Derry 0-15
Kerry 2-8
IN THE END it fell to Shane McGuigan, Derry’s shining attacking light and All-Star for his 2023 exploits, to provide the telling kick on a January Saturday night in Tralee.
McGuigan’s injury-time conversion of a free, awarded after a foul when Magherafelt’s Cormac Murphy had made a driving run forward, proved the critical score in separating Derry from the grasp of hosts Kerry.
It ensured Derry will travel back home with the precious cargo of two Division 1 league points, making a strong start to this year’s life in the top tier as they took down the All-Ireland finalists. Mickey Harte is up and running in the latest chapter of his managerial career, Jack O’Connor left frustrated at having no points on the board after their efforts in this opener on home soil.
A slow and sluggish start impacted Kerry, but their aggressive pressing and hounding of Derry paid dividends in the second half. Substitute Conor Geaney and defender Dylan Casey bagged their first-ever goals at senior level in Kerry colours, both registering in a frenetic final quarter.
Yet the Derry response to each concession was impressive as they squeezed out a win in Austin Stack Park.
Derry’s team selection served notice of their intent. The fifteen on the match programme was altered greatly. The most eye-catching inclusions were the Glen trio of Conor Glass, Ethan Doherty and Ciaran McFaul, parachuted in to start just six days after All-Ireland club success in Croke Park.
Glass wasted little time making his presence felt. After a spell of Kerry possession from the throw-in, Shane Ryan’s punt forward was turned over by the Derry defence and when they countered, it was Glass who swept over the first point of the game.
Kerry did respond to engineer a 0-2 to 0-1 advantage, courtesy of Sean O’Shea, but the Kingdom captain on the night was an isolated bright spark for his team in that opening period.
Derry got level 13 minutes in, they hit the front a minute later and by half-time, were ahead by four. They were full value for that 0-8 to 0-4 position.
Their big names kicked scores from play — Glass, Rogers and Chrissy McKaigue. Conor Doherty, a dominant presence in sketching the shape of that first half, notched another. McGuigan’s duel with Jason Foley was an engaging watch, but the Slaughtneil man always offered a threat and clipped four points in that early phase.
The pressure applied on Kerry was fierce, battling a hefty breeze that blew into the town end of the ground, and the Derry midfield crew got on top around the first-quarter mark. Derry strung together six unanswered points and then posted the first two points of the second half.
Stick a fork in the game as it’s done? Not quite time for that. Backed by an increasingly vociferous support, Kerry went after the game. They hunted Derry defenders in possession and made life uncomfortable for goalkeeper Odhran Lynch when he ventured forward.
The goal chances flowed as a result, but three were wasted and only two were scored. Lynch threw his body in the way to smother a drive from Jason Foley, McKaigue tipped away a floated pass from Stephen O’Brien that looked destined to be palmed home at the back post, and then O’Brien failed to find Sean O’Shea with a pass when a goal looked certain moments later.
Kerry had showed an opportunistic streak; Conor Geaney firing into an empty net that Lynch had vacated in the 58th minute, Joe O’Connor thieving the ball from Rogers in the build-up.
Derry stood tall with Declan Cassidy and Niall Toner pushing them three clear after they leaked that first goal, before the game was level as a result of Graham O’Sullivan sneaking in along the endline in the 63rd minute and playing it across for Dylan Casey who smashed to the roof of the Derry net.
The temperature of the contest had soared by this stage, both in the intensity on show on the pitch and in the stands. Derry, playing with the stronger and more experienced playing deck, retained their composure as they plotted a path to the finish line. Ciaran McFaul’s point nudged them ahead, O’Sullivan dragged Kerry level from a mark, and then Derry drew the free that McGuigan nailed.
A satisfactory trip to the south-west for the reigning Ulster champions, regrets for Kerry to stew over this week at those chances butchered in the second half as their spirited revival did not yield any league points.
Scorers for Derry: Shane McGuigan 0-7 (0-6f), Conor Glass 0-1, Gareth McKinless 0-1, Chrissy McKaigue 0-1, Brendan Rogers 0-1, Conor Doherty 0-1, Declan Cassidy 0-1, Niall Toner 0-1, Ciaran McFaul 0-1.
Scorers for Kerry: Sean O’Shea 0-5 (0-4f), Dylan Casey 1-0, Conor Geaney 0-1, Dylan Geaney 0-1, Graham O’Sullivan 0-1 (0-1 mark), Dara Moynihan 0-1.
Derry
1. Odhran Lynch (Magherafelt)
4. Diarmuid Baker (Steelstown), 3. Chrissy McKaigue (Slaughtneil), 2. Conor McCluskey (Magherafelt)
5. Padraig McGrogan (Newbridge), 6. Gareth McKinless (Ballinderry), 7. Conor Doherty (Newbridge)
8. Conor Glass (Glen), 9. Brendan Rogers (Slaughtneil)
12. Ciaran McFaul (Glen), 11. Declan Cassidy (Bellaghy), 10. Ethan Doherty (Glen)
13. Niall Loughlin (Greenlough), 14. Shane McGuigan (Slaughtneil), 15. Paul Cassidy (Bellaghy)
Subs
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26. Niall Toner (Lavey) for Paul Cassidy (48)
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24. Cormac Murphy (Magherafelt) for Loughlin (61)
Kerry
1. Shane Ryan (Rathmore)
2. Graham O’Sullivan (Dromid Pearses), 3. Jason Foley (Ballydonoghue), 4. Dylan Casey (Austin Stacks)
5. Brian Ó Beaglaoich (An Ghaeltacht), 6. Tom O’Sullivan (Dingle), 7. Gavin White (Dr Crokes)
8. Joe O’Connor (Austin Stacks), 9. Seán O’Brien (Beaufort)
10. Dara Moynihan (Spa), 11. Dylan Geaney (Dingle), 12. Cillian Burke (Milltown-Castlemaine)
13. Killian Spillane (Templenoe), 14. Seán O’Shea (Kenmare), 15. Micheál Burns (Dr Crokes)
Subs
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21. Barry Dan O’Sullivan (Dingle) for O’Brien (28)
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22. Conor Geaney (Dingle) for Burns (half-time)
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17. Paul Murphy (Rathmore) for Ó Beaglaoich (half-time)
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20. Stephen O’Brien (Kenmare) for Burke (44)
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24. Diarmuid O’Connor (Na Gaeil) for Spillane (48)
Referee: Joe McQuillan (Cavan)
