Michael O’Connor reports as the Banner get a reality check from Derry in the Allianz football league round 4 clash
DERRY……………….2-13
CLARE……………..0-10
Derry are being mentioned in footballing quarters since the beginning of the season as a side that could reasonably be considered as a side to watch come June and July. This viewpoint was franked with a ultra-professional performance against a Clare side who suffered from errors and a dearth of scoring potential when required most.
An official attendance of 1,478 with a sizable minority from Derry saw Rory Gallagher’s side score a win that may send them into division 1 of the league in 2023.
Clare now definitely need one big result in the remaining three games even with Cork and Offaly looking as if division three awaits. The winner of the Cork/Offaly tie might have a lifeline if teams slightly above them begin to falter
Operating with 15 inside their own 45 yard and attacking with speed down the lines Derry left Ennis with the two league points in the bag long before Conor Lane’s long whistle.
Paul Cassidy and Oisin McWilliams were quick off the mark with the opening two scores of the game as Clare were caught twice on the counterattack.
Shane McGuigan popped over Derry’s third score after seven minutes. Clare dominated the next five minutes with Derry camped in their own third as Cian O Dea made several onward runs that ended eventually after 12 minutes with a free for Keelan Sexton and Clare’s opening score.
A chance for a second score went abegging a minute later when nabbed in possession Derry released the ball only for Eoin Cleary’ effort to get caught in the swirling wind. When Clare were on the attack Stephen Ryan was on his 65 such was the depth with which Derry defended and likewise for Derry netminder Odran Lynch when Clare defended.
Keelan Sexton and Shane McGuigan swopped scores before Lachlan Murray gave the Oak Leaf County a three-point advantage after 18 minutes as Conor Glass was operating as a sweeper for Derry.
Podge Collins won a hard free that was converted by Keelan Sexton after 20 minutes as the game was emerging into patterns of defensive periods for both sides.
Two kicked efforts into the goalie’s hand due to kicking into the breeze let Derry off the hook before superb attacking play from Cleary, O Neill and Griffin led to Keelan Sexton kicking off his right to narrow the deficit to two points with seven minutes of normal time left in the first half.
Another segment of strong Clare forward play ended with Eoin Cleary sending over a free as Niall Loughlin was now at full forward for the Derry men. Clare were now a point in arrears as Derry weaknesses in attack have now been exploited by a strong Clare defence led by Cillian Brennan in particular.
Derry held onto the one-point lead, (0-6) to (0-5) as Clare went in quite content at the interval after a shaky opening ten minutes to be now in control of their destiny.
In a game that the first goal might be the only goal due to the nature of the two-team set up Derry for the away win as Benny Heron was on hand to capitalise on a kickout error to send the ball past Stephen Ryan.
Darren O Neill and Niall Loughlin had the first two scores of the new half with all this action happening with just three minutes into the new half.
Nine minutes elapsed before the next score as Cathal O Connor narrowed the deficit to a goal after 42 minutes. This was as close as Clare got to the winners. Shane McGuignan (2), Emmet Bradley who was busy throughout stretched Derry six clear as this even without any more scores for Derry would have been too much for Clare to surmount based on performance to date in the game.
When Gareth McKines struck for Derry’s second goal attention now turned to the scoring average as the call came from Derry to keep attacking the scoreboard as the Clare cry was to stymie it and at worst narrow the deficit.
Clare substitute Emmet McMahon managed to draw back one score yet Matthew Downey, Ciaran McFaul and Emmet Bradley with a brace in reply from Keelan Sexton rounded off a deserved nine-point win for Derry as Clare who have struggled to score were caught out by a side who defended superbly and struck for two invaluable goals.
Best for the winners were Emmet Bradley, Brendan Rogers, Padraig McGrogan, Shane McGuignan, Conor Glass, Conor Doherty and Christopher McKaigue. Sometimes expectation can get the better of supporters but today no one was in doubt of the task that faced Clare.
Their best included Cian O Dea, Keelan Sexton, Cathal O Connor, Cillian Brennan, Aaron Griffin, Manus Doherty and Darren O Neill early on.
DERRY: Odran Lynch, Christopher McKaigue, Brendan Rogers, Conor McCluskey, Ethan Doherty (0-1), Padraig McGrogan (0-1), Conor Doherty, Conor Glass, Emmet Bradley (0-2), Paul Cassidy (0-1), Niall Loughlin (0-1), Oisin McWilliams (0-1), Benny Heron (1-0), Shane McGuigan (0-4fs), Lachlan Morris (0-1). Subs: Gareth McKinless (1-0) for Murray, Ciaran McFaul (0-1)`for McWilliams, Ben McCarron for Ethan Doherty, Niall Toner for Heron, Matthew Downey for Loughlin.
CLARE: Stephen Ryan, Manus O Doherty, Cillian Brennan, Cillian Rouine, Cian O Dea, Eoghan Collins, Alan Sweeney, Cathal O Connor (0-1), Darren O Neill (0-1), Jamie Malone, Eoin Cleary (0-1), Pearse Lillis, Aaron Griffin (0-1), Keelan Sexton (0-5, 3fs), Podge Collins. Subs: Conor Jordan for E Collins, David Tubridy for P Collins, Ciaran Downes for Griffin, Dan Keating for O Neill, Emmet McMahon (0-1) for Malone.
Referee: Conor Lane (Cork)