Double delight for McGeeney as Lilywhites dump Derry out

SATURDAY was a very satisfying day for Kieran McGeeney.

Although he never hurled, he coached the game for five years in Antrim and so was delighted to hear the Saffrons had beaten Dublin.

The reason for that is simple. He didn’t expect the Glensmen to slay the Dubs in their backyard.

Kildare’s 11-points drubbing of Derry in the Oak Leafers’ domain was not a surprise though.

“I don’t think you can be surprised” said McGeeney. “The fellas have displays like that in them. As soon as it’s over you get five minutes of adulation and you’re back to it. A few people were telling me to lighten up but they’ll be the same guys that’ll be knocking me down next week if we don’t win. It was a good display, there’s no doubt about it. Our full-back line was tight, half- back line was good on the breaks, we had an exceptional display from Leper (Eamonn Callaghan). It’s a great result for us up here.”

It is the nature of the qualifiers that Kildare will be playing for a fifth weekend in a row next time. But this was very impressive indeed, especially as it came after a dreadful start that saw them falling five points behind by the eighth minute.

They owned the remaining hour though and led by a point by the interval before making little of playing into a strong wind in the second half and putting Damien Cassidy’s men to the sword.

Callaghan was the star of the show, scoring 1-4 from play while also taking on the mantle of chief play-maker, but he had a host of willing cohorts.

Johnny Doyle’s appetite for work in a withdrawn role was eye-popping, while Emmet Bolton, Daryl Flynn, Dermot Earley and Pádraig O’Neill won mountains of possession.

In the end, despite Raymond Wilkinson’s second minute goal and early five-point lead, Derry wilted under the incessant pressure.

Kildare recovered from that customary poor start to score seven points in a row, Doyle slotting five including a remarkable free with his left boot from 35m close to the right sideline.

They led 0-8 to 1-4 at half time and continued to hold sway after the resumption. Callaghan beat Derry goalkeeper Barry Gillis to Flynn’s delivery to gather possession and goal from close range in the 61st minute to wrap the game up and it was champagne football from there to the end.

Alan Smith provided the coup de grace seven minutes later with a smashing finish after being set up by Ken Donnelly. Donnelly did well upon his introduction, as did Eoghan O’Flaherty but Donnelly’s bloody-mindedness in being out on the field at all is telling. The Ellistown man damaged his cruciate ligament last May but has put off surgery. As McGeeney said “he’s trying to show he’s still fit despite having no cruciate”.

Earley’s heavily strapped right knee and obvious discomfort didn’t prevent him from exerting a massive influence on proceedings either. It could be a concern but what it does show is that McGeeney’s team is on a mission.

“I have faith in this bunch of lads and have since I came in. I think they’re well capable of competing for major honours. That’s just words. As long as they get stronger mentally week-in, week-out, the football is there, there’s no questioning their football ability.”

KILDARE: S McCormack; P Kelly, H McGrillen (0-1), A Mac Lochlainn; B Flanagan, M O’Flaherty, E Bolton (0-1), B Flanagan; D Flynn, D Earley; E Callaghan (1-4), J Doyle (0-8, 6f), P O’Neill (0-2); J Kavanagh, T O’Connor, R Sweeney.

Subs: A Smith (1-0) for O’Connor, 9; E O’Flaherty (0-1) for Sweeney, 51; D Lyons for Bolton, 57; D Whyte for Flanagan, 61; K Donnelly for Kavanagh, 65.

DERRY: B Gillis; B Óg McAlary, K McGuckin, D McBride; B McGoldrick, G O’Kane, C Kielt; J Diver, E Muldoon (0-1, ‘45); C McKeever, J Kielt (0-2, 2f), D Mullan (0-1); E Bradley (0-3), M Lynch (0-2, 2), R Wilkinson (1-0).

Subs: Patsy Bradley for C Kielt, ht; SL McGoldrick for Wilkinson, 53; R Convery for Diver, 56; M Craig for McKeever, 60.

Referee: Marty Duffy (Sligo).