Sport

Derry stroll past Down to claim Ulster Under 21 hurling crown

Derry celebrate winning the Ulster U21 Hurling Championship with a convincing defeat of Down at Corrigan Park last night <br />Picture by Declan Roughan
Derry celebrate winning the Ulster U21 Hurling Championship with a convincing defeat of Down at Corrigan Park last night
Picture by Declan Roughan
Derry celebrate winning the Ulster U21 Hurling Championship with a convincing defeat of Down at Corrigan Park last night
Picture by Declan Roughan

Bord Gáis Energy Ulster U21 HC final: Derry .3-17 Down 1-9

DERRY comfortably bridged a nine-year gap in Corrigan Park last night to claim their sixth Bord Gáis Energy Ulster U21 hurling title.

The Oak Leaf team’s physicality and teamwork overcame a poor start in which they conceded 1-2 in the first four minutes of play.

However, they dominated the rest of the opening half with Conor McAllister and John Mullan putting in a good shift at midfield and Cormac O’Doherty also picking up a lot of ball in the congested middle third.

A 26th minute goal from Brian Cassidy was the score that put them ahead and they never looked back, leading by 1-9 to 1-5 at the turnover and they had the win in the bag long before substitute Corey O’Reilly bagged two goals inside a minute close to the death.

Manager Collie McGurk, who featured at centre-half back on Derry’s first U21 success back in 1986, was in jubilant form.

“We had 13 of those lads featuring in some form or other in the senior team through the season and 10 of them were in the Slaughtneil panel that stood up well to the challenge of an All-Ireland club semi-final.

“So, yes we got off to a poor enough start, but there was no panic and we worked our way back into the game.

“Shane McGuigan, Brian Cassidy, Cormac [O’Doherty] all had great games, our full-back [Paddy Turner] was excellent, and Darragh Cartin…

“I thought that our touch was as good as any Derry team ever, both last week and today and I’m really looking forward to an All-Ireland semi-final against Kilkenny.”

Across the way, Marty Mallon, the Down manager, acknowledged that the physical presence of the Derry team all over the pitch troubled them.

“They were physically bigger and stronger than us, but we hung in well for 40, 45 minutes there and we missed a few handy scores that could have closed the gap. But no their physicality was a big factor.”

However Down had the brighter start with a Cormac Coulter free followed by a fine point from Barry Trainer and when Daithi Sands sent Oisin McManus clear for a fourth minute goal, Down had their tails up.

However five points in a row – three from Darragh Cartin – drew Derry level as early as the 11th minute and, while the teams