Holly hits late winner for Derry
Thursday, 12 January 2012
Eoghan Rua’s Sean Leo McGoldrick could miss the rest of the McKenna Cup campaign after being concussed in Sunday’s win over Cavan at Celtic Park.
A FINE long range point three minutes into added time by Niall Holly earned Derry the narrowest of wins over Cavan, 0-13 to 0-12, in last Sunday's Power NI Dr McKenna Cup game at Celtic Park. Just under 1.000 supporters witnessed a closely contested game that had far too many stoppages for frees, the closeness of the scores helped to enliven the proceedings. Cavan dominated the early exchanges and raced into a three point lead after just nine minutes with scores from Raymond Galligan (2) and Niall McDermott.
Very little by way of an attacking force had been seen of Derry in that opening period but they eventually got onto the scoresheet some ten minutes in when Eoghan Brown pointed.
By the 21st minute Derry had levelled matters with two pointed frees from Caolan O'Boyle.
Cavan had been wasteful during that period as they shot three wides from good positions and indeed that was a feature of the Breffni men as they were wasteful in front of goal; that would prove costly in the closing ten minutes of the game. The sides were level twice more as David Givney had Cavan briefly ahead before O'Boyle equalised and then P.J. McCloskey put Derry ahead for the first time in the game ten minutes before the break.
Cavan levelled again with a fine Ray Cullivan point but in the closing minutes of the half they squandered a couple of good chances to take a lead into the break.
As it was, Derry finished well as Eoghan Brown sent a snap shot ove while Emmett McGuckin added another point from an acute angle to leave the Oak Leaf men 0-7 to 0-5 to the good at half-time.
Eoghan Rua's Barry McGoldrick did not come out for the second half having picked up an injury, Michael Bateson coming in.
As they had done early in the first half, Cavan dominated proceedings for the first ten minutes on the restart.
Four unanswered points had them 0-9 to 0-7 ahead just nine minutes in. Derry made a couple of changes as two more Eoghan Rua men entered the fray, Ciaran McGoldrick coming in for Chrissy McKaigue in the half-forward line while Niall Holly went into midfield replacing P.J. McCloskey.
Two points in as many minutes from a Caolan O'Boyle free and a fine Eoghan Brown effort had Derry level but midway through the half they were reduced to 14 men when debutant full back Eugene Scullion was sent off after picking up a second yellow card.
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