Derry back in promotion hunt as Bradleys turn on the style

THE talented Bradley brothers, Eoin and Paddy, supplied the main talking points of Derry’s merited three-points defeat of a struggling Sligo at Markievicz Park, a result that puts the Ulster side back in contention for promotion from Division Two.

Full-forward Paddy landed seven of the winners’ 11 points ­ five of these in the first-half, including a monster long-range free ­ while his brother, corner-forward Eoin, was shown a red card by Donegal referee Robert O’Donnell after a 25th incident involving Sligo defender Neil Ewing.

The dismissal hardly ruffled Derry, however, and after leading by four points at the break, 0-7 to 0-3, they coped with Sligo’s more purposeful second-half response.

Derry manager John Brennan, satisfied with the outcome, his side’s third win in four outings, afterwards questioned the sending off.

“We thought we were unfortunate to lose Eoin Bradley, we don’t know what the reason was. We thought there was very little to it for a straight red. There were equal tackles out there and nothing really happened. I just think it was unfortunate. Maybe Eoin was being picked on because he is coming back from a long suspension and it (the sending off) was unfair.”

While Sligo, yet to win in four games and bottom of this eight-team section, were more forceful in the second-half ­ their top scorer, Adrian Marren, bagged four pointed frees to keep Derry in sight ­ the hosts were denied a goal when Derry net-minder Danny Devlin smothered Kenneth Sweeney’s effort with 20 minutes left. Brennan also noted that Sligo’s usage of their additional player.

“Their tactics suited us because I thought Sligo would have put their extra man around the middle of the pitch. Conditions didn’t favour good football ­ but we’re very glad to have won, that is our ninth game in 10 weeks and we’ve used a lot of players. We had a danger man (Paddy Bradley) but we had to get the ball into him.

I’m just very happy to have come away with a result.”

Scorers for Sligo: A Marren (0-5, 4f), M Breheny (0-2, 1f), D Rooney (0-1)

Scorers for Derry: P Bradley (0-7, 3f), M Donaghy (0-2), E Muldoon (0-1), PJ McCloskey (0-1)

SLIGO: J Farrell, C Harrison, N Ewing, R Donovan, D Rooney, M Quinn, P McGovern, T Taylor, S Davey, B Curran, M Breheny, F Quinn, A Marren, E O’Hara, K Sweeney

Subs: A Costello for F Quinn, (ht); K Cawley for M Quinn, (42); S Gilmartin for K Sweeney, (55); P Hughes for B Curran, (58); D Maye for M Breheny, (70)

DERRY: D Devlin, C Mullan, K McCloy, D McBride, C Kielt, J O’Kane, A McAlynn, PJ McCloskey, M Friel, C McGoldrick, S McGoldrick, M Donaghy, E Bradley, P Bradley, E Muldoon.

Subs: E McGuckian for C McGoldrick, (55); D Mullan for M Friel, (58); B McGoldrick for S McGoldrick, (70).

Referee: Robert O’Donnell (Donegal).