Derry mark top-flight return with victory

National Football League Division One B/ Derry 1-11 Galway 0-7: Derry made a winning return to top-flight football with a convincing victory over an under-strength Galway at Celtic Park thanks largely to a decisive scoring blitz in the final few minutes of the first half.

The sides had been evenly matches until a 28th-minute point from Joe O'Kane put Derry 0-4 to 0-3 in front. Two minutes later Derry corner forward Eoin Bradley struck for the game's only goal and by half-time Galway found themselves 1-7 to 0-4 in arrears.

While Galway were without some of their star names, with the likes of Joe Bergin and Pádraic Joyce unavailable, this was also a new look Derry line-up with four players - Liam Hinphey, Joe Diver, Joe O'Kane and Martin Donaghy - making their debuts.

With half-backs Paul Carton and Liam Hinphey hoovering up breaking ball and Joe Diver and Patsy Bradley dominant throughout, Derry were always the better side.

In the second half Derry's dominance was total but wayward finishing meant they only managed two points from Eoin Bradley and one from Paddy Bradley and a late score from substitute Ciarán Mullan to show for their superiority.

Galway managed one second-half point from play from Paul Geraghty but it took two late frees from Alan O'Donovan and Micheál Meehan to take the lopsided look off the scoreline.

DERRY: B Gillis; K McGuckin, K McCloy, SM Lockhart; P Carton (0-1), J McBride, L Hinphey; J Diver, Patsy Bradley; J O'Kane (0-1), E Muldoon, F Doherty; M Donaghy (0-1), Paddy Bradley (0-5, four frees), E Bradley (1-2). Subs: F McEldowney for McGuckin (19 mins), P McFlynn for Doherty (64 mins), C Mullan (0-1) for Donaghy (65 mins).

GALWAY: B O'Donoghue; A Burke, K Fitzgerald, R Fahey; R Gibbons, D Blake, D Meehan; N Coleman, D Burke; D Savage, N Coyne, B Óg Callarain; T Costello, M Meehan (0-3, two frees), A O'Donovan (0-3, two frees). Subs: N Joyce for Costello (32 mins), B Faherty for Callarain (half-time), F Breathnach for O'Donovan (60 mins), P Geraghty (0-1) for Burke (half-time).

Referee: E Murtagh (Longford).