Doherty injury sours straight-forward Derry win

DERRY midfielder Fergal Doherty is a major doubt for the second round of the All-Ireland qualifiers.

Doherty was unable to start the first round win over Carlow at Dr Cullen Park on Saturday night, due to the hamstring injury he sustained in the Ulster SFC defeat by Armagh on May 16.

Cassidy introduced his star performer on 48 minutes but the Derry star was left in agony following a clash with JJ Smith, which resulted in a second yellow for the Carlow attacker.

Cassidy fumed: “It was a very nasty tackle on Fergal by the Carlow player. And it was a pity that he had to resort to such a challenge in the last minute. Fergal looks to have sustained a serious shoulder injury, and he has to be a major doubt for our next game.”

To add to Cassidy’s midfield woes, Patsy Bradley, who regularly partners Doherty in the Derry engine-room is also a doubtful starter for the second round tie. “Patsy’s shoulder is proving slow to heal, and unless he makes a dramatic recovery over the next two weeks, he won’t be in our selection plans,” explained Cassidy.

Despite such setbacks, Cassidy was pleased with the outcome and is eager to build on this result. However, Carlow full-forward Daniel St Ledger proved a major threat, shooting 1-4.

Carlow, who were without midfielder Brendan Murphy because of suspension, could have provided a more difficult challenge to the Oak Leafers if St Ledger had received more support.

“We struggled a bit in the first half with ball into the Carlow full-forward line,” agreed Cassidy. “The long lay-off since the Armagh game may have impacted on us, but I thought we got to grips with the game in the second half.”

After Carpenter’s goal which tied the scores at 1-1 to 0-4 on 12 minutes, Derry hit a hat-trick of points, but Carlow were only 1-7 to 1-8 adrift at half-time, Eoin Bradley shooting Derry’s goal on 30 minutes.

With Bradley excelling, Cassidy’s troops looked set to win pulling up when they moved 1-15 to 1-8 clear on 56 minutes. St Ledger lashed the ball past Derry goalkeeper Barry Gillis but Carlow failed to add to their tally.

Derry: B Gillis; B Og McAlary, G O'Kane, D McBride; M Craig (0-1), B McGoldrick, C Kielt; J Diver, J Kielt (0-3, 3f); C McKeever (0-1), M Lynch (0-4, 4f), E McGuckian (0-1); E Bradley (1-6, 3f), E Muldoon (0-1), R Wilkinson.

Subs: M McGoldrick for B McGoldrick (HT); D Mullan (0-1) for McGuckian (HT); F Doherty for Diver (49); R Convery for Kielt (57).

Carlow: J Clarke; P Murphy, S Redmond, B Kavanagh; T Bolger, J Hayden, A Curran; T Walsh, D Foley; A Kelly, M Carpenter (1-1), S Gannon (0-1); S Rea (0-2, 1f), D St Ledger (1-4, 3f), JJ Smith.

Subs: P Cashin for P Murphy (40); J Murphy for Foley (45); P Broderick (0-1) for Rea (48); K Nolan for Bolger (55); J Kavanagh for Carpenter (66)

Ref: M Condon (Waterford).