A Shane McGuigan exhibition in front of goal gave Derry a four-point win against a dogged Leitrim side in Croke Park this afternoon on a scoreline of 0-20 to 0-16.
It was real end-to-end stuff within the opening five minutes with Leitrim getting the up and running after just 53 seconds courtesy of Dean McGovern to huge roars from the crowd.
A Conor Doherty score from the kick-out ensured a quick response from Derry before an exchange of points between Shane Moran and Enda Lynn and a curling effort from Ryan Bell edged Derry ahead 0-3 to 0-2 inside the opening five minutes.
Leitrim’s forwards did extremely well in the opening half, finding plenty of space for themselves ahead of their defensive markers and racing onto the quick ball from midfield.
Frees from Leitrim forwards Evan Sweeney, Ryan O’Rourke and Domhnaill Flynn gave Terry Hyland’s side the response they needed after a succession of bad wides and inched them into the lead by 0-5 to 0-3 entering the 15th minute.
Derry didn’t panic against a strong breeze in the opening half and kept in touch with Leitrim before they really started to raise the intensity of the game with Enda Lynn pulling the strings in attack.
Six points without reply in the last 15 minutes of the first half for Derry ensured they made their way in at half time leading 0-10 to 0-7.
The opening minutes of the second half began just like the first with both sides exchanging early scores through Emlyn Mulligan and Shane McGuigan.
Four points in the second half from the lively Leitrim forward Ryan O’Rourke ensured Leitrim kept their chances of a comeback alive right until the final whistle but it wasn’t to be for Terry Hyland’s men on their first return to Croke Park since the Tommy Murphy Cup final of 2006.
The open style of football displayed by both sides for the duration of the game ensured a really enjoyable watch for supporters of both counties at GAA HQ and it was so encouraging to see both sides really going at it with some fantastic football on display.
Leitrim, to their credit didn’t allow their heads to drop and pushed Derry all the way in the second half with scores from Mulligan, Maguire and O’Rourke keeping them in touch. Anytime they managed to construct a score for themselves though, Derry responded immediately with two of their own.
It was McGuigan for Derry who would make the most telling contribution on the scoreboard in the second half, a dominant performance from the Slaughtneil forward and five second half points kept the scoreboard ticking over for Derry.
Those crucial McGuigan scores coupled with two trademark second-half points from captain Chrissy McKaigue ensured Derry emerged victorious.
Derry: Thomas Mallon; Karl McKaigue, Brendan Rogers, Paul McNeill; Michael McEvoy, Chrissy McKaigue (0-2), Niall Keenan; Padraig Cassidy (0-1), Conor McAtamney; Emmett Bradley (0-2), Enda Lynn (0-3), Conor Doherty (0-1); Shane McGuigan (0-6, 2f), Ryan Bell (0-2, 1f), Christopher Bradley(0-2, 2f)
Subs: Pearce Dolan for Cillian McGloin (32), Benny Heron for Enda Lynn (50), Niall Toner (0-1) for Ryan Bell (50), Jason Rocks for Conor Doherty (59), Eamon McGill for Karl McKaigue (64), Ryan Dougan for Christopher Bradley (70)
Leitrim: Cathal McCrann; Aidan Flynn 1f, Michael McWeeney (0-1), Paddy Maguire (0-1); Sean McWeeney, Shane Quinn, Raymond Mulvey (0-1); Mark Plunkett (0-1), Shane Moran (0-1); Dean McGovern (0-1), Emlyn Mulligan (0-1), Domhnaill Flynn (0-1); Darragh Rooney, Evan Sweeney (0-2, 1f), Ryan O’Rourke (0-6, 4f).
Subs: Darragh Rooney for Emlyn Mulligan (44), Damien Moran for Shane Moran (50), Conor Reynolds for Aidan Flynn (60), Jack Heslin for Domhnaill Flynn (64)
