Ulster SFC first round Cavan 0-5 Derry 2-14
Derry produce Oscar-winning sequel show
SEQUELS are usually overrated, especially when the original script, played out at Casement Park last week, was filled with such high drama and controversy.
A packed house for yesterday’s football matinee at Breffni did, nevertheless, produce some polished performances from Derry’s leading men.
Ballinderry’s Enda Muldoon was one such individual who gave a virtuoso display in the Oak Leaf full-forward line.
“It was nice to come here to Breffni to beat them with so much to spare,” said Muldoon.
“I suppose we should have won last week too but we gave two five-point leads away and you can’t do that in championship football.”
“But once we got ahead today we were never going to lose.” Derry will now face Armagh in two weeks time in the semi-finals.
Anthony Tohill said that the margin of victory was unimportant and that yesterday’s performance would not be good enough against semi-final opponents Armagh.
“We’ll have to improve a hell of a lot to beat Armagh. We have much to work on over the next two weeks but tonight we are going to enjoy our victory,” he added.
Derry’s co-producer of yesterday’s performance, Eamonn Coleman, was a delighted figure but was disappointed with Cavan. “Cavan are not as good as everybody thought they were...it was good to win in their backyard.”
Meanwhile, Coleman’s opposite number, Val Andrews, was a dejected figure in the Breffni tunnel and struggled to give any rational post mortem on his team’s display.
“I don’t have a clue what went wrong today maybe we’ll look at the video and see what went wrong. We just didn’t perform in any sector,” he said.
Ulster Senior Football Championship: Down 1-15 Antrim 0-14
No shock as Antrim are left to Mourne another early exit
THIS piece could have been written before the game – truly we were hearing tales of the expected.
Down manager Pete McGrath, stressing the need to improve, was relieved to win, not least because of his side’s poor finish to the match.
“In certain respects we were in a no win situation here. People expected us to win but we knew Antrim had prepared well and people talking about their 17 years without a win having to end sometime, so there was a wee bit of anxiety in our approach.
“By and large the team played well until the last 15 minutes when we lost our shape, probably due to the sending off of Miceal Magill.”
On the injury front McGrath seems not to have any more major concerns, despite the two enforced withdrawals. “Ciaran Byrne had a slight hamstring pull – I don’t think it’s too serious but he couldn’t have continued. Gerard Deegan took a knock on the thigh but it was better just to get him off.”
Antrim boss Aidan Thornbury pointed to Down’s early goal as the moment which killed his side’s dream.
“We’re disappointed we conceded that goal, which really made us have to chase the game and we never really came to terms with that.
“I felt we didn’t get much run of the ball...though we missed vital scores at vital times. That’s our inexperience playing a Down team with seven All-Ireland medal holders and us running against the background of 17 years of defeat.
“The plus points are that we showed tremendous commitment and that squad has trained extremely hard. They are young talented lads and we will come back, we will be there in years to come, I have no doubt about that.”
