Dublin put final nail in Derry’s season coffin

Derry’s Niall Loughlin and Dublin’s Brian Howard. Pic: Evan Logan/Inpho

All-Ireland SFC: Dublin 0-22 (0-2-18) Derry 0-20 (0-3-14)

With the combined punch of Ciarán Kilkenny and Brian Howard, Dublin put a final nail in Derry’s season on Saturday and stepped into the knock-out stages.

There was a cloud over the Dubs after their wastefulness in defeat to Armagh but manager Dessie Farrell said they didn’t “go to town” on the negatives. 

“There were definitely issues we needed to address, but building confidence is important as well,” he said of their build-up. “We planned well for today and knew what was at stake. We are delighted with the lads, the effort and the composure they showed at different stages.”

Farrell had toyed with the idea of using captain Con O’Callaghan as an impact sub before plonking him into the starting team. His impact had three prongs. His composure for five points. Secondly, two of them came within seconds of Cuala clubmate Peadar Ó Cofaigh Byrne winning the throw-ins. Rehearsed guile and pace mixed to perfection.

Thirdly, it forced Derry’s hand with Brendan Rogers tasked with babysitting him at the back. It was a considerable driving force Dublin didn’t need to worry about in the middle third.

“A lot of leadership and game IQ has gone in this past season,” Farrell said. “We’re trying to get everyone up to speed as quickly as possible. Challenges like that today are baptisms of fire, so it’s great to come out the other side.”

There were two nails Dublin hammered. The first was an electric start, leading by four points after three minutes.

Apart from Ben McKinless kicking four kick-outs, the only Derry player to touch the ball was Ciaran McFaul. But Dublin suffocated him into a turnover. Another statement.

With Glass putting out fires and Shane McGuigan unerring form, Derry battled their way back to lead 0-8 to 0-6. A Cluxton two -pointer helped Dublin three points ahead. It could’ve been more only for a McKinless save to deny Seán MacMahon.

Odhrán Lynch was set for a return until a recurrence of his quad injury with the last kick-out of Thursday night’s training session.

The sides were level at half-time, 0-13 all, before Dublin’s took their hammer out for the second time, taking their success rate on Derry’s kick-out back out to 66 per cent.

It provided the platform for Dublin’s five-point lead by the 51st minute with a fourth O’Callaghan point.

It was significant. Seconds earlier, McGuigan’s two-point shot hit the post into the arms of Ó Cofaigh Byrne. It was a three-point swing when Derry needed a bounce of the ball.

The other key moment came nine minutes later. Dublin were four points ahead when Rogers cut in behind the cover. From an acute angle, his low slot flashed across goal but past the far post. With Derry keeping a first clean sheet of the season, a goal would’ve been seismic.

“I think it would have lifted the team,” said Derry manager Paddy Tally. “It might have turned the game for us but we can have no real complaints.”

There was a later goal chance for substitute Lachlan Murray, more of a half chance.

Derry needed every break they could cobble together; such was Kilkenny and Howard’s combined influence.

Rogers did add a point to leave just two points between the teams with seconds to play.

After losing their previous two kick-outs, Dublin’s level of comfort rested on the last swing of Cluxton’s left foot.

This time it was newcomer Nathan Doran who peeled away. The fact his experienced ‘keeper trusted him with the golden final ball spoke volumes.

Derry never had hands on the leather again and the hooter was greeted with Cian Murphy hammering the ball in the direction of the Quayside Shopping Centre, on the other side of Newry canal.

Dublin prevailed. Derry’s season of a thousand cuts was over. And without a win.

Scorers for Dublin: C O’Callaghan 0-5, C Costello 0-4 (1tpf, 1f), K McGinnis 0-3, P Small, S Cluxton (tpf), S Bugler, L Gannon 0-2 each, C Kilkenny and J Small 0-1 each.

Scorers for Derry: S McGuigan 0-10 (3 tpf, 3f), E Doherty 0-3, N Loughlin (1m) C Glass 0-2 each, B Rogers, P Cassidy, and N Toner 0-1 each.

DUBLIN: S Cluxton; S MacMahon, T Clancy, D Byrne; L Gannon, J Small, B Howard; P Ó Cofaigh Bryne, K McGinnis; N Scully, S Bugler, C Kilkenny; P Small, C O’Callaghan, C Costello.

Subs: E Murchan for McGinnis (49), C Murphy for Clancy (49), R McGarry for Scully (54), T Lahiff for Gannon (60), N Doran for P Small (68) Yellow card: N Scully (31).

DERRY: B McKinless; D Baker, B Rogers, E McEvoy; P McGurk, C Doherty, P McGrogan; C Glass, D Higgins; N Toner P Cassidy, C McFaul; S McGuigan, N Loughlin, E Doherty.

Subs: L Murray for Toner (45), C McCluskey for McGurk (50), R Mulholland for McFaul (59), R Forbes for Cassidy (62). C McMonagle for Loughlin (68) Yellow cards: C Glass (27), P McGurk (31), R Mulholland (61), D Baker (65).

Referee: B Cawley (Kildare)