Sport

Derry make it one-way traffic in second half

NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE DIVISION ONE: Derry1-18 Westmeath 0-7

Mon Feb 16 2009 - 00:00

NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE DIVISION ONE:Derry1-18 Westmeath 0-7

DAMIAN CASSIDY’S Derry made it two out two in the league in convincing fashion at Ballinascreen yesterday with a clinical dismantling of Westmeath. For most of the first half the Leinster side managed to hang on to the Ulster men’s coat-tails but the second half saw Derry take complete control. Over the closing 42 minutes Derry outscored the visitors by 1-12 to 0-2, the final quarter resembling something akin to a training session.

Early on there was little indication of the rout to come as Thomas McDaniel kicked the opening score for the visitors after 70 seconds. Eoin Bradley and Enda Lynn pointed to put Derry back in front but with Donal O’Donoghue and David Duffy initially competing well at midfield, Westmeath levelled through a super point from Denis Glennon.

Further points from Paul Bradley made it 0-4 to 0-2 to Derry but Dessie Dolan pulled one back for Westmeath. Derry opened up a three-point gap with points from Eoin and Paul Bradley but Glennon and Dolan points made it 0-6 to 0-5 after 28 minutes.

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However that was as good as it got for Westmeath. Two Paul Bradley frees and a point from wing-back Paul Cartin saw Derry lead by 0-9 to 0-5 at the break.

The second half was one-way traffic. With Fergal Doherty now dominant at midfield Derry piled forward and Eoin Bradley (two) and Lynn made it 0-12 to 0-5 after 42 minutes. Westmeath did manage a reply through a Dolan free but simply couldn’t cope with Derry’s pace and movement. Gerard O’Kane, Paul Bradley, Paddy Bradley and Lynn kicked points before Eoghan Brown blasted home a low finish for a well-taken goal.

At 1-16 to 0-6 the match had long since ceased to be a contest and Derry added further points from O’Kane and Eoin Bradley.

Westmeath landed the final score of the game from Glennon but it barely raised a murmur from the travelling support.

DERRY:B Gillis; B Óg McAlary, S M Lockhart, G O'Kane (0-2); P Cartin (0-1), B McGoldrick, C McKaigue; F Doherty, J Diver; E Lynn (0-3), J Kielt, B Mullan (0-1); E Brown (1-0), E Bradley (0-5), Paul Bradley (0-5, three frees). Subs: Paddy Bradley (0-1) for Kielt (43 mins), Patsy Bradley for Diver (49 mins), S L McGoldrick for Lynn (56 mins), Paul Young for Brown (59 mins), K McGuckin for B McGoldrick (62 mins, blood sub).

WESTMEATH:G Connaughton; A Claffey, K Gavin, J Keane; M Ennis, D Heavin, W Murtagh, D O'Donoghue, D Duffy; P Kelly, J Smyth, D Harte; T McDaniel (0-1), D Glennon (0-3), Dolan (0-3, one free). Subs: N Kilcoyne for Murtagh (20 mins), E Leonard for Kelly (half-time), C Reilly for Smyth (49 mins, yellow), F Spollen for McDaniel (56 mins), K Scally for Duffy (61 mins).

Referee:Pat McEneaney (Monaghan).