Down defeated in Celtic Park as Derry book McKenna Cup semis spot

Derry 0-13, Down 0-10

Derry made it two wins from two under Mickey Harte and qualified for the Bank of Ireland McKenna Cup semi-finals thanks to a vastly improved second half display against Down in Celtic Park on Saturday night.

A lacklustre opening half from the Ulster champions saw the Oak Leafers behind at half-time against a Down side in almost complete control and wondering how their lead was only three points. That changed dramatically after the short whistle, Derry outscoring the Mourne men 0-8 to 0-2 in the second period to register an eventually comfortable victory.

Central to it though was Liam Kerr's missed 37th minute free which would have restored Down's three point lead only seconds before Chrissy McKaigue brought it back to a one point game. Then, with the sides level at 0-9 apiece, a 55th minute black card for Daniel Guinness handed Derry even more momentum and once Niall Loughlin had shot Harte's team in front for the first time on 58 minutes, there was only one winner.

Harte had made five changes from the team which defeated Cavan in Breffni Park, 2023 All Stars Brendan Rogers, Gareth McKinless and Shane McGuigan coming in alongside Chrissy McKaigue and keeper Ryan Scullion.

Facing them was a Down side that started with three of their Ulster U20 Championship winning team in Paddy McCarthy, Odhran Murdock and Oisin Savage and Murdock in particular impressed against Rogers in an opening half the Mourne men dominated as Derry stood off. Indeed the home side were relieved to hear the half-time whistle only three points adrift.

Down's addition of Ciaran Meenagh to the backroom team was a key close season appointment by Conor Laverty, the former Derry manager arriving with an in-depth knowledge of Oak Leaf personnel and it showed in the opening stages.

Pierce Laverty wouldn't be renowned as a frequent visitor to the edge of the opposition square but his attacking inside role and constant movement meant Niall Loughlin was being dragged into areas he didn't want to be. So to with Murdock and Rogers, the Down man taking advantage of his team's ownership of the ball to make sure Rogers was taken places he didn't necessarily want to go.

All over the pitch Down looked shaper in the opening half and the disappointment for Laverty will be his team never really translated that control to the scoreboard.

James Guinness got Down up and running inside 90 seconds of throw-in but Diarmuid Baker, continuing the fine form he showed on his debut against Cavan, replied with his second point in inter-county football six minutes later. Frees from Pat Havern and Liam Kerr, followed by a mark from the former, saw Down forge 0-4 to 0-1 ahead by the 11th minute before Conor Doherty fisted over for Derry from that ever productive inside left channel.

Seconds later came Down's big goal chance. A lovely Murdock catch in midfield allowed him to fire in an instant long ball to the unmarked Ceilium Doherty with the goal at his mercy. Fortunately for Derry, Doherty couldn't gather the pass first time and while he recovered to fist over a point, Derry had been let off the hook.

When Daniel became the second of the Guinness siblings to point and Pat Havern sent over a huge left footed score, Down were 0-7 to 0-2 up with 23 minutes gone and then 0-8 to 0-3 ahead with 27. Derry rallied though, Paul Cassidy and a Shane McGuigan free ensuring they remained well in the match at the break despite a disjointed first 35 minutes.

And three points became two within seconds of the restart as Eoin McEvoy run was halted by Doherty and McGuigan tapped over the ensuing free. Liam Kerr then missed that straightforward free to restore Down's three point lead and it proved costly as the game was back to the minimum when McKaigue pointed on 41 minutes.

Derry's second half display was already showing a marked improvement, both in terms of accuracy and intensity and Down struggled to match it in their first outing of the year. Jonny Flynn did point for 0-9 to 0-7 but that would be Down's final score until a 73rd minute free from Andrew Gilmore.

In between Derry went through the gears, but only after Gareth McKinless had produced a brilliant goal saving tackle on Liam Kerr that prompted Guinness' black card tackle in response as the Derry man attempted to counter.

Loughlin, Conor Doherty and McKinless put the seal on Derry’s second victory of the week to book the semi-final spot while Down stay in the frame for the best runners-up ahead of the visit of Cavan to Pairc Esler.

Derry scorers: Shane McGuigan (0-3, 3f), Paul Cassidy (0-2), Chrissy McKaigue (0-1), Niall Loughlin (0-2, 1f), Conor Doherty (0-2), Diarmuid Baker (0-1), Gareth McKinless (0-1), Declan Cassidy (0-1),

Down scorers: James Guinness (0-1), Pat Havern (0-3, 1f, 1m), Liam Kerr (0-1, 1f), Ceilium Doherty (0-1), Daniel Guinness (0-1), Odhran Murdock (0-1), Jonny Flynn (0-1), Andrew Gilmore (0-1, 1f)

Derry: Ryan Scullion, Diarmuid Baker, Eoin McEvoy, Christopher McKaigue, Conor Doherty, Gareth McKinless, Padraig McGrogan, Donncha Gilmore, Brendan Rogers, Ruairi Forbes, Declan Cassidy, Paul Cassidy, Niall Toner, Shane McGuigan, Niall Loughlin. (Subs) Ben McCarron for N Toner, 49mins;Mark Doherty for R Forbes, 65mins; Patrick McGurk for G Mc Kinless, 72mins.

Down: John O'Hare, Peter Fegan, Ryan McEvoy, Paddy McCarthy, Miceal Rooney, Daniel McGuinness, Pierce Laverty, Odhran Murdock, Jonny Flynn, Ceilium Doherty, Liam Kerr, James McGuinness, Gareth McKibben, Pat Havern, Oisin Savage (Subs) Finn McElroy for M Rooney (inj), 36mins; Conor McCrickard for J Guinness, 43mins; Andrew Gilmore for O Savage, 49mins;Ryan Magill for R McEvoy, 53mins; Pol Quinn for G McKibbin, 63mins.

Referee: Enda McFeely (Donegal)