New look Derry serve up a treat for the fans

DERRY supporters among the estimated six thousand fans at Celtic Park on Saturday evening probably did not know what to expect from their new look team but their anxiety may have been tempered when they saw that Mickey Harte was arriving with an equally new look outfit but is generally believed that Tyrone have a better back up than Derry.

Derry 1-18

Tyrone 1-12

It was probably the big Tyrone following who were most anxious during an open and entertaining game as they saw a confident and accurate Oak Leaf team control most of the game in terms of scoring. The myth that Derry cannot score without ace marksman Paddy Bradley was well and truly exploded as in his absence nine players including three defenders combined to score the biggest total ever recorded against Tyrone in 51 league meetings.

Tyrone had as many chances as Derry but eight times in the first half they dropped the ball short into the very safe hands of experienced keeper Barry Gillis. Derry on the other hand had ten scoring chances in the first half and put nine of them away to lead by 0-9 to 0-6 at the interval.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

On the resumption Derry continued to push forward and the closest Tyrone ever got was four points but in truth apart from a spell mid way through the initial half they never looked like winning.

With big names missing on both sides it was lesser known players who grabbed the headlines. James Kielt was impervious from frees, sub Declan Mullan showed class and James Kielt at right half was always on top of his game.

Tyrone keeper Johnny Curran did well apart from one slip when under pressure he was forced to palm the ball down and the alert Raymond Wilkinson was on hand to send the ball to the net for a nine point Derry lead. Teenagers Kyle Coney and Ronan McNabb started well for the visitors but faded as the game went on. Inexperienced midfielder Aidan Cassidy had a very good first half and Martin Swift caused Derry a lot of early problems when he pushed forward.

Derry manager Damien Cassidy attempted to play down the victory stating that it was only two league points but he could not hide the glow of satisfaction at the display of his young team. Eleven of the players who took part in this game did not figure against Tyrone in the championship last year he added and said that the two points would be vital towards the end of the league.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Tyrone manager Mickey Harte was his usual honest self, Derry won because they played the better football, any team that concedes 1-18 cannot expect to win.

Derry captain Gerard O'Kane was an inspirational figure at the back with his constant forays forward putting pressure on an unusually suspect Tyrone defence, he even managed to get on the score sheet and set up two more scores as well.

Mark Lynch was excellent at centre half with his long pin point passes setting up his attackers nicely and into the bargain he landed two superb points. Relative newcomer Charlie Kielt had a fine game with Liam Hinphey on the other wing improving as the game progressed

The free taking of James Kielt was sublime to say the least with a one hundred per cent return from six efforts. Livewire Raymond Wilkinson scored 1-2 in a good display but there will be an anxious wait to see if he is fit to play against Dublin on Saturday after being injured near the end of the game.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Andrew McCartney showed promise as did young sub Declan Mullan from Coleraine who was a constant threat to the losers back line. Not even the introduction of Ryan McMenamin could steady Tyrone at the back.

In the first half Tyrone had amole chances but time after time they dropped the ball short into Derry keeper Barry Gillis, with Aidan Cassidy doing well at midfield they broke even in this sector but after the break Derry were in control. Indeed at the final whistle the losers were fortunate to be just six in arrears as Colm Cavanagh's goal in the 69th minute was clearly in the 'square'.

Derry made the more positive start and were three points up inside ten minutes with scores from Mark Lynch, Andrew McCartney and James Kielt. There was some confusion about the early scores due to a fault on the scoreboard but it was soon sorted out. Newcomer Kyle Coney opened for Tyrone in the 12th minute but Ratymond Wilkinson quickly replied. Tyrone then hit a good spell with scores from Tommy McGuigan, Penrose twice and Aidan Cassidy for a 0-5 to 0-4 lead and this was the only time they led in the entire game.

Charlie Kielt levelled ten minutes from the interval and by half time the home team had forged into a 0-9 to 0-6 lead.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Derry carried on where they left off at the start of the second half with a first minute point from sub Declan Mullan and by the 42nd minute they led by 0-12 to 0-6. Two Tommy McGuigan points cut the gap back to four but superb points from James Kielt and Eoin Bradley put Derry back in control.

It was as good as over fourteen minutes from time when Wilkinson hit the net from close range and Jasmes Kielt thumped over a free to open up a nine point gap. That controversial Cavanagh goal when he poked home a cross from Eoin McCusker gave Tyrone hope and with four minutes left they were just four points behind.

With Fergal Doherty superb in midfield the Derry men took control again and two converted frees from Eoin Bradley who was now getting the better of Conor Gormley sealed an excellent win for Derry.

Derry. Barry Gillis, Brian Og McAlary, Gerard O'Kane 0-1, Dermot McBride, Charlie Kielt 0-1, Mark Lynch 0-2, Liam Hinphey, Fergal Doherty, Patsy Bradley, Caolan O'Boyle, James Kielt 0-6frees, Andrew McCartney 0-1, Seamus Bradley, Eoin Bradley 0-4, 0-3frees, Raymond Wilkinson 1-2, Subs Declan Mullan 0-1 for C. O'Boyle, Brian Mullan for S. Bradley, Joe Diver for P. Bradley, Enda Lynn for A. McCartney and Barry McGuigan for R. Wlkinson.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Tyrone. Johnny Curran, Martin Swift, Conor Gormley, Justin McMahon, Dermot Carlin, Joe McMahon, Ronan McNabb, Aidan Cassidy 0-1, Kevin Hughes, Kyle Coney 0-1, Brian McGuigan, Enda McGinley, Colm Cavangh 1-0, Martin Penrose 0-4, 0-3frees, Tommy McGuigan 0-4, 0-2frees, subs Eoin McCusker 0-1 for K. Coney, Ryan McMenamin for Justin McMahon, Sean O'Neill for R. McNabb and David Harte for M. Swift.

Referee Pat McEnaney Monaghan.

Related topics: