GAA: Underdogs Derry fall just short against the Kingdom

Underdogs Derry pushed the All-Ireland champions Kerry to brink in Croke Park this afternoon, but a late surge from the Kingdom saw them claim a 1-17 to 1-14 victory.

Derry played with bravery in the first half and made their supporters believe that they could dethrone the defending champs, as outstanding performances from Brendan Rogers in midfield, goal scorer Gareth McKinless and their talisman Shane McGuigan helped them to lead by three at the break.

In the second half they weren’t able to keep the same level of attacking intent, and although they still led by two with 10 minutes to go, Kerry flicked a switch and dominated the closing stages of the game to leave with the win.

The opening minutes of action were frenetic, with goal chances aplenty. Derry almost found the net in the first minute when Niall Loughlin had an effort, but his shot was blocked. Then, at the other end Odhran Lynch did superbly to keep Gavin White’s shot out with a diving save.

The two sides wouldn’t have to wait long until they raised green flags however, as after David Clifford opened the scoring with a point, Derry’s Gareth McKinless found the net. He had initially set Brendan Rogers up for a chance, but the midfielder’s effort was blocked on the line by Tadhg Morley on the line. Luckily for Dery, McKinless was on hand to finish the rebound.

But Kerry had an instant response. From their kick out they launched a rapid attack, which concluded with Sean O’Shea fist passing the ball across goal for White to palm home.

Derry were unperturbed however, and they rattled off three straight points through Padraig McGrogan, Paul Cassidy and Shane McGuigan.

Kerry responded through Diarmuid O’Connor and Paudie Clifford, before the two teams’ marksmen McGuigan and David Clifford exchanged points – with the Kerry man’s particularly impressive, as he somehow found a yard of space to get his shot off despite close attention from Chrissy McKaigue.

He then added a free, but Derry closed out the half in style, with a 0-7 to 0-3 run, which began when Lynch’s shot bounced off the surface and went over the bar.

Paul Cassidy and David Clifford then traded scores, before Kerry’s O’Connor was sent to the sin bin, as he received a black card for a trip on Rogers.

With the man advantage, Derry got four of the next five points through Rogers (two), Ciaran McFaul, and McGuigan, whilst Kerry’s Shane Ryan also found the target.

Clifford (mark) and McGuigan (free) closed out the half’s scoring, and Derry took a three-point advantage in at the break, leading 1-11 to 1-8.

Kerry were quickest out of the traps at the beginning of the second half, and they claimed four of the next five points – with two for David Clifford and two for O’Shea – to get back on level terms.

Derry’s Conor Doherty found the target in this period, but the Oak Leaf County failed to convert two chances to add a second goal, with McKinless involved in both.

First, he played the ball across the face of goal, and Niall Toner’s soccer-style effort was blocked by Paul Murphy. Moments later, McKinless stormed past the Kerry defence again, and backed himself, but he was denied by a strong save by Ryan in a one on one.

Derry were able to retake their lead through McFaul, and when McGuigan sent over a free to put them two ahead with 10 minutes to go, the belief from the crowd that Derry were going to pull off a remarkable upset was palpable.

But the Kingdom weren’t going to give up their All-Ireland crown that easily, and in the blink of an eye they raced into the lead in the dying stages of the game.

Frees from O’Shea and David Clifford had the sides level with two minutes to go, before substitute Stephen O’Brien brought the Kerry fans to their feet as he put them in front for the first time in the second half.

Kerry had the bit between their teeth, as they overturned the Derry kick out and worked the ball to David Clifford, who scored to put them two ahead.

Derry a goal, when Lachlan Murray fisted across the face of goal for Heron, but one of the Kerry defenders was able to claw the ball away from danger, and they worked the ball down to the other end of the field for O’Shea to score.

Derry now needed a goal to take the game to extra-time, Ethan Doherty tried to cause chaos in the Kerry back-line with a high ball in, but it was punched clear by Ryan. Then, with the final kick of the game, McGuigan looked to chip the ball in for somebody to punch home, but he got too much power on his pass and sent it over for an inadvertent point.

That was the last action, and the referee Joe McQuillan blew the full-time whistle, sealing Kerry’s place in the All-Ireland final, where they will take on Dublin in two weeks’ time.

MATCH STATS

DERRY: O Lynch (0-1); C McKaigue, E McEvoy, C McCluskey; C Doherty (0-1), G McKinless (1-0), P McGrogan (0-1); C Glass, B Rogers (0-2); N Toner, Paul Cassidy (0-2), E Doherty; C McFaul (0-2), S McGuigan (0-6, 3f), N Loughlin.

Subs: Pádraig Cassidy for McGrogan (9), B Heron for Pádraig Cassidy (51), L Murray for Toner (60), S Downey for McEvoy (70+2), B McCarron for McKinless (70+9)

KERRY: S Ryan (0-1); G O’Sullivan, J Foley, T O’Sullivan; P Murphy, T Morely, G White (1-0); D O’Connor (0-1), J Barry; D Moynihan, S O’Shea (0-4, 1f), A Spillane; P Clifford (0-1), D Clifford (0-9, 4f, 1m), P Geaney.

Subs: S O’Brien (0-1) for Spillane (HT), B Ó Beaglaíoch for Murphy (55), T Brosnan for Geaney (55), M Burns for Moynihan (58), R Murphy for O’Shea (70+3).

Referee: Joe McQuillan (Cavan).

Attendance: 43,192

• al-ireland sfc