Gaelic Games

Shane McGuigan leads Derry past Limerick and back to Division Two

Slaughtneil star hits six points to help seal promotion in Carrick-on-Shannon

Shane McGuigan hit six points in Derry’s win over Limerick in Carrick-on-Shannon. Photograph: John McVitty/Inpho
Shane McGuigan hit six points in Derry’s win over Limerick in Carrick-on-Shannon. Photograph: John McVitty/Inpho
Steven Doherty at Páirc Seán Mac Diarmada
Sat Jun 12 2021 - 19:57

Derry 0-17 Limerick 0-13

Derry defeated Limerick by four points in Carrick-on-Shannon on Saturday evening and return to Division Two for the first time since 2017.

Slaughtneil sharpshooter Shane McGuigan top-scored for the winners, hitting six points, with Benny Heron impressing with three first-half points from play. Hughie Bourke hit 0-7 in a losing cause for Limerick.

Limerick took advantage of the slight breeze wafting in from the Shannon end and edged ahead 0-2 to a point early on. But by the first water break the Oakleaf men had pulled level at 0-5 apiece.

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Indeed, Derry should have been further ahead than their 0-8 to 0-7 half-time lead suggested, butchering goal chances from Ethan Doherty and Niall Loughlin.

Derry found an extra gear upon the restart. Paul Cassidy was among the scorers as his side stretched their lead to 0-12 to 0-8. The Munster men clung to Derry's coattails with that man Hughie Bourke's ability to dissect the posts keeping Limerick in the game.

But as the game entered the home straight Derry never looked in any real trouble. Paul McNeill and impact sub Niall Toner both raised white flags as McGuigan continued to keep the scoreboard ticking over.

At the back the Oakleafers notched up their third clean sheet in four games, with Gareth McKinless and Pádraig McGrogan both catching the eye with diving blocks to deny Billy Lee’s men.

Josh Ryan produced a late cameo for Limerick converting three huge frees but it was too little, too late.

DERRY: O Lynch; C McKaigue, P McNeill (0-1), P McGrogan; P Cassidy, G McKinless, C Doherty (0-1); C Glass, E Bradley; E Doherty, N Loughlin (0-2, one free), C McFaul (0-1); B Heron (0-3), S McGuigan (0-6, five frees), P Cassidy (0-1).

Subs: N Toner (0-2) for P Cassidy (55 mins), C McCluskey for P Cassidy (62), O McWilliams for B Heron (69), M McEvoy for C Doherty (69), J Doherty for N Loughlin (70).

LIMERICK: D O'Sullivan; S O'Dea, B Fanning, M Donovan; R Childs, I Corbett, G Brown; D Treacy, T Childs; T Griffin, R Bourke (0-1), A Enright; D Neville (0-1), C Fahy (0-1), H Bourke (0-7, four frees).

Subs: C Sheehan for T Griffin (30 mins), T McCarthy for R Childs (44), S O'Carroll for A Enright (50), J Ryan (0-3, one 45) for R Bourke (55), K Ryan T Childs (63), P Nash for G Brown (63)

Referee: N Mooney (Cavan).