NFL Division One: Derry 1-24 Kerry 5-15
Nobody is to get carried away but after a hugely entertaining contest in Celtic Park, Derry, in control of the fixture for much of the match, nudged towards full-time with three points to spare, thanks to a superb goal by Shane McGuigan that had apparently settled the argument.
Even when Kerry replacement Paul Geaney gratefully accepted a dropping ball from a skied two-pointer and stuck it in the net, McGuigan restored the lead.
Then, in 90 seconds, everything changed. For a start, Geaney, having apparently lost the ball, saw it turned over again by Derry and replacement Donal O’Sullivan was on hand to finish the attack to the net. Level.
The drama wasn’t over. New goalkeeper Neil McNicholl steered his restart to Paudie Clifford and within seconds, Geaney was sidestepping into space to roll in the winning score to this extraordinary Allianz Football League Division One encounter.
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The Geaneys all did their county some service. Paul’s cousins made big contributions, especially Conor, who finished with 2-2, his goals keeping Kerry afloat in the first half, and Dylan shooting a crucial two-pointer in the second half to reduce an expanding five-point margin.
Was it the new rules, exercising their alchemy that made the difference? They certainly played a role, but it was also a rip-roaring clash of old-style virtues: great scores, kamikaze blocks and top-drawer centrefield play, especially in the duel of Conor Glass and Diarmuid O’Connor.
The FRC would argue that the requirement for 40-metre kick-outs plays a role in bringing disputed possession back to the game and having to maintain a three-man attack makes scores more likely. So be it. Whatever came together conjured up a treat for the attendance of 4,866.
After a minute’s silence before the match to commemorate the 53rd anniversary of Bloody Sunday, an entertaining first half played out: Kerry artful and probing for goals and Derry moving forward in numbers and getting away shots.
The miserable early weather gave way to nice sunny conditions, ideal for what turned out to be a gripping contest, scoreboard swinging one way and then the other.
Derry made early inroads, a point from 2023 All Star McGuigan within a minute, followed by a two-pointer by Brendan Rogers, gliding forward and unleashing a booming shot.
Kerry’s response was emphatic. Tadhg Morley turned over a ball in the Kerry defence and launched an attack that culminated in Paudie Clifford making the incision and fisting across for Conor Geaney to run on and finish to the net. Within a minute, Seán O’Shea had converted a free advanced by referee Martin McNally for dissent.
Derry built the scoreboard. Anton Tohill threaded the ball through to Paul Cassidy for a point. A Kerry restart was pilfered and McGuigan kicked it over.
Just before half-time, Donnacha Gilmore caught a ball in attack, raced in and fisted it wide before looking slightly surprised when the referee brought it back and gave him the original mark, as the new rules specify. He didn’t spurn the second opportunity.
The home side restarted with intent. Glass scored, followed by Cassidy. Then Glass nearly reprised his goal on the first weekend against Tyrone but it was parried, and when Cormac Murphy tried to get a vital touch to the rebound, Damien Bourke was there to stop it.
Diarmuid O’Connor started to assert himself at centrefield but Derry continued to keep the scoreboard clicking.
A critical score came when Derry were penalised for breaching the 3-on-3 and O’Shea brought back the free to outside the 40m arc and converted. It was now a two-point game, 2-11 to 0-19.
Derry manager Paddy Tally took issue with the free. “The infringement wasn’t us. It was the other team and that was a big turning point in the game. I think we had a chance to get another score.” Television footage indicated that his concerns may well have been justified.
Kerry replacement Donal O’Sullivan made a big impact and his two points levelled the match in the 62nd minute, but almost immediately McGuigan got in for the goal. The home crowd were jubilant, little suspecting what was to come.
Tally tried to put sense on it all. “I thought we played really well but we conceded some terrible goals and that was the difference. The last two goals were just two mistakes.”
Kerry manager Jack O’Connor expressed relief given that the county’s first game had been postponed because of weather and saluted his bench impact.
“Donal O’Sullivan was full of beans when he went in. Delighted with him off the bench and Paul Geaney. We got 3-2 off the bench. That is massive.
“I think we were five down with five minutes to go, so you wouldn’t give us much of a chance. It is a different game with the two-pointers. It is almost turning into hurling-style scoring. Just a mad game.”
Ain’t that the truth.
DERRY: N McNicholl; D Baker (0-0-1), E McEvoy, M Doherty; C Doherty, B Rogers (0-1-1), D Gilmore (0-0-2, 1m); C Glass (0-0-2, 1 ‘45), A Tohill; C Murphy, P Cassidy (0-0-2), E Doherty (0-0-3); N Toner (0-0-4, 2f), S McGuigan (1-0-4, goal a penalty 1f), B McCarron (0-1-0).
Subs: L Murray (0-1) for (48 mins); P McGurk for McCarron (53); D Higgins for Tohill (58); D Cassidy for Gilmore (59); J McDermott for Baker (62).
KERRY: S Ryan; D Bourke, J Foley, T O’Sullivan; G O’Sullivan, T Morley, S O’Brien (0-0-1); D O’Connor (0-0-1), BD O’Sullivan (0-0-2); P Clifford, S O’Shea (0-1-3, 1tpf, 2f), R Murphy; C Geaney (2-0-2), K Spillane, D Geaney (0-1-0).
Subs: D O’Sullivan (1-0-2) for Murphy (46 mins); K Evans for Spillane (49); P Geaney (2-0-0) for C Geaney (54); C Ó Beaglaoích for BD O’Sullivan (57 mins); E Kiely for O’Brien (63 mins).
Referee: M McNally (Monaghan).
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