Galway 2-14; Derry 0-15
Derry’s shock demise in Ulster was followed up in Galway on Saturday with a lackluster performance which suggests that their season will be over unless they find the passion and pride which had earmarked their play over the past few seasons.
Once defender Gareth McKinless was sent off after 21 minutes for a stupid and senseless stamp on Damien Comer, which may keep him out for the rest of the championship season, the Connacht champions were always favorites to build on recent showings by beating Mickey Harte’s team.
Goals from skipper Sean Kelly and forward Cein Darcy on the resumption gave Derry too much of a mountain to climb under the circumstances at Pearse Stadium with the home side having forged ahead by two points - 0-8 to 0-6 at the interval.
The loss of McKinless when both sides were level on 0-4 apiece was the beginning of the end for this encounter for the Oaf Leaf outfit, who didn’t help their own cause by dropping several shots short into the grateful arms of Conor Gleeson in the Galway goals.
Derry’s big players tried to stand up but Galway were in a good mood and when they hit three unanswered points to lead by six half way through the second half, it was clearly a case of curtains for Harte’s squad on this journey into the West.
Galway: C Gleeson; J McGrath, S Fitzgerald, J Glynn; D McHugh, L Silke, J Daly (0-2); P Conroy (0-3), M Tierney (0-1); J Heaney (0-1), J Maher, S Kelly (1-0); R Finnerty (0-4, 0-2f), D Comer, S Walsh (0-2) Subs: C Darcy (1-0) for Comer (47), C McDaid for Maher (58), D Ó Faherty for Kelly (61), C Ó Curraoin (0-1) for Finnerty (64), L Ó Conghaile for Heaney (65).
Derry: O Lynch; C McCluskey, C McKaigue, D Baker; B Rogers (0-1), G McKinless, C McFaul (0-2); C Glass (0-1), E Bradley (0-1); E Doherty (0-1), P Cassidy (0-1), D Cassidy; L Murray (0-3), S McGuigan (0-4, 0-1f), N Toner Subs: D Gilmore (0-1) for D Cassidy (ht), E Mulholland for Toner (48), C McMonagle for Murray (67), S Downey for McFaul (69).
Ref: B Cawley (Kildare).
All Ireland SF series - Round 1
Galway 2-14; Derry 0-15
Kerry 0-24; Monaghan 1-11
Mayo 0-20; Cavan 1-8
Cork 1-13; Clare 1-11
Tailteann Cup
Group 1
Leitrim 2-12; Longford 0-17
Kildare 5-15; Waterford 0-6
Group 2
Sligo 3-22; Tipperary 1-12
Antrim 1-15; Wexford 0-17
Group 3
Fermanagh 1-13; Carlow 0-13
Laois 0-11; Wicklow 0-10
Group 4
Limerick 2-10; Offaly 0-8
Down 1-24; London 0-10
All Ireland U20 Football final
Tyrone 1-20; Kerry 1-14
