DERRY STORMED TO the top of division 2 of the GAA football league in Celtic Park here when they pulverised a sorry Cork team.
1-31 is phenomenal shooting from a side that have been accused for years of being over-reliant on Shane McGuigan, but with 12 different scorers, Derry manager Ciaran Meenagh wasn’t getting carried away with things, labelling the second half as something of a ‘Turkey shoot’ after the first ten minutes.
With Louth in Ardee to come in a fortnight, and then at home to Cavan on the final day of the league, it seems certain that the 2024 league champions will be back in the top flight in 2027.
Cork actually started brightly here with Stephen Sherlock landing two massive two-pointers in the opening half, after Cork won the toss and elected to play with the familiar whipping wind coming in from the Foyle river.
Gradually, Derry came back into it and by the half hour mark had drawn level with two points from Lachlan Murray after Derry had snatched a couple of Micheál Aodh Martin kickouts.
Sean Walsh gets a shot away ahead of Shea Downey. Lorcan Doherty / INPHO
Lorcan Doherty / INPHO / INPHO
Just prior to half-time, they had a massive moment.
Martin put one of his kickouts long and while it was about to bounce into Colm O’Callaghan’s hands, his direct opponent Conor Glass used his body to shield the ball, that drifted to Ruairí Forbes instead.
Forbes used his running power to bring it up the pitch and when Niall Loughlin fisted the ball to Glass now on the edge of the two-point arc, he bided his time until Lachlan Murray made a run in behind. The pass was sumptuous and Murray’s finish, emphatic.
It left Derry 1-10 to 0-9 in front at the break.
In the second half, Cork were completely out of ideas. 0-21 to 0-4 is some scoring for a half of football and it said all that needed to be said.
The suspended Ian Maguire was at home and played a league game for St Finbarr’s on Sunday morning. They will need him for the next game at home against Kildare, before the long trip to Tyrone for the final day of the league.
Derry have gone from a team that could not win in 2025, to one that are playing with a swagger now. The powerful running from the whole team throughout was a factor and in Ruairí Forbes, they have a natural successor to Brendan Rogers in his early day.
Further back-up with Eoin McEvoy and James Sargeant will also be arriving when they have their injuries cleared up for championship. They may have become the forgotten team for a spell, but they are most definitely cooking again.
Scorers for Derry: Shane McGuigan 0-9 (2 frees, 1 x 2pt), Lachlan Murray 1-4, Niall Loughlin 0-4 (1 x 2pt), Paul Cassidy 0-4, Ethan Doherty, Niall Toner 0-2 each, Conor Glass, Conor Doherty, Padraig McGrogan, Sean Kearney, Dan Higgins 0-1 each, Shea McGuckin 0-1 (1×45)
Scorers for Cork: Stephen Sherlock 0-6 (2 x 2pt, 1 x 45), Colm O’Callaghan, Darragh Cashman 0-2 each, Seán Walsh, Paul Walsh, Dara Sheedy, Ruairí Deane 0-1 each.
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Derry fire 1-31 as they hammer Cork to go top of Division 2 table
Derry 1-2-27 (34)
Cork 0-2-10 (14)
DERRY STORMED TO the top of division 2 of the GAA football league in Celtic Park here when they pulverised a sorry Cork team.
1-31 is phenomenal shooting from a side that have been accused for years of being over-reliant on Shane McGuigan, but with 12 different scorers, Derry manager Ciaran Meenagh wasn’t getting carried away with things, labelling the second half as something of a ‘Turkey shoot’ after the first ten minutes.
With Louth in Ardee to come in a fortnight, and then at home to Cavan on the final day of the league, it seems certain that the 2024 league champions will be back in the top flight in 2027.
Cork actually started brightly here with Stephen Sherlock landing two massive two-pointers in the opening half, after Cork won the toss and elected to play with the familiar whipping wind coming in from the Foyle river.
Gradually, Derry came back into it and by the half hour mark had drawn level with two points from Lachlan Murray after Derry had snatched a couple of Micheál Aodh Martin kickouts.
Just prior to half-time, they had a massive moment.
