NFL DIVISION ONE Derry 0-13 Galway 2-7GALWAY REMAIN unbeaten after this entertaining draw, but the Connacht men were pushed all the way by a gritty Derry side at Maghera yesterday afternoon.
Goals from Paul Conroy and a Michael Meehan penalty had looked set to maintain Galway’s 100 per cent record as they led by three points midway through the second half. But the hosts dug deep and took a share of the spoils thanks to Enda Muldoon’s coolly struck 68th-minute equaliser.
A point apiece was probably a fair enough outcome given the balance of the match. Derry started off at a furious pace and led by five points early on, but once Pádraic Joyce and Michael Meehan worked their way into the game Galway caused the Derry full-back line untold problems.
Yet, early on, Galway’s danger men saw little of the ball as Derry made a super start with Eoin and Paddy Bradley in fine form. It was the elder Bradley brother, Paddy, who got the game’s first two scores, the second from a free.
Derry increased their lead to 0-5 to no score through another Paddy Bradley free and two similar scores from Barry McGoldrick.
With 15 minutes on the clock, Galway got off the mark as Meehan pointed. Derry responded with a well-worked Paddy Bradley point, but Galway had found their form. John Deighan tipped a goalbound effort from Meehan over the bar, Cormac Bane clipped over a neat score and Meehan fired over his fourth point of the game to leave the minimum between the sides on 24 minutes.
Derry did double their advantage through another Paddy Bradley free, but Meehan then fed Paul Conroy, whose shot was only half-blocked by Deighan, who scrambled back but could not prevent the ball from dribbling over the line.
The sides then went in level at the interval.
Derry edged in front after the interval when Paul Young pointed. A Cormac Bane free levelled matters on 47 points and Galway went three clear when Meehan lashed home a penalty after Gerard O’Kane’s foul on 51 minutes.
Derry were denied a goal of their own when Adrian Flaherty made a great save from Paul Murphy. Still, Derry dug in and points from Paul Cartin, Paddy Bradley from a free and then Muldoon from play, tied things up on 64 minutes.
As the tension increased, Meehan kicked a super score after a great ball from Joyce to edge Galway 2-7 to 0-12 in front. Derry poured forward in search of an equaliser which came from the cultured boot of Muldoon.
DERRY:J Deighan; K McCloy, N McCusker, R Rillon; P Cartin (0-1), B McGoldrick, SL McGoldrick (0-2, frees); Patsy Bradley, E Muldoon (0-2); P Young (0-1), P Murphy, B Mullan; Paddy Bradley (0-7, five frees), E Bradley, B McGuigan. Subs:G O'Kane for B McGoldrick (35 mins, yellow), B Gillis for Deighan (half-time), C McKaigue for Dillon (half-time), B McAlary for N McCusker (44 mins), J Kielt for McGuigan.
GALWAY:A Flaherty; N Coyle, F Hanley, D Burke; G Sice, D Blake, D Mullaly; B Cullinane, J Bergin; S Armstrong, P Joyce, D Dunleavy; P Conroy (1-0), M Meehan (1-5, 1-0 penalty), C Bane (0-2, one free). Subs:D Meehan for Sice (28 mins), M Clancy for Bane (35 mins, yellow), M Lydon for Dunleavy (42 mins), A Burke for Cullinane (54 mins), D Reilly for Clancy (66 mins), B Cullinane for Lydon (67 mins).
Referee:C Reilly (Meath).
