Power NI Dr McKenna Cup: Derry 1-13 Tyrone 2-13
Derry’s involvement in the 2014 McKenna Cup ended on Sunday following an entertaining game in front of almost 5,000 people in Omagh. Both teams will draw positives from the game, but also an awareness of improvements needed before the league encounter in two weeks time.
The opening quarter will be one to forget, or perhaps learn from, for Derry as Tyrone efficiently racked up 1-04 without reply – the goal coming after only 12 seconds as midfielder Niall McKenna ghosted into space behind the Derry defence to fire low past Thomas Mallon.
The remainder of the first half belonged to Derry as they began to claw their way back into the contest – a Ciaran McGoldrick point after 16 mins the first for the visitors.
With the Oak Leafers getting to grips in the midfield sector, points from Gerard O’Kane (2), Fergal Doherty and Declan Mullan cut the deficit to four points at the interval.
A total of eleven first half wides, including two clear goal scoring opportunities, punctuated a second quarter following which Derry could have been much closer, or even ahead, at half time.
The second half began in near identical fashion to the first with Tyrone’s Conan Grugan breaking forward to win a free kick close to goals.
In the 7 mins which followed, the game remained deadlocked as both sides registered three points each before the second Tyrone goal – a Peter Harte penalty following a foul on full forward Matty Donnelly in the square.
Tyrone’s second goal appeared to be a decisive moment in the game. However, it only served as the spark for a second period of Derry dominance. With Brian McIver introducing Mark Lynch, Benny Heron and James Kielt the game was turned on its head as Derry began to cut through the Tyrone defence.
With Fergal Doherty breaking forward to slot two fine points from play and with Kielt booming over a couple of long range points, Tyrone goalkeeper Michael O’Neill kept his team ahead in the game with a brilliant save from Kevin Johnston, then forcing Emmett McGuckin wide when a goal looked inevitable.
In the 64th minute, substitutes Kielt and Heron combined on the right, with the Ballinascreen man delivering a delicately placed cross field pass resulting in a brilliant finish by McGuckin who palmed to the net as the ball whizzed across his body.
With only three points between the sides with as many minutes remaining, McGuckin then turned provider to send Kielt through on goal. However, as the angle narrowed, Kielt’s resulting shot tailed wide and with it Derry’s last chance to draw level.
In the end, it was Tyrone who advanced to Saturday’s McKenna Cup final against Cavan whilst Derry now have two weeks to prepare for their league opener against the Red Hands on Feb 1 at Celtic Park.
The question is: who has learned most from Sunday’s encounter?
DERRY: T Mallon, O Duffy, D McBride, M McShane, C Kielt, M Craig, K Johnston, F Doherty (0-3), N Holly, G O'Kane (0-2), E McGuckin (1-0), SL McGoldrick, C McGoldrick (0-2), D Mullan (0-1), A Kerrigan. Subs: B Heron (0-1, f) for McShane (half-time), A McAlynn for Craig (43 mins), M Lynch (0-1) for Holly (48 mins), J Kielt (0-3, 1f) for C McGoldrick (49 mins), P Bradley for Doherty (59 mins), C McFaul for O'Kane (64 mins),
TYRONE: M O'Neill, R McKenna, C Clarke, R McNamee, T McCann, P Harte (1-0, pen), R McNabb, N McKenna (1-1), C Grugan (0-1), K Gallagher, P Hughes, E McKenna (0-1), D McCurry (0-6, 3f), M Donnelly, C McAliskey (0-3). Subs: B Tierney for McNamee (13), C McGinley for McCann, McNamee for McNabb (both half-time), PJ Lavery (0-1) for McNamee (61 mins), R O'Neill for McAliskey (63 mins).
Referee: S McLaughlin (Donegal).
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