Martin put one of his kickouts long and while it was about to bounce into Colm O’Callaghan’s hands, his direct opponent Conor Glass used his body to shield the ball, that drifted to Ruairí Forbes instead.
Forbes used his running power to bring it up the pitch and when Niall Loughlin fisted the ball to Glass now on the edge of the two-point arc, he bided his time until Lachlan Murray made a run in behind. The pass was sumptuous and Murray’s finish, emphatic.
It left Derry 1-10 to 0-9 in front at the break.
In the second half, Cork were completely out of ideas. 0-21 to 0-4 is some scoring for a half of football and it said all that needed to be said.
The suspended Ian Maguire was at home and played a league game for St Finbarr’s on Sunday morning. They will need him for the next game at home against Kildare, before the long trip to Tyrone for the final day of the league.
Derry have gone from a team that could not win in 2025, to one that are playing with a swagger now. The powerful running from the whole team throughout was a factor and in Ruairí Forbes, they have a natural successor to Brendan Rogers in his early day.
Further back-up with Eoin McEvoy and James Sargeant will also be arriving when they have their injuries cleared up for championship. They may have become the forgotten team for a spell, but they are most definitely cooking again.
Scorers for Derry: Shane McGuigan 0-9 (2 frees, 1 x 2pt), Lachlan Murray 1-4, Niall Loughlin 0-4 (1 x 2pt), Paul Cassidy 0-4, Ethan Doherty, Niall Toner 0-2 each, Conor Glass, Conor Doherty, Padraig McGrogan, Sean Kearney, Dan Higgins 0-1 each, Shea McGuckin 0-1 (1×45)
Scorers for Cork: Stephen Sherlock 0-6 (2 x 2pt, 1 x 45), Colm O’Callaghan, Darragh Cashman 0-2 each, Seán Walsh, Paul Walsh, Dara Sheedy, Ruairí Deane 0-1 each.
Derry
16. Shea McGuckin (Magherafelt)
2. Diarmuid Baker (Steelstown) 3. Ruairi Forbes (Ballinderry) 4. Shea Downey (St Brigid’s)
5. Conor Doherty (Newbridge) 6. Gareth McKinless (Ballinderry) 7. Padraig McGrogan (Newbridge)
8. Conor Glass (Glen) 9. Brendan Rogers (Slaughtneil)
10. Ethan Doherty (Glen) 11. Niall Toner (Lavey) 12. Paul Cassidy (Bellaghy)
13. Niall Loughlin (Greenlough) 14. Shane McGuigan (Slaughtneil) 15. Lachlan Murray (Desertmartin)
Subs:
24. Dan Higgins (Magherafelt) for Rogers (46)
18. Sean Young (Newbridge) for Murray (52)
19. Sean Kearney (Swatragh) for Toner (56)
21. Martin Bradley (Ballinascreen) for Baker (61)
17. Conall Higgins (Magherafelt) for McKinless (64)
Cork
1. Micheál Aodh Martin (Nemo Rangers)
2. Maurice Shanley (Clonakilty) 3. Daniel O’Mahony (Knocknagree) 4. Seán Meehan (Kiskeam)
5. Matthew Taylor (Mallow) 6. Rory Maguire (Castlehaven) 7. Luke Fahy (Ballincollig)
8. Colm O’Callaghan (Éire Óg) 9. Sean Walsh (Mitchelstown)
10. Paul Walsh (Kanturk) 14. Dara Sheedy (Bantry Blues) 12. Seán McDonnell (Mallow)
13. Chris Óg Jones (Uíbh Laoire) 24. Conor Corbett (Clyda Rovers) 15. Stephen Sherlock (St Finbarr’s)
Subs:
22. Ruairí Deane for Paul Walsh (HT)
21. David Buckley (Newcewstown) for McDonnell (46)
26. Cathal O’Mahony (Mitchelstown) for Corbett (47)
19. Darragh Cashman (Millstreet) for Taylor (52)
20. Conor Cahalane (Castlehaven) for Sheedy (65)
Referee: Séamus Mulhare (Laois)
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