The U20 hurlers run in the B
championship came to an end at Markievicz Park in the All Ireland semi-final on
Tuesday evening in a sun baked sauna atmosphere where visitors Derry emerged
victorious. The entirety of the game was played as 14-a-side when influential
midfielder Michael Munnelly and his Derry counterpart both saw red in the
opening throw in. The reds were a surprise to all in the ground and the lack of
Munnelly ability to score, link up play and never tiring running game was a
huge loss to the home side.
Derry who only made the ground 20
minutes before time were not slow in starting on the field with two early
points from a Shéa Cassidy free and a Eoghan Cassidy score from play. Both
these players were hugely influential for Derry throughout the game with Eoghan
putting in a man of the match display. Fergal O’Kelly Lynch got Sligos first
score from a free and in the 6th minute the large home support were
on their feet as Fionn Moylan drove an unstoppable drive past the keeper to the
roof of the net. This was followed by a long range free from Thomas Cawley who was
excellent throughout the game and was very unlucky with two goal bound efforts
one after a an excellent run and sidestep that took two defenders out of the
play. Eoghan Cassidy stepped up with two points from play off either side on
the run and Darragh McGilligan joined
him with an excellent effort from under the dugouts just before the water
break. Fergal O Kelly Lynch kept the Sligo pressure up with another free
straight after Fionn Connolly was hooked when looking at the Derry net.
Sligo were one up but in the 20th
minute Shéa Cassidy managed to get the ball into the net. He caught a long
centre and despite two defenders converging on him and Shane Molloy making an
excellent block he picked up the rebound, narrowed the angle further and drove
across Pa O’Connor in the goals who got a hurl on it but diverted it into the
roof of the net. Sligo did not panic and Fergal O and Thomas Cawley (from a
Keaveny cross field pass) brought it back to one. Jack Cassidy put two in it
but two frees from Cawley and O’Kelly Lynch left the sides level at the break
1-8 apiece.
The sides exchange scores at the
start of the half with Eoghan Cassidy scoring an excellent individual point. In
the 35th minute though the decisive score came to Derry when Pádraig
O’Kane won the ball between the 45 and 65, drove for the goal, shortened the
grip and let fly from 13m leaving O’Connor no chance in the goal. Sligo made a
number of changes with Ethan Scully, Eoghan Donaghy and Ciarán O’Reilly coming
in but apart from a point from play by Cawley right after the goal Derry put on
a number of scores to be up by 7 at the water break.
Sligo were dependent on frees which
Cawley was hitting over but could not breach the Derry full back line for a goal.
They were all out attack but this meant that Eoghan Cassidy was able to hit
Shéa Cassidy with long range passes to add to the scoreline. The highligh of the Sligo scores at this time was a sideline cut from Thomas Cawley out on the 45, stand side into the dressing room end. In added time
Darragh Cawley drove through the centre of the Derry defence, somehow it was
stopped but with ball loose it ended up in the air and corner back Darragh
Feehily drove in and with two hands on the hurl hit it overhead just over the
crossbar (excellent pic of it from Eamonn McMunn) . It was too little too late
but the team and management have given a great few weeks enjoyment to the county
with some of the lads having to pick themselves up for Saturdays Christy Ring
sf away in Derry.
Scorers
Sligo :- Thomas Cawley 0-10 (8f),
Fergal O'Kelly Lynch 0-4 (4f), Fionn Moylan 1-0, Darragh Feehily 0-1
Derry :- Shéa Cassidy 1-6 (3f),
Eoghan Cassidy 0-6, Darragh McGilligan 0-3(2f), Pádraig O’Kane 1-0, Jack
Cassidy, Kosta Papachristopoulos 0-1each
Sligo : Pa O'Connor, Shane
Molloy, Eoighan Rua McGowan, Darragh Feehily, Darragh Cawley, Niall Kilcullen, Donal
Keaveny, Michael Munnelly, Brian Byrne, Liam O'Kelly Lynch, Thomas Cawley,
Cahán Hallinan, Fionn Connolly, Fionn Moylan, Fergal O'Kelly Lynch
Subs: Ethan Scully for Fergal O’Kelly
Lynch, Eoghan Donaghy for Byrne, Ciarán O’Reilly for Moylan, Moylan for Fionn
Connolly, Anthony Fidgeon for Hallinan