Minor Footballers Fall To Derry Defeat In All-Ireland Quarter Final Tie

DUBLIN 2-10 

DERRY 0-18 

Dublin hopes of advancing to the last four of the Electric Ireland All-Ireland Minor Football Championship were dashed at Kingspan Breffni Park on Saturday afternoon as they fell to Derry by two points.

The Dubs always faced a tall order, being pitted against the reigning All-Ireland and Ulster champions, and so it proved despite a battling and committed display that pushed the holders right down to the wire.

Dublin were generally economical in front of goal in the first-half with Senan Bolger’s goal in the 9^th minute and two excellent Donach Magee points leaving them facing a 0-8 to 1-4 arrears by half-time.

A goal from Magee within five minutes of the restart added momentum to the Dublin challenge but Derry showed their class in the dying stages, kicking four unanswered points at a crucial period to ensure their progress to the last four.

Despite playing against the breeze, it was Derry that controlled possession in the early stages and they opened the scoring after two minutes through a fine score from midfielder James Sargent.

Dublin struggled to play their way into the contest and were punished for a sloppy pass in the 7^th minute as Dylan Rocks doubled the Derry lead and Eamon Young added to their tally with a smart score soon after to emphasise Derry’s early dominance.

It was evident from the initial stages that Dublin would need to make the most of the limited opportunities that came their way and they delivered on that front as Josh Kennedy released Bolger down the middle and his low strike from twelve yards proved too much for Jack McCloy in the Derry goal.

While Dublin briefly fell behind again through an 11^th minute score from Turlough McHugh, Bolger found sufficient space to tee up Magee for a levelling score as the sides entered the second quarter deadlocked at 1-1 to 0-4.

Rocks and Magee exchanged points as the contest evolved before Dublin enjoyed the lead for the first time as Rían Doherty curled over a superb free in the 20^th minute.

Dublin were coping well defensively for the large part but proved powerless to prevent Derry from overtaking them through a brace of points in quick succession by the influential Young.

A Dara McGuckin point doubled Derry’s lead in the 30^th minute but Dublin entered the break with a spring in their step as Finn McGinnis pointed in added time to leave his side trailing by the bare minimum.

A brace of Sargent points in the early stages of the second-half saw Derry increase their lead to three points but we were back on level terms by the 36^th minute as Magee crashed home to the bottom corner following some quick-thinking by Doherty.

A brace of Doherty frees helped cancel out points at the opposite end from McGuckin and Ruairí Biggs with the tense and tight nature of the contest continuing as Ger Dillon and Bolger swapped scores early in the final quarter.

A sublime point from Magee in the 52^nd minute edged Dublin back in front but Derry began to click through the gears as points from McHugh, Young, Luke Grant and Sargent proved too much for Dublin by the final whistle.

Scorers – Dublin: D Magee 1-3; S Bolger 1-1; R Doherty 0-3 (3f); F McGinnis, R Ennis, H O’Neill (f) 0-1 apiece. Derry: J Sargent (1f), E Young 0-4 each; T McHugh 0-3; D Rocks, D McGuckin 0-2 each; R Biggs, G Dillon, L Grant 0-1 apiece.

Dublin: F McDonnell; S Devane, D O’Sullivan, J O’Keeffe; J Kennedy, F Costello, R Ennis; F McGinnis, K Costello; P Copeland, S Bolger, D Magee; C Loughran, H O’Neill, R Doherty. Subs: J McNair for Copeland (55), F Lydon for Doherty (58), J Comiskey for Bolger (62).

Derry: J McCloy; P O’Kane, R Canavan, R Collins; L Grant, C Ó Maináin, D McGuckin; J Sargent, C McBride; E Young, T McHugh, C Hargan; C McCullagh, R Biggs, D Rocks. Subs: P Hargan for Collins (half-time), G Dillon for McCullagh (42), C Rocks for Biggs (42), C McNally for O’Kane (54).

Referee: Martin McNally (Monaghan).