Allianz National Football League Division Two
Derry 0-14 Monaghan 0-8 3/3/12
Monaghan fell to a disappointing defeat away to Derry in round three of the Allianz NFL on Saturday evening. Hopes were high after an impressive win over Kildare last time out, but Monaghan failed to build on that and they played second-fiddle against a Derry side who had six points from an on-song Paddy Bradley to thank for their victory. Monaghan trailed by six after playing into the wind in the first half and despite improving slightly after the restart, they never looked like bridging the gap, especially as they were playing with 14 men after Matthew McKenna’s dismissal. The return of Tommy Freeman, who looked bright after his half-time introduction, was one of few positives for Monaghan, despite the best efforts of Darren and Kieran Hughes and Dermot Malone. Bradley was the star of the show for previously-winless Derry, along with Seán Leo McGoldrick, Michael Bateson and Enda Lynn.
Paddy Bradley took just half a minute to open his account after a one-two with Mark Lynch and although Bradley then missed a 30-metre free, Mark Lynch converted a 35-metre free after Dermot Malone had been penalised for a throw. Michael Bateson added a point after he had exchanged passed with Mark Craig and Bradley kicked his second at the end of a well-worked move involving Lynch, Neil Forrester and Seán Leo McGoldrick. Bateson turned provider for Enda Lynn to add his name to the list of scorers, before Paul Finlay eventually got Monaghan’s first point from a 30-metre free after a foul on Owen Duffy in the 19th minute.
Bradley replied with a similar effort following a foul on Lynn, who then set up Bradley for another smart finish. Bradley tapped over a 20-metre free for a foul on Brian McCallion, although Darren Hughes got forward to kick Monaghan’s first point from play after good work by Owen Lennon, Dick Clerkin and Donal Morgan. Monaghan suffered a blow on 32 minutes when Matthew McKenna was shown a second yellow card for a foul on Barry McGoldrick and even though they took a point off their deficit when Owen Duffy tapped over a close-range free which had been won by Darren Hughes, McGoldrick landed a long-range point to give Derry a 0-9 to 0-3 lead at half-time.
Bateson started the second half in a similar fashion when he kicked his second point after linking up well with half-back colleague Seán Leo McGoldrick at the end of a patient Derry move, but Monaghan picked it up as Tommy Freeman marked his introduction with a well-taken point at the end of an attack involving Darren and Kieran Hughes. The younger Hughes brother quickly tagged on a point after he had intercepted a poor kick-out from Derry keeper Barry Gillis, but the visitors missed a chance to close the gap to four when Finlay sent a scoreable free just wide. Bradley curled over a free from a difficult angle at the other end, following a foul on Lynn and although Finlay responded from a 25-metre free after a late tackle on Kieran Hughes, Craig kept Derry in control when he became the third Oak Leaf half-back to score.
Chrissy McKaigue and Forrester combined to create a point for Seán Leo McGoldrick to increase the hosts’ lead and roving half-back McGoldrick then turned up at the opposite end to help Gillis block a goal-bound effort from Darren Hughes, who had looked set to score after good approach play by Finlay and Freeman, who then had a point-attempt eventually ruled to have gone wide after referee Eddie Kinsella consulted with his umpires and one of his linesmen.
The last 13 minutes were 14-a-side after Derry had Forrester sent off on a second booking for a foul on Donal Morgan and Monaghan took a couple off their deficit with fine points by Dermot Malone, after he sold a clever dummy, and Kieran Hughes, following strong work by sub Christopher McGuinness. Lynch linked up with Bradley to restore Derry’s six-point lead, however, and they held on to get their first points of the campaign. Monaghan will need to get back to winning ways when they play Louth next Sunday, while Derry will be up against Kildare.
Derry: B Gillis; B McCallion, C McKaigue, A McAlynn; M Craig (0-1), M, Bateson (0-2), S L McGoldrick (0-1); M Friel, PJ McCloskey; N Forrester, G O’Kane, B McGoldrick (0-1); E Lynn (0-1), Paddy Bradley (Capt., 0-6, 3f), M Lynch (0-2, 1f).
Subs: C Kielt for Bateson (47 mins), C Gilligan for Lynn (62), E McGuckin for Lynch (67), Patsy Bradley for Paddy Bradley (69).
Monaghan: M Keogh; V Corey, Darren Hughes (Capt., 0-1), C Walshe; D Malone (0-1), D Mone, David Hughes; O Lennon, D Clerkin; M McKenna, P Finlay (0-2f), J Turley; D Morgan, K Hughes (0-2), O Duffy (0-1f).
Subs: T Freeman (0-1) for David Hughes (H-T), K Duffy for Walshe, C McGuinness for O Duffy (both 47), N McAdam for Turley (61).
Referee: E Kinsella (Laois).
By michael Sun 4th Mar
