Gaelic Games

Derry leave best for last as they sign off with Cork win

Two goals came in the final quarter and rewarded the best performance of the season

Derry’s Enda Lynn and Cork’s Colm O’Driscoll during their Allianz League encounter. Photo: Lorcan Doherty/Inpho
Sun Apr 05 2015 - 18:57

Derry 2-15 Cork 1-11

Derry signed off from Division One with a flourish as two goals from Enda Lynn saw them past a much-changed Cork side who had already qualified for the league semi-finals.

Derry retained their defensive setup which had led to widespread debate during the week following their 0-8 to 0-4 defeat by Dublin last Saturday, but the difference was they were able to add scores of their own this time around .

The visitors burst into an early lead when Stephen O’Donoghue lashed low past Eoin McNicholl to open the scoring, and the Rebels maintained their lead for the rest of the opening period, leading by 1-7 to 0-7 at the break.

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They held their advantage until Mark Lynch fed Enda Lynn and he buried past substitute goalkeeper Paddy O’Shea with 16 minutes to play.

They managed to hold Derry at arm’s length in the early throes of the second period, but Enda Lynn, superb all day, then threw the leash off altogether.

The Greenlough man, who also netted twice in last year’s clash between the sides in Pairc Úi Rinn, was superb and was rewarded with a haul of 2-3 from play.

The two goals came in the final quarter and rewarded the best performance of the season to date from Brian McIver’s side.

After Eoin Bradley had reduced the gap to a point, Mark Lynch fed a great pass to Lynn and he burst through to lash emphatically into the corner.

Full-back Niall Holly surged up to add to the lead before, on the hour mark, Lynn combined with Michael McIver and palmed home the Ballinderry man’s cross to put Derry 2-12 to 1-9 ahead.

Cork threatened to rally and Brian Hurley had a chance but, with Oisin Duffy pressurising, his shot was well saved at the near post by Eoin McNicholl.

That was as close as they came to clawing it back, and for Derry a positive end to a hugely disappointing campaign.

Derry: E McNicholl; O Duffy, N Holly (0-1), K Johnston (0-1); L McGoldrick, C McAtamney, M McIver; M Lynch (0-2f), F Doherty; SL McGoldrick, D Heavron, E Lynn(2-3); B Heron (0-3 0-1 45'), T O'Brien, J Kielt (0-2f).

Subs: Eoin Bradley (0-2 0-1f) for O’Brien (40), E McGuckin (0-1) for Kielt (52), M Sweeney for Holly (56), Emmet Bradley for Doherty (56), A McAlynn for L McGoldrick (60), C Murphy for Lynn (65)

Yellow cards: Eoin Bradley (58)

Frees: 26

Cork: K O'Halloran; N Galvin, M Shields, D Óg Hodnett; Tomás Clancy, S O'Donoghue (1-0), C Dorman (0-1); K O'Driscoll, P Kelly; J O'Rourke (0-1), M Collins (0-1), B O'Driscoll; D Goulding (0-3), P Kerrigan (0-3), J Hayes (0-1 0-1f).

Subs: F Goold for Kelly (30), P O’Shea for O’Halloran (HT), J Loughery for Galvin (45), B Hurley for Goulding (57), C O’Neill (0-1 0-1f) for Hayes (57), C O’Driscoll for O’Donoghue (59).

Referee: C Reilly (Meath)