U21's no match for a strong Derry
DERRY 2-9 SLIGO 0-5
Sligo's Enda Kivlehan challenges Derry's Benny Herron during the North West Cup U.21 game.
FOR THIRTY minutes this tepid game in the inaugural U21 North West tournament did little to enthuse the few that came to Celtic Park last Saturday afternoon, Derry struggling to turn abundant possession into scores with the wind at their backs.
At the end of the first quarter the sides were level, 0-01 each, with Derry hitting six wides, mostly from eminently scoreable positions.
Derry did take a 0-03 to 0-01 lead but were pegged back to 0-04 each at half time, although Kevin Johnston was denied a blatant penalty in the final minute of the half when he was upended in the goalmouth.
However two minutes into the second half Derry broke the deadlock and it was Johnston who was again involved, as he took a pass from Nathan Rocks and burst into the goalmouth. As he shot for goal he was pushed and the ball slewed wide. This time the referee did award him a penalty and Aaron Devlin tucked it comfortably to the corner of the net.
Six minutes later Devlin put Conor Kearney through and his blistering shot from twenty metres rippled the roof of the net to put Derry utterly in control at 2-04 to 004.
From that to the end Derry kept Sligo on a tight rein, their only score of the half a Brian Egan point from a free. and Kevin Johnston very impressive with their surging runs.
The Derry scorers were Aaron Devlin 1-02, 1-00 pen, Conor Kearney 1-02, Tiarnan Rafferty 0-02, Kevin Johnston, Benny Heron and Chrissy Spiers 0-01 each. The Sligo scorers were David May 0-02, Brian Egan 0-02 frees and Enda Kivlehan 0-01.
SLIGO UNDER 21'S
Vincent Cadden; Johnny Kelly, Sean Gorman, Enda Kivlehan; James Kelly, Micheal O'hehir, Gareth Ryan; James Clarke, Dennis Coffey; Niall Mcmanus, David Maye, Pat Hughes; Paddy Herity, Cian Killoran, Brian Egan. SUBS: Marren.
David Carabine, Caolan Watters, Kieran Brennan, Hughie
