Christy Ring Cup: Derry 3-14 London 1-14
DERRY bounced back from their first defeat of the season to secure a hard-earned win against London in Owenbeg yesterday.
The Oak Leafs were looking to respond after a heavy defeat to Christy Ring favourites Kildare, while London were looking to avenge a 0-25 to 0-9 loss to the Derry men in theLeague.
The game was delayed by half an hour due to diversions on the Glenshane Road which slowed London’s journey, but when the game did get underway it was the visitors who started the sharper, with the wind at their backs.
Donal Hannon led the scoring charts for them, and he opened his account on two minutes with a free from 15 metres inside his own half.
Points from Mark Dwyer, Sean Glynn and Colin Nelson extended the lead before Oisin O’Doherty was called into action to deny Dwyer a goal.
Hannon slotted the resulting 65 and Glynn added another after eight minutes to leave London 0-6 to no score up.
Cormac O’Doherty finally got Derry going with two frees in quick succession, before Hannon and the Derry captain exchanged frees.
The home side got their first score from play on 19 minutes off the hurl of Darragh McGilligan and the Oak Leaf were level three minutes later when Tiarnan McHugh passed for Gerald Bradley to power to the net from ten metres out.
A Hannon free edged London back in front but Derry took the lead for the first time on 26 minutes when McHugh this time set up for Odhran McKeever for a smart finish to the net.
Two Hannon frees levelled things once more and, after O’Doherty was again called into action to deny Matthew Feaney a goal, Hannon converted his seventh dead ball of the half to edge the visitors in front at the short whistle – 0-11 to 2-4.
John Mullan levelled the scores after 14 second half seconds, but Brendan McCarry responded.
A lull in the scoring ended on 44 minutes when a McKeever point was followed by a Richie Mullan free and a Jack Goulding point.
The home team got a big score on 52 minutes when Bradley laid the ball off to McHugh to rattle to the net for 3-7 to 0-13.
Frees from O’Doherty and Mullan and points from Bradley, Darragh McGilligan and Eamon McGill put Derry in control at 3-12 to 0-13 but London got the goal they badly needed on 65 minutes when Fiachra O’Keeffe was left in space to rifle it past Oisin O’Doherty.
A Hannon free reduced the gap further as Darragh McGilligan saw the line for a second yellow, but Derry closed the game out with points from Deaghlan Foley and Richie Mullan (free).
Derry: O O’Doherty; C Hendry, M Craig, D McCloskey; E McGill (0-1), R Mullan (0-3 frees), G Farren; C O’Doherty (0-4 frees), D McGilligan (0-2); F Bradley, J Mullan (0-1), B Óg McGilligan; T McHugh (1-0), G Bradley (1-1), O McKeever (1-1).
Subs: M Lynch for O McKeever (51), D Foley (0-1) for B McGilligan (55), R Mulholland for C O’Doherty (61), P Nelis for F Bradley (64).
Yellow cards: J Mullan (33), G Bradley (35), C Hendry (41), D McGilligan (61, 70), R Mullan (70+4)
Red card: D McGilligan (70)
London: S Bardon; L Hanley, D Bruen, J McCarthy; P McNaughton, P Muldoon, S Lordan; J Goulding (0-1), D Hannon (0-8, 0-7 frees, 0-1 65); C Nelson (0-1), M Dwyer (0-1), R Lombard; B McCarry (0-1), M Freaney, S Glynn (0-2).
Subs: F O’Keeffe (1-0) for P McNaughton (HT), F Collins for M Feaney (45), M Flannery for C Nelson (57), P Earley for L Hanley (61).
Yellow cards: P Muldoon (53), S Glynn (68).
Ref: C McDonald (Antrim)
