Football

How Derry rated v Kerry - McGuigan the pick as Oak Leafs’ All-Ireland dream ended

All-Ireland SFC quarter-final: Kerry 0-15 Derry 0-10

Shane McGuigan was named Men's Football Player of the Year
Shane McGuigan took the fight to Kerry as Derry fell short in Sunday's All-Ireland quarter-final Shane McGuigan took the fight to Kerry as Derry fell short in Sunday's All-Ireland quarter-final

Odhran Lynch: Not put under undue pressure as Kerry sat off, but confident in possession. Kick pass in started move for Derry’s first point from Glass. Popped up with late score. 6.5

Conor McCluskey: Lost Geaney for a first half score but otherwise kept him quiet. Trademark raids limited as Derry minded the house, and was lucky when a mix-up with Ethan Doherty finished with an O’Shea point rather than a goal. 6.5

Chrissy McKaigue: Handed the David Clifford brief and, despite a rocky start when burned for a score and outjumped for a mark, did enough to put the Fossa ace off full stride. 7

Diarmuid Baker: Found Brosnan’s pace hard to handle, turned over twice and caught out of position a couple of times. Given the slip too easily for Brosnan’s second half point. 5.5

Conor Doherty: The penalty hero in Castlebar gave Paudie Clifford very little to work with as Derry shut up shop. 7

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Gareth McKinless: Missed a gilt-edged goal chance inside the opening minute then saw his pocket picked by Diarmuid O’Connor when about to pull the trigger. Not as influential as Derry needed him to be. 6

Eoin McEvoy: Kept O’Shea quiet until game opened up in dying minutes. Second half burst upfield opened the door for Cassidy to level at 0-8 each, seconds after making a brilliant interception as Brosnan eyed up the goal. 7

Conor Glass: In right place to help out defenders early on but exertions in Castlebar eight days earlier took a toll as the afternoon wore on and Kerry got on top around the middle. Classy effort for Derry’s opening score. 6.5

Brendan Rogers: Serious shift. Bounded up for scores in either half and dropped back inside any time Clifford went close to goal in the first half. 7

Ethan Doherty: Probing pass created the best score of the game as McGuigan converted in the dying seconds of the first half, but nowhere near his dynamic best. 6

Ciaran McFaul: Looked fired up from the first ball - roamed around with purpose but remained peripheral. Last act was an ambitious shot that drifted wide before being replaced. 6

Paul Cassidy: two efforts fall way short, and unable to get to grips with the attacking bursts of the brilliant O Beaglaioch. 5.5

Eunan Mulholland: Went toe-to-toe with Whyte but didn’t offer Derry enough elsewhere. Dwelled on the ball a split second too long as an early second half attack fizzled out, before being replaced. 5.5

Lachlan Murray: Worked hard to limit O’Sullivan’s influence and made a block on Brosnan as Kerry went in search of a first half goal. Eventually replaced by Loughlin. 6

Shane McGuigan: The real Shane McGuigan stood up in some style during a first half tour de force. Bagged three from play in that period, the last of which – under huge pressure – was the score of the day, as well as making a huge block to stop Whyte rattling the net. Won a free early in the second half but faded after that. 8

Substitutes

Niall Toner: Had little involvement. 6

Niall Loughlin: Unable to provide the spark Derry needed at that stage. 6

Emmett Bradley: Dragged back Burke to concede a late free. 6

Cormac Murphy: Made no impact. 6