Deserved win for Dublin

Dublin 1-11 Derry 0-7

NFL DIVISION 1

Dublin secured their second win in NFL Division 1 with a deserved seven-point win over Derry at Parnell Park tonight.

Kevin McManamon’s 66th-minute goal paved the way for a home victory, after Derry had led by 0-6 to 0-4 at the break.

The Oak Leafers had solid scoring contributions from James Kielt (0-4) and Mark Lynch (0-2), but Dublin rallied on the restart.

The introduction of substitutes Brendan McManamon and Bernard Brogan proved vital, as Derry crashed to their first defeat of the league run.

Pat Gilroy's charges were keen to get off to a positive start, and a fourth minute point from Eamon Fennell settled the hosts early on.

Derry responded with Lynch sending over his first point from a free two minutes later, but Dublin were soon enjoying their best spell of the opening half.

Kevin McManamon made a surging run in from the sideline, past two Derry defenders, before slotting over from close range in the tenth minute.

Ross McConnell increased Dublin's advantage before Michael McAuley, who scored a crucial late point against Kerry last weekend, fisted over to give his side a 0-4 to 0-1 lead.

However, McAuley's score would prove to be the last of the half for Dublin as Derry's defence adapted well. A second Lynch free and another placed ball from Kielt left just a point between the sides.

Derry's lone point from play of the opening period came from Aidy McLaughlin, who levelled matters on 17 minutes before Kielt picked up his second score, again from a free, to give Derry their first lead of the night.

After Kielt's score, the crowd in Donnycarney was subjected to some poor attacking play from both sides. Towards the end of the half, matters got a little heated as both Patsy Bradley and Fergal Doherty picked up cheap yellow cards.

The yellows were more a sign of how sloppy the game had become rather than any actual malice between the sides. The worst of the errors were made by Dublin with James Brogan shooting wide with the goal at his mercy and then an unmarked Kevin Bonner shot wide, preventing the Dubs from drawing level.

Kielt made Dublin pay in injury-time. Derry were awarded a free right at the end of the half and the Kilrea clubman slotted over to make it 0-6 to 0-4.

Dublin looked the fresher side on the restart, with a quick score from full-forward Blaine Kelly cutting the deficit to a single point. Kielt soon restored the two-point advantage but it would prove to be Derry's final score of the game.

Fennell pulled Dublin back within a point on 43 minutes before substitute Bernard Brogan levelled matters with a free.

The game stayed in the balance for the next 10 minutes as both sides committed a string of errors. Referee Padraig Hughes was in no mood to tolerate technical fouls and there were plenty to call in this encounter.

Time and again his whistle rightly called an end to attacking moves as forwards made silly mistakes in full view of Hughes.

Dublin re-took the lead for good on 53 minutes when Fennell barrelled through the defence to earn a free which Brogan duly converted.

Derry’s worst news of the night came 11 minutes from time. Seamus Bradley, who had been on less than 20 minutes, fell awkwardly and twisted his knee badly in the process. The forward limped off injured, replace by Lee Moore.

While Derry struggled to find a response, the hosts were in no mood to be merciful. Scores from Darragh Nelson and Brogan extended Dublin's lead to three points before Kevin McManamon delivered the killer blow.

The corner forward raced down the sideline and nipped inside two defenders before he rifled past a helpless Barry Gillis. Dublin put the final seal on a convincing second half performance, three minutes from time, as Fennell found Brogan for the game's final point.