DERRY endured some first-half anxieties before eventually steamrollering 14-man Monaghan by 2-15 to 0-10 in the Ulster Senior championship quarter-final.
Yet again, it was a Championship clash where the performance of the referee was a major talking point afterwards.
Fermanagh official Martin McBrien dismissed Monaghan forward Stephen McGinnity as early as the ninth minute after the attacker had been involved in an off-the-ball incident with Derry’s Johnny McBride.
The Derry defender lay sprawled on the ground after an apparent tangle with the Monaghan man.
McGinnity indicated that he had merely attempted to shake off McBride’s unwanted attentions but after consulting with an umpire McBrien pointed McGinnity towards the Monaghan dugout.
Even though reduced to 14 players, Monaghan once again put the Derry defence under regular bouts of pressure during the remainder of the first half.
A succession of long balls rained in on the Derry defence and a combination of poor finishing and brave blocking prevented Damian McCusker’s net from being rattled.
Derry: D McCusker, K McKeever, D O’Neill, G Coleman, K Diamond, H Downey, J McBride, A Tohill, D Dougan, G Magill, D Heaney, F McCusker, J Brolly, S Downey, J Cassidy.
Subs: SM Lockhart for Diamond (half time), E Muldoon for Magill (61 mins), R Rocks for S Downey (63 mins).
Monaghan: G Murphy, E Murphy, D Duffy, N Marron, D McArdle, G McGurk, J Conlon, F McEneaney, C McCaul, G Flanaghan, M Daly, S McGinnity, D Loughman, P Duffy, D McKearnan.
Subs: D Smyth for Loughman (30 mins), P McShane for McKearnan (48 mins), V Morrison for Daly (54 mins).
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LOUGHINISLAND proved much superior to their local rivals Downpatrick in a highly-charged and at times tough-tackling Down championship game in Ballykinlar.
It was the ability of Loughinisland to take their scores that proved the difference between the teams plus the fact that they had strong defenders in Gary Gordon, Paddy Magorrian and Alan Molloy while Gary Mason was in fine form at midfield.
The Loughinisland attack was much more potent with Terry O’Toole, Gareth Doran, and Niall O’Toole outstanding.
Downpatrick who fielded without their county star Gerard Deegan, who is currently in the USA, were always in a catch-up position.
Harry Rice, Richard Starkey and Mark Trainor formed a solid half-back line but without midfield supremacy the attack now lacks support with only Kyran Smyth, Philip Oakes and Paul Moore threatening any danger to the Loughinisland defence.
Loughinisland: M Rice, G Gordon, P Magorrian, J Doran, K Fitzpatrick, A Molloy, D O’Neill, D Mason, G Mason (0-4), M Valentine (1-0), N O’Toole (1-1), G Doran (0-3), K Doran, P Rice (0-1), T O’Toole (0-3).
Sub: S Nixon for K Doran.
Downpatrick: TP Louden, S Cahir, K Donnelly, JR Louden, H Rice, R Starkey (0- 1), M Trainor (0-1), P Close, P Evans, M Quinn, K Smyth (0- 6), K Oakes, P Oakes, P Moore (0-1), P Kelly.
Sub: Gregroy Deegan for JR Louden. Referee: B McCrickard (Leitrim)
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ULSTER athletes claimed several titles at the Irish Schools Track and Field Championships in Tullamore.
St Malachy’s youngster Gareth Turnbull had to work quite hard before subduing a brave challenge from his schoolmate Colm McLean.
However, Turnbull’s time of 3.50.7 in the blustery conditions was a championship record.
Other Ulster winners included hurdler Tasmin Stephens, St Columb’s 800-metre runner Paul McGee, Ballymena Academy long jumper Ian Kenny, La Salle Belfast shot-putter Anthony Quinn plus St Mary’s Magherafelt triple jumper Orla Heron.
She won an all south Derry battle against St Pat’s Maghera student Maria Devlin.
