Derry face battle to stay in top flight after defeat in Dublin

NFL Division One

Derry 2-12 

Derry’s wait for a first win of 2025 continues after losing to Dublin on Saturday night in Croke Park.

The Dubs did the damage in the second quarter to build up a commanding interval lead.

Brendan Rogers hit a goal for Derry’s first score of the second half but goals from Lorcan O’Dell and Conor Tyrell put the game totally to bed.

After coming away with just a point from their home games with Kerry and Galway, Paddy Tally’s side now face a battle to stay in the top flight.

The opening half was a tale of two quarters with Derry 0-6 to 0-3 ahead after 15 minutes.

Before that, it was two Sean Bugler points, within seconds of one another that had Dublin ahead early on.

Paul Cassidy kicked Derry’s first score off his left foot with McGuigan levelling matters, 0-3 each before a three versus three violation presented Derry with a two pointer and McGuigan dissected the posts.

Dublin had a Luke Breathnach goal ruled out for square ball with a fisted McGuigan effort cleared off the line at the other end.

With dominace of the Derry kick-out, Dublin got control of the game. A Niall Scully goal put the home side 1-6 to 0-6 ahead in the 23rd minute.

Brian Howard and Evan Comerford were among the scorers as Derry pushed into a 1-10 to 0-6 interval lead.

Bugler had the ball over the bar within two minutes and Néill McNicholl’s save denied Kevin Lahiff but it was constant Dublin pressure.

Breathnach and Cian Murphy added scores before Derry were given a glimmer of hope with a Brendan Rogers goal, making the score 1-13 to 1-6 after 44 minutes.

Cahir McMonagle tagged on a point before Con O’Callaghan started a second Dublin wave but it was Conor Tyrell’s lob over McNicholl for a second Dublin goal that opened the gap further.

Lorcan O’Dell hammered a third Dublin goal to make the score 3-16 to 1-8 with 15 minutes to play.

Paul Cassidy landed a two pointer with Glass punching home a goal made by McGuigan with six minutes to go.

It only added respectability to the scoreboard with Con O’Callaghan’s two-pointer putting the icing on Dublin’s cake.

Derry don’t have time to lick their wounds. Their campaign continues next weekend with a trip to Ballyshannon to take on high-flying Donegal, with the team set for a championship clash in April

Scorers

Dublin: Sean Bugler 0-6, Niall Scully 1-2, Con O’Callaghan (1 tp), Luke Breathnach 0-4 each, Cian Murphy 0-2, Lorcan O’Dell 1-0, Conor Tyrell 1-0 each, Brian Howard and Evan Comerford 0-1 each

Derry: Shane McGuigan 0-7 (2 tpf, 3f), Paul Cassidy 0-3 (1 tp), Conor Glass, Brendan Rogers 1-0 each, Declan Cassidy and Cahir McMonagle 0-1 each

Evan Comerford; Alex Gavin, Theo Clancy, David Byrne; Conor Tyrell, Seán MacMahon, Cian Murphy; Brian Howard, Tom Lahiff; Sean Bugler, Niall O’Callaghan, Kevin Lahiff; Luke Breathnach, Eoghan O’Donnell, Niall Scully

Subs: Lorcan O’Dell for O’Donnell (45), Con O’Callaghan for N O’Callaghan (45), Sean Lowry for K Lahiff (52), Davy Keogh for Bugler (INJ 56), Peadar Ó Cofaigh Byrne for Breathnach (56),

Néill McNicholl; Diarmuid Baker, Eoin McEvoy, Marty Bradley; Conor Doherty, Brendan Rogers (1-0), Declan Cassidy (0-1); Conor Glass (1-0), Anton Tohill; Cahir McMonagle (0-1), Paul Cassidy (0-3, 1 tp), Ethan Doherty; Ben McCarron, Shane McGuigan (0-7, 2 tpf, 3f), Niall Toner

Subs: Callum McGrogan for Toner (INJ 22), Lachlan Murray for C McGrogan (41), Paudi McGrogan for D Cassidy (44), Niall Loughlin for McCarron (53), Mark Doherty for McMonagle (56)

Referee: Noel Mooney (Cavan)

Attendance: 18,920