Dessie Farrells Dublin Senior Footballers suffer their first defeat in the Division 2 League Campaign
Derry 1-11
Dublin 0-13
Celtic Park, Derry
Brendan Rogers broke Dublin hearts at the death tonight in Derry as the Ulster men served Dublin with their first National Football League defeat of the campaign. And it give the Derry men edge now topping the table by 2 points with 2 rounds to go in the competition.
Dublin were in the driving seat in the game until Niall Toner again netted for Derry to start a terrific comeback for the home side. Dublin shuffled the deck before throw in bringing Lorcan O’Dell, David Byrne, Michael Fitzsimons and Eoin Murchan into the starting 15.
Cormac Costello got the travelers up and running, with James McCarthy almost securing an early goal in a crowded Derry box. After Paul Cassidy equalised, Brian Fenton caught a high ball in the area to put the Dubs back in front.
After an eleven minute baron spell Fenton struck again followed by a beautiful arching score from Lee Gannon. Shane McGuigan scored Derry’s only other score of the half on 16 minutes as Dublin pressed. The home side had a goal chance minutes later as Niall Loughlin made David O’Hanlon pull off another great save.
O’Hanlon has impressed throughout the competition and again his shot stopping and ball distribution was a huge part of Dublin’s game this evening. And Dublin ran out the half leading by 0-07 to 0-02
Derry grab game and steel win in the second half
A fisted point from Tom Lahiff pushed Dublin further ahead on the restart. But Ethan Doherty kept the scoreboard ticking for Derry with a nice curled effort. And Derry eventually got the break they needed. Gareth McKinless managed to find Niall O’Loughlin who dropped the ball under the pressure of Michael Fitzsimons. But luckily the ball fell for Toner to slot it home.
Ciaran Kilkenny kept the game out of Derry’s reached with another score. But the home side saw impact from their bench. Oisin McWilliams and Lachlan Murray kicked points to put them ahead for the first time in the game. And it looked like we’d a tied game on our hands when Costello coverted a free late on. McGuigan looked like having teh last chance of the game denied before Rogers finished with the last kick.
Derry Scorers:
Niall Toner 1-00
Shane McGuigan 0-03 (3f)
Paul Cassidy 0-02
Niall Loughlin 0-01 (1f)
Lachlan Murray 0-01
Oisin McWilliams 0-01
Conor Doherty 0-01
Ethan Doherty 0-01
Brendan Rogers 0-01
Dublin Scorers:
Cormac Costello 0-03 (2f)
Ciaran Kilkenny 0-02
Brian Fenton 0-02
Lee Gannon 0-02
Con O’Callaghan 0-01
Colm Basquel 0-01
Tom Lahiff 0-01
John Small 0-01
Derry:
Odhran Lynch
Chrissy McKaigue
Eoin McEvoy
Conor McCluskey
Conor Doherty
Paudi McGrogan
Padraig Cassidy
Conor Glass
Brendan Rogers
Niall Toner
Paul Cassidy
Ethan Doherty
Benny Heron
Shane McGuigan
Niall Loughlin
Derry Substitutes:
Gareth McKinless for E Doherty (Blood sub 35+1, Revered HT)
Gareth McKinless for Padraig Cassidy (HT)
Oisin McWilliams for Benny Heron (50)
Lachlan Murray for Toner (60)
Shea Downey for McEvoy (66)
Niall Toner for Loughlin (74)
Dublin:
David O’Hanlon
Daire Newcombe
Michael Fitzsimons
Lee Gannon
John Small
Eoin Murchan
David Byrne
Brian Fenton
James McCarthy
Tom Lahiff
Con O’Callaghan
Ciaran Kilkenny
Cormac Costello
Dean Rock
Lorcan O’Dell
Dublin Substitutes:
Niall Scully for Lorcan O’Dell (43)
Colm Basquel for Tom Lahiff (53)
Sean Lowry for Dean Rock (58)
Brian Howard for James McCarthy (64)