Derry Minors set for back door Qualifiers after loss to Cavan
Derry 1-7 (1-1-5)
Derry must navigate the back door if they are to retain the Fr Murray Cup after losing their championship opener in Cavan on Saturday afternoon.
The Oakleafers led by a single point at the break but failed to score for the remaining 22 minutes as the home side took over on the counter attack.
The home side closed Derry’s running game in a congested scoring zone before breaking into the space.
Cavan captain Cian McConnell kicked his third 45 of the game to level matters as the game ticked into the final minutes.
A third Nathan Quigley point was followed by a Faolan Graham two-pointer to open a three-point gap Derry never looked like closing,
Quigley and McConnell opened the scoring for the home side before Derry captain Codi Rocks – one of two All-Ireland winners from last season – landed a two pointer.
Kian Maynes levelled the game again with a glimmer of goal before a 13th minute Dáithí McCloskey goal.
He won the break from Michael Higgins on a Conlan kick0-ouyt before Cathal Scullion cut inside the Cavan defence to pass to McCloskey who thumped to the net.
Cavan hit a goal to level the game from Mark Reilly, his shot beating a full-length Conlan dive at the far post.
The Derry ‘keeper had made an earlier save but their greater appetite at midfield helped hem ahead at half-time 1-6 to 1-5.
McCloskey opened a two-point lead in the 38th minute but it proved Derry’s last score.
Cavan closed the area around the arc and their turnovers gave them fuel to take the game the other way with a lively brand of football on the counterattack.
Scorers
Cavan: Cian McConnell (3 45), Nathan Quigley (1f) 0-3 each, Mark Reilly 1-0, Faolan Graham (tp), Michael Smith 0-2 each, Sam Maguire and Danny Brady 0-1 each
Derry: Dáithí McCloskey 1-1, Kian Maynes (1f) Codi Rocks (tp) 0-2 each, Tony O’Hagan 0-1 45, Cathal Scullion 0-1f
Derry: Micheál Conlan; Emmett Óg McKeever, Joseph Cassidy, Tobias Beattie; Daire Hull, Fionn Cartin, Blaine Conwell; Dáithí McCloskey, Michael Higgins; Seán O’Kane, Cody Rocks, Don Mulholland; Tony O’Hagan, Cathal Scullion, Kian Maynes
Subs: Callum Leacock for O’Hagan (38), Matthew Diamond for Hull (46), Emmett Spiers for Higgins (46), Jonathan Teague for Conwell (54), Pascal Kelly for Beattie (62)
Yellow card: M Diamond (60)
Cavan: Cian McConnell; Danny Brady, Lee Glennon, Andrew Smart; Michael Smith, Harry McMullen, Shea Brady; Sam Maguire, Faolan Graham; Mark Reilly, Dylan Brouder, Cathal Smith; Donagh Lynch, Nathan Quigley, Jake Brady
Subs: John Donohoe for C Smith (40), Senan Smith for Lynch (46), Damien Hughes for Reilly (62)
Yellow cards: H McMullen (56), F Graham (58)
Referee: Shane Murphy (Armagh)