All-Ireland SFC: Dublin defeat Derry

All-Ireland SFC Group Four

Dublin 0-22 (0-2-18) Derry 0-20 (0-3-14)

By Michael Wilson at Páirc Esler

Dublin secured second spot in Group Four and with it a home tie in the All Ireland preliminary quarter-finals after edging a thrilling encounter against a luckless Derry side.

With Ciaran Kilkenny superb and the returning Con O'Callaghan helping himself to five points from play, it was the Dubs' third quarter that gave Dessie Farrell's men the platform for victory. But this was a game of the finest margins.

Paddy Tally's Oak Leafers left everything on the pitch, but the game that summed up a season of near misses for a Derry team, who probably deserved more than they got. They can point to a series of near misses, Shane McGuigan - who finished with 0-10 - also seeing a two point effort strike the post late on before Brendan Rogers watched an even later goal chance fly past the far post. Lachlan Murray also watched a goal chance slide inches the wrong side of the post; but ultimately they didn't do enough to progress.

With Galway claiming a single point victory over Armagh at Breffni Park, it means Dublin's return to form has arrived at exactly the right moment to secure second spot.

With Odhran Lynch picking up a quad injury in Derry's final training session of the week, Tally named the same 15 that started the draw with Galway while Farrell made three changes from the team beaten by Armagh. O'Callaghan started despite being initially named among the substitutes. John Small and Lee Gavin also came in with Lorcan O'Dell and Alex Gavin dropping to the bench and Colm Basquel missing out.

It didn't take long for O'Callaghan to mark his return, taking a pass from Peadar Ó Cofaigh Byrne to split the posts within 10 seconds of throw as the Dubs started like a runaway train.

The score was half a goal chance but Dublin didn't pause for breath, Killian McGinnis adding a second point before the opening minute had elapsed. Paddy Small added with only 90 seconds gone before, seconds later, Paddy Small burst clean through only to elect to fist over instead of going for goal.

With his team needing settling, Conor Glass stepped forward to take a pass from Shane McGuigan and get Derry on the scoreboard five minutes in. Dublin responded with a second O'Callaghan point, but Derry had joined the party.

Ethan Doherty fired narrowly over before Small's failure to hand back the ball for a free proved costly as the ball was moved with McGuigan range and his fired over for a crucial two point free to make it 0-6 to 0-4 on 10 minutes.

That three points without reply would become six McGuigan then drop kicked one and then fired over his second two point free to edge the Oak Leafers ahead for the first time on 15 minutes, McGuigan then adding another free for 0-8 to 0-6.

Anything Derry could do, Dublin could do likewise, well almost as five in a row from McGinnis, Costello (f), Small and a Cluxton two point free swung the pendulum back to the Dubs at 0-11 to 0-8.

Yet in keeping with a half that couldn't quite make up its mind, Derry levelled once more though Niall Toner, Paul Cassidy and McGuigan (f) but the half wasn't finished there.

A two point free from Costello after McFaul had held up Brian Howard and the free was moved forward was cancelled out by McGuigan third two point of the half after a similar infringement involving Glass. The sides level and Pairc Esler could finally catch it breath at the break.

Points apiece on the restart from from O'Callaghan and Loughlin brought the teams level for a fourth time but from there Dublin went through the gears to outscore Derry by 0-7 to 0-2 over the next 15 minutes to move 0-21 to 0-16 clear though McGuigan had seen as superb effort at a fourth two pointer strike the upright.

A McGuigan free did reduce the deficit and the Oak Leafers almost had it back to the minimum with 10 minutes left when McGuigan sent Rogers through coming in off the right, Rogers seeing his low shot flash across the face of goal and inches wide of Stephen Cluxton's far post.

Derry were indebted to sub Ruairi Forbes for a breathtaking goal line clearance as the Dubs tried to wrap things up but even when Rogers' late point left only two between them, Dublin were winning enough of their own kick-outs to keep Derry at arm's length and edge over the line.

There is plenty of life left in Dessie Farrell's team.

Scorers for Dublin: Con O'Callaghan 0-5, Cormac Costello 0-4 (1tpf, 1f), Paddy Small 0-2, Lee Gannon 0-2, Killian McGinnis 0-3, Stephen Cluxton 0-2 (1tpf), Sean Bugler 0-2, Ciaran Kilkenny 0-1, John Small 0-1.

Scorers for Derry: Shane McGuigan 0-10 (3tpf, 3f), Conor Glass 0-2, Ethan Doherty 0-3, Niall Toner 0-1 (1m), Paul Cassidy 0-1, Niall Loughlin 0-2 (1m), Brendan Rogers 0-1.

Dublin: Stephen Cluxton, Sean McMahon, Theo Clancy, David Byrne, Brian Howard, John Small, Lee Gavin, Peadar O Cofaigh Byrne, Killian McGinnis, Ciaran Kilkenny, Sean Bugler, Niall Scully, Paddy Small, Con O'Callaghan, Cormac Costello.

Subs: Cian Murphy for T Clancy, 48mins; Eoin Murchan for K McGinnis, 48mins; Ross McGarry for N Scully, 53mins; Tom Lahiff for L Gannon, 59mins; Nathan Dornan for P Small, 67mins.

Derry: Ben McKinless, Diarmuid Baker, Eoin McEvoy, Patrick McGurk, Conor Doherty, Brendan Rogers, Padraig McGrogan, Conor Glass, Dan Higgins, Ethan Doherty, Paul Cassidy, Ciaran McFaul, Shane McGuigan, Niall Loughlin, Niall Toner.

Subs: Lachlan Murray for N Toner, 44mins; Conor McCluskey for P McGurk, 50mins; Ryan Mulholland for C McFaul, 58mins; Ruairi Forbes for P Cassidy, 62mins; Cahir McMonagle for N Loughlin, 67mins.

Referee: Brendan Cawley (Kildare).