Derry find that extra gear when it matters

Derry 0-25 Cavan 2-09 AET: They may not be producing the sides of old but there is still plenty of pride left in Derry football. Gavin Cummiskey reports from Celtic Park

As can be the way in clashes of old Ulster foes, the formbook got consigned to the scrapheap yesterday. Derry rolled back the years to overcome Cavan, and one of their own icons in Eamonn Coleman. It took the bones of 80 minutes, though, to break the back of their opponents in a contest that thrilled the 7,000-plus souls who showed up at Celtic Park.

The game had enough controversial moments to fill this report on their own but, suffice to say, referee John Bannon had a difficult afternoon, which required the brandishing of 12 yellow cards. There was plenty of physical stuff but this was as good an advertisement for the game as you could wish for.

The Longford man's decision to disallow Jason O'Reilly's crucial point on the stroke of half-time in extra-time, for overcarrying was a harsh call especially considering what had gone unpunished before.

Yet, Coleman was quick to point out afterwards that Derry deserved their place in round three of the qualifiers. There was a lingering doubt, though, until extra-time when the magnificent Paddy Bradley inspired his side to victory with four points. It brought his total to eight for the afternoon; a number that coincided nicely with his eight wides.

Derry outscored Cavan by 0-10 to no-score in over-time. The killer point came from Enda Muldoon, another who shone throughout, seven minutes in. It put them three points clear and came via the umpteenth Johnny McBride lay-off. Cavan shoulders sagged in unison. With Fergal Doherty ruling midfield, the favourites' campaign was coming to an end.

Derry ran away with it thereafter, kicking scores for fun, much to the home crowd's delight. It must have been crushing for Coleman's charges after showing so much promise in their earlier summer performances against Armagh and Down.

"Throughout the 60-70 minutes I thought Derry were a better side," said Coleman. "Players were still living in the hoodoo of Armagh. When you do something like that it takes you a long time to come down. Lads were still thinking of how they played against Armagh.

"But look at any team in a big display, then there comes the next day. You hear about these awesome teams but the next day they are not so awesome. When you have a big game like that you have to back it up again.

"Derry's next game will be a hard game. They played well today, especially in extra-time but that will be the test; the next one."

For now, though, they can focus on the positives. The leap forward they have taken since capitulating so tamely against Tyrone has been noting short of remarkable.

Despite getting out to an early lead - 0-5 to 0-2 - thanks to Bradley's early accuracy and a clever snap strike from Pádraig Kelly, Cavan soon reeled them back via an opportunistic goal from Gerald Pearson.

Derry goalkeeper Barry Gillis was the culprit as his sloppy attempted clearance was picked off and sent to the net.

The goal brought the Cavan forwards to life with Mark McKeever and Larry Reilly adding to an earlier brace from the energetic Michael Lyng. Conleth Moran and Muldoon replied to leave it neck-a-neck at the turn, 0-7 to 1-4.

Bradley hit a purple patch after the break with four points in quick succession to put the onus back on Cavan.

To their credit, they regained the lead with Lyng bringing his total up to four points but it was a well cultivated individual goal from Jason O'Reilly that left it at 2-7 to 0-11 with 16 minutes to play.

Derry pulled them back but Cavan merely upped the tempo once more and when Bradley posted a couple of wides the bookies looked to have got it right after all. r

Then in injury-time Derry turned the corner. Of all people, Niall McCusker abandoned his role at full back to saunter forward. Francis McEldowney picked out the run and McCusker palmed the ball over the bar to keep this thrilling contest alive for 20 more minutes. Nobody knew it but by that stage Cavan were already done.

A lot of the credit must naturally go to Mickey Moran who is beginning to reap the fruits of his unenviable job of trying to rebuild a dynasty.

"We got belief and we said to them at half-time and full-time: 'listen lads you have to go for it', and that's what they did. There is pride in that jersey. They are committed and on the day they can potentially put it up to anybody."

And that is next challenge.

DERRY: 1 B Gillis; 2 K McGuckin, 3 N McCusker (0-1), 4 G O'Kane; 7 P Kelly (0-1), 24 P O'Kane, 5 F McEldowney; 8 F Doherty (0-1), 9 Patsy Bradley (0-1); 12 C Moran (0-1), 11 J McBride (0-2), 10 J Dinghy (0-2); 15 E Muldoon (0-6, two frees), 14 Paddy Bradley (0-8, four frees), 13 J Bradley. Subs: P McFlynn (0-1) for P O'Kane (56 mins); C Gilligan (0-1) for C Moran (61); Fergal McEldowney for J Dinghy (65).

CAVAN: 1 E Elliott; 9 C Collins, 5 A Forde, 3 D Rabbit; 7 K Crotty, 6 A Gaynor, 21 E Reilly; 18 S Cole, 8 T Crowe; 17 M Brides, 11 M Lyng (0-4, two frees), 12 M McKeever (0-3); 14 J O'Reilly (1-0), 10 L Reilly (0-1), 15 G Pearson (1-1). Subs: D McCabe for M Brides (42 mins), R Donohue for C Collins (48), M Hannon for K Crotty (56), S Johnston for G Pearson, N Walsh for S Cole (both 80).

Referee: J Bannon (Longford)