second-half with goals from Killian O’Gara, Paul Mannion (penalty), John Small and Lorcan O’Dell just reward for an enterprising showing.

Indeed, the margin could well have been greater but for some near misses on the Derry goal but they proved academic by the final whistle in what was Dublin’s most compelling performance of the spring.

The contest commenced in glorious sunshine with Dublin enjoying a generous amount of possession but they failed to punish their opponents initially as Derry opened the scoring in the 6^th minute through Shane McGuigan.

Dean Rock was injured in the build-up to that score and while he was receiving treatment, Derry extended their advantage through an excellent point from Conor Glass.

Rock’s replacement, Ciaran Kilkenny, opened Dublin’s account as he fisted over following a pass by Con O’Callaghan in the 10^th minute but Derry stretched their lead as the half progressed thanks to a ‘45’ from Padraig McGrogan and a Niall Toner free.

With Dublin looking relatively solid at the back, they remained a threat on the counter-attack and reduced their arrears in the 20^th minute as O’Gara jinked into space before firing over off his right foot.

From the resultant kick-out, Dublin moved the ball sharply through Colm Basquel and while Small had sufficient power in his shot, the ball rose sharply over the crossbar to leave just a point between the teams.

A second goal chance arrived for Dublin in the 27^th minute as O’Callaghan released Tom Lahiff through on goal but the St Jude’s player saw his effort diverted over the crossbar by the foot of Derry goalkeeper Odhran Lynch.

Derry reacted well to this period of Dublin pressure as McGuigan kicked two cracking points to regain his side’s advantage and matters could have deteriorated for the Dubs in the 33^rd minute but David O’Hanlon raced smartly from his goal to block a Niall Loughlin shot.

Trailing by 0-6 to 0-4 at half-time, Dublin soon overturned that deficit as a speculative delivery from Brian Fenton saw O’Gara rise highest to flick deftly home from close range.

McGuigan levelled matters with a free in the 41^st minute and the evenness of the encounter continued for a period with Lee Gannon and Paul Cassidy exchanging points.

It was in the 48^th minute that Dublin made a decisive push for home with O’Callaghan brought down for a penalty and Mannion calmly stepped up before firing a flawless finish low to Lynch’s left hand upright.

A third Dublin goal arrived within a minute as a fine move saw Lahiff cleverly place Small into space and his left-foot finish emphatically crashed past Lynch into the roof of the net.

McGuigan and Cassidy popped over points for Derry but these never looked likely to prompt a comeback as Dublin affirmed their position of dominance when O’Dell found the top corner from fifteen yards to complete a positive day for the Dubs.

Scorers – Dublin: K O’Gara, J Small 1-1 each, P Mannion (pen), L O’Dell 1-0 each, C Kilkenny, L Gannon, T Lahiff, B Fenton 0-1 apiece. Derry: S McGuigan 0-6 (3f), Paul Cassidy 0-2, P McGrogan (‘45’), N Toner (f), C Glass 0-1 apiece.

Dublin: D O’Hanlon; M Fitzsimons, D Byrne, D Newcombe; C Murphy, J Small, L Gannon; B Fenton, J McCarthy; T Lahiff, C Basquel, S Bugler; K O’Gara, C O’Callaghan, D Rock. Subs: C Kilkenny for Rock (8), P Mannion for O’Gara (45), L O’Dell for Basquel (45), N Scully for Lahiff (55), R McGarry for Bugler (68).

Derry: O Lynch; P McGrogan, C Doherty, C McCluskey; Pádraig Cassidy, G McKinless, B McCarron; C Glass, B Rogers; N Toner, Paul Cassidy, E Doherty; B Heron, S McGuigan, N Loughlin. Subs: L Murray for McCarron (35), S Downey for Glass (39), N O’Donnell for E Doherty (Blood Sub 47-52), M Downey for Heron (57), E McEvoy for McGrogan (68), N O’Donnell for Rogers (72).

Ref: Liam Devanney (Mayo).