Derry produce dominant second half to defeat Cork

FULL-TIME: Derry 1-31 v 0-14 Cork

Football League Division 2 | Find Insurance Celtic Park | Sunday, March 1

Derry produced a devastating second-half display to defeat previously unbeaten Cork and move into of top spot in Division 2. 

The Oak Leaf scoring difference now speaking loudly in a promotion race that is tightening by the week.

But it didn’t start that way.

Cork settled quickly, with Colm O’Callaghan opening the scoring and Steven Sherlock landing a huge two-pointer, aided by the wind swirling across Celtic Park. Early on, the visitors looked composed and clinical. Derry responded through Lachlan Murray and Shane McGuigan, but Cork held a narrow edge midway through the half.

The turning point came not through panic, but patience.

Conor Doherty and Conor Glass chipped away at the deficit. Shea McGuckin calmly converted a 45 after Gareth McKinless saw a goal effort saved. The atmosphere built as Derry drew level at 0-9 apiece, the crowd sensing momentum shifting.

Then came the key moment.

On the stroke of half-time, Murray struck for goal. A sharp finish, perfectly timed before the hooter, following a beautiful defence-splitting pass from Glass. Instead of going in level, Derry went in four clear at 1-10 to 0-9..

If the first half was competitive, the second was emphatic.

Within ten minutes of the restart, Derry had blown the game wide open. Conor Glass was at the heart of everything, driving from midfield, winning breaks, dictating tempo. McGuigan and Murray found their range again. Paul Cassidy added to the tally. Niall Loughlin drilled over a two-pointer. Niall Toner followed with a point.

From a tight contest to a 12-point lead in a blink. The game was effectively decided in that blistering spell.

Padraig McGrogan, imperious all afternoon in defence, stepped up to land a score of his own. Ethan Doherty punished Cork immediately after a huge catch in midfield from Dan Higgins, who made an impact off the bench.

As the game approached its conclusion there was still time for McGuigan to curl over a two-pointer after brilliant work from Glass, while substitute Sean Kearney marked his league debut with a well-taken point. Cassidy and McGuigan rounded off the scoring to bring Derry’s scoreline to 1-31.

Five games in, four wins secured. Derry’s next outing is in a fortnight against Louth in Ardee. 

Derry: Shea McGuckin, Diarmuid Baker, Ruairí Forbes, Shea Downey, Conor Doherty, Gareth McKinless, Padraig McGrogan, Conor Glass, Brendan Rogers, Ethan Doherty, Niall Toner, Paul Cassidy, Niall Loughlin, Shane McGuigan, Lachlan Murray

Subs: Ryan Scullion, Conall Higgins, Sean Young, Sean Kearney, Niall O’Donnell, Marty Bradley, Ruairí Ó Mianáin, Ryan Mulholland, Dan Higgins, Eamon Young, Charlie Diamond