Sport

Derry mark top-flight return with victory

National Football League Division One B/ Derry 1-11 Galway 0-7: Derry made a winning return to top-flight football with a convincing…

Mon Feb 06 2006 - 00:00

National Football League Division One B/ Derry 1-11 Galway 0-7: Derry made a winning return to top-flight football with a convincing victory over an under-strength Galway at Celtic Park thanks largely to a decisive scoring blitz in the final few minutes of the first half.

The sides had been evenly matches until a 28th-minute point from Joe O'Kane put Derry 0-4 to 0-3 in front. Two minutes later Derry corner forward Eoin Bradley struck for the game's only goal and by half-time Galway found themselves 1-7 to 0-4 in arrears.

While Galway were without some of their star names, with the likes of Joe Bergin and Pádraic Joyce unavailable, this was also a new look Derry line-up with four players - Liam Hinphey, Joe Diver, Joe O'Kane and Martin Donaghy - making their debuts.

With half-backs Paul Carton and Liam Hinphey hoovering up breaking ball and Joe Diver and Patsy Bradley dominant throughout, Derry were always the better side.

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In the second half Derry's dominance was total but wayward finishing meant they only managed two points from Eoin Bradley and one from Paddy Bradley and a late score from substitute Ciarán Mullan to show for their superiority.

Galway managed one second-half point from play from Paul Geraghty but it took two late frees from Alan O'Donovan and Micheál Meehan to take the lopsided look off the scoreline.

DERRY: B Gillis; K McGuckin, K McCloy, SM Lockhart; P Carton (0-1), J McBride, L Hinphey; J Diver, Patsy Bradley; J O'Kane (0-1), E Muldoon, F Doherty; M Donaghy (0-1), Paddy Bradley (0-5, four frees), E Bradley (1-2). Subs: F McEldowney for McGuckin (19 mins), P McFlynn for Doherty (64 mins), C Mullan (0-1) for Donaghy (65 mins).

GALWAY: B O'Donoghue; A Burke, K Fitzgerald, R Fahey; R Gibbons, D Blake, D Meehan; N Coleman, D Burke; D Savage, N Coyne, B Óg Callarain; T Costello, M Meehan (0-3, two frees), A O'Donovan (0-3, two frees). Subs: N Joyce for Costello (32 mins), B Faherty for Callarain (half-time), F Breathnach for O'Donovan (60 mins), P Geraghty (0-1) for Burke (half-time).

Referee: E Murtagh (Longford).