No trouble for Derry in Carlow clash

Derry 1-18 Carlow 2-9, Dr Cullen Park

Eoin Bradley blasted 1-6 as Derry comfortably saw off the challenge of 13-man Carlow at Dr Cullen Park this evening.

This All-Ireland SFC first round qualifier was played out against the backdrop of some unrest in the Derry camp.

Eoin Bradley's brother Paddy was annoyed by Derry manager Damien Cassidy's decision to omit him from the starting line-up and did not travel with the Oak Leaf squad to Carlow, with defender Kevin McGuckin, another notable omission, reportedly in a similar situation.

But the visitors still had enough quality to progress despite leaking two goals, including a 60th minute effort from Daniel St Ledger.

Indeed, Carlow's woes were compounded late on when defender Alan Curran and forward JJ Smith were both sent-off.

Cassidy's charges had a firm grasp on proceedings in midfield in the opening 10 minutes, and this was reflected on the scoreboard as they quickly moved 0-4 to 0-0 ahead.

Cathal McKeever, Mark Craig, Mark Lynch and Emmet McGuckian all fired early points. Wing back Craig showed plenty of attacking promise in the fifth minute when he latched onto a Brian Og McAlary pass and slotted over.

St Ledger blazed a seventh minute shot wide of the target when a goal looked on, while Derry goalkeeper Barry Gillis did well to punch a second effort away soon after.

But a sustained period of Carlow pressure was rewarded in the 12th minute. Derry's defence were caught napping, after St Ledger thwarted an attempted clearance, and centre forward Mark Carpenter finished the ball to the net to tie the contest at 1-1 to 0-4.

Derry bounced back with a trio of pointed frees - two from James Kielt and another from Lynch - to go 0-7 to 1-1 clear by the 15th minute.

The hosts had a tremendous work-rate and they responded in smart fashion as points from Simon Rea (0-2) and Carpenter left the sides dead-locked for the second time.

But when the likes of Eoin Bradley and Lynch ran at the Carlow defence, they caused them huge problems. Bradley created some space for himself and clinically rippled the Carlow net to push his side 1-8 to 1-5 clear with a 30th minute goal.

Carlow cut the deficit to the minimum at the interval - 1-8 to 1-7 - but this was as close as the hosts would get to a Derry side that improved as the game wore on.

Corner forward Bradley continued to be Carlow's tormentor in chief as the second half resumed, and there were also energetic performances from Raymie Wilkinson, Enda Muldoon and substitute Fergal Doherty.

Derry's defending did let them down on occasion, and St Ledger's late goal gave Carlow some hope. However, the dismissals of Curran and Smith in the dying minutes left Luke Dempsey's men out for the count.

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, 0-3f); C McKeever (0-1), M Lynch (0-4, 0-4f), E McGuckian (0-1); E Bradley (1-6, 0-3f), E Muldoon (0-1), R Wilkinson.

Subs used: M McGoldrick for B McGoldrick, D Mullan (0-1) for McGuckian (both half-time), F Doherty for Diver (49 mins), 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, 0-1f), D St Ledger (1-4, 0-3f), JJ Smith.

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

Referee: Maurice Condon (Waterford)