Sport

Hit-and-miss infection dire

Derry needed to win this game to keep their play-off hopes alive, but they were fortunate to go away with a draw from Brewster…

Mon Apr 16 2001 - 01:00

Derry needed to win this game to keep their play-off hopes alive, but they were fortunate to go away with a draw from Brewster Park.

The foot-and-mouth outbreak in the Ardboe area made a number of their players unavailable, but Fermanagh made it easier for them with some woeful finishing in the second half.

Derry got the all-important goal five minutes into the second half to draw level, a long ball from Anthony Tohill fisted to the net by full forward Dermot Heaney.

Tohill was lucky to escape with a yellow card for a foul on Paul Brewster 11 minutes into the half.

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It was Brewster's midfield partner Liam McBarron who kept Fermanagh in touch with some powerful running from midfield while, up front, full forward Stephen Maguire made life a misery for his direct marker.

Points from Rory Gallagher and Maguire edged Fermanagh in front, 0-9 to 1-4. But Maguire's point in the 51st minute was Fermanagh's last point of the match.

They continued to look the more likely to score, but wasted chances and desperate defending and particularly by Gareth Doherty and Fergal Crossan left the issue wide open.

A pointed free from close range brought Derry to within a point with 15 minutes remaining. The huge crowd welcomed the return of the former Fermanagh captain Tom Brewster to the forward line following a long layoff, but not even he could work his magic.

With five minutes left, Derry's Paul Murphy had the final score of the match to even matters. With much expected from these two teams the game was a hit-andmiss affair.

FERMANAGH: D McKeogh; M Lillie, P Quinn, N Cox; J Gilheaney, M McGrath (0-1), S Burns; P Brewster, L McBarron; K Donnelly (0-2), R Gallagher (0-3), S McDermott (0-1); S Quinn, S Maguire (0-2) S King. Subs: B Owens for Gilheaney; T Brewster for McDermott; R McCabe for Gallagher; N Keenan for Cox; O Mulligan for S Quinn.

DERRY: O McCloskey; J Doherty, K Cloy, P Carton; A Heaney, F Crossan, G Coleman; A Tohill (0-2), F Doherty; P Murphy (0-3), D Dougan (0-1), J Niblock; P Bradley, D Heaney (1-0), G McGonigle. Subs: O Farran for McGonigle; E Gormley for Farren.

Referee: S Prior (Leitrim).