Defeat leaves Derry clinging to NFL First Division status

DERRY fans are wondering just how their team who trounced Tyrone seven weeks ago could slide so quickly downhill. On Sunday at Scotstown they slumped to their fourth successive defeat and now look to have one foot in Division two.

National Football League Division 1

Monaghan 1-16

Derry 0-12

After reaching the last two league finals the least they were expected to do was stay comfortably in the top division.

This was a sloppy and disjointed performance in which Derry failed to match the pride and passion of the hosts who were picking up just their second win and that now means that Derry and Tyrone on two points each are in pole position for relegation.

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Certainly Derry have not been helped by injury problems but other counties seem able to cope and unless there is a huge improvement allied to wins in their last two games things look bad for the Oak Leaf men.

Derry started well and finished well but for the majority of the game they were completely outplayed. They went for a 24 minute spell without a score and that late four points did little other than put a slightly better look on the score board.

With Antrim currently heading the third division and looking in with a good cance of promotion there could be the ironic situation of Liam Bradley managing them against his sons Paddy and Eoin.

While Derry may not yet be at peak fitness with the championship their aim they reverted to the long hopeful ball up the middle and with their danger men Eoin and Paddy Bradley tightly marked it proved to be a failed tactic. Gone was the sublime football they played against Tyrone one was the bite and skill that so many players failed to produce.

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Derry manager Damien Cassidy admitted to being baffled by his team's poor display: "We have talked about in training and we can't put our finger on it. We are in a poor league position but we have to get on with it."

Monaghan had done their home work on Derry who beat them twice last year, manager Seamus McEnaney has brought in some strong young players and some of these virtual unknowns made life difficult for the more experienced Derry men. The man who took Derry apart was corner forward Conor McManus who scored eight points with five coming from frees, Thomas Freeman got his usual goal in a full forward line that contributed 1-5 from play. The Derry front line in comparison managed just three points from play.

Over the hour Kevin McGuckin played quite well at full back considering that he was back from a long term injury, another player back from injury and making his semi debut was Newbridge sub Michael Bateson who scored two points after coming on for Brian Mullan early in the second half. Indeed four of Derry's second half points were scored by subs.

With the Ulster under 21 championship game against Fermanagjh coming up on Wednesday Damien Cassidy who manages both teas did not start any of the young players but James Kielt did come on at half time and Lee Moore later in the game.

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Drery had started well enough but thins began to unravel in the 13th minute when an illegal hand pass allowed Conor McManus to convert an easy free. Then up popped Tommy Freeman for his trademark goal and Derry literally fell apart as the Farney men led by Conor McManus built up a 1-8 to 0-4 lead.

Monaghan used McManus as their target men and a fragile Derry defence could do little to stop him and by the half hour mark he had chalked up six points and his team had the game won with a 1-10 to 0-4 lead.

Derry's attacking play was just to thump high balls in to their front men and Monaghan quickly got men back to cut out the threat.

If there was any consolation for Derry it was that they played a bit better in the second half and actually outscored Monaghan by 0-8 to 0-6 but never at any stage did they threaten to turn the game in their favour.

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It was a relatively tae game as Monaghan v Derry games go with just five yellow cards each but for the small Derry contingent in the crowd of around 3,500 it was a long road home and a growing suspicion that based on recent performances all is not well in the Derry camp.

Monaghan scorers: Conor McManus 0-8, 0-5frees, Tommy Freeman 1-1, Paul inlay 0-3, 0-2frees, Cairan Walshe 0-2,Dermot Malone ad Hugh McElroy 0-1 each.

Derry scorers: Paddy Bradley 0-4, 0-2frees, Eoin Bradley 0-2, 0-1free, Michael Bateson 0-2, James Kielt, Mark Lynch, Raymond Wilkinson and Joe Diver 0-1 each.

Monaghan: S . Duffy. D. McArdle, D. Hughes, C. Greenan, C. Walshe, N. McAdam, K. Hughes, D. Mone, . Finlay, D. Clerkin, S. Gallogly, D. Malone, C. McManus, H. McElroy, T. Freeman. Subs JP Mone for D. McArdle, R. Woods for H. McElroy, M. McNally for D. Malone, G. Dougan for M. Greenan.

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Derry: B. Gillis, B. Mclary, K McGuckin, D. McBride, C. Kielt, B. McGoldrick, G. O'Kane, Patsy Bradley, F. Doherty, B. Mullan, M. Lynch, S.L. McGoldrick, Paddy Bradley, E. Bradley, A. McLaughlin. Subs. R. Wilkinson for B. McAlary, J. Kielt for A. McLaughlin, J. Diver for P. Bradley, M. Bateson for B. Mullan, L. Moore for SL McGoldrick.

Referee: Padraig Hughes Armagh

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