Derry proved too strong for Monaghan in their EirGrid Ulster U20 Football Championship match this evening.
EirGrid Ulster U20 Football Championship Round 4
DOWN 5-8 ANTRIM 1-6
DERRY 1-11 MONAGHAN 2-6
A wide open Eirgrid Ulster U-20 championship continued this evening with Derry holding off a late Monaghan surge to record a 1-11 to 2-6 win in Castleblayney, while three Down goals in the final quarter of their local derby battle with Antrim at Dunsilly ensured they bounced back from last week’s defeat to Monaghan with a 5-8 to 1-6 victory tonight.
Derry were also licking their wounds from a week ago, albeit their 1-9 to 0-13 reverse to a highly-rated Tyrone side gave plenty of cause for encouragement. Johnny McGuckian got them off to a dream start at St. Mary’s Park, but Bobby McCaul soon had the home side back on terms when he rounded Conall Heron and found the net.
Oisín Doherty shot five points in all for the Oak Leaf men and two of those scores helped Derry to lead by three at half time.
Conleth McGrogan, Rúairí Forbes and Seán Young all scored from play as Derry pulled clear in the second half, with Rory Small making a vital intervention at the other end of the field when he cleared another McCaul effort off the line.
Aaron Carey’s goal after 57 minutes was a real cat amongst the pigeons however as it reduced the gap to a single point, but when the last score came, it was Doherty’s last point of the night to see Derry home.
Antrim had endured a traumatic start to this championship, shipping eight goals to Tyrone on their first outing, but they showed a lot more promise last week against Monaghan, and made a fine start tonight too. Tom Shivers was on target with two frees, Niall Fallon scored a goal and Cahir Donnelly added an excellent point as they led by 1-4 to 0-3 at half-time.
Their defensive failings resurfaced in the second half in spectacular fashion however, as the Mourne men plundered five goals to give them a first win in four games in this campaign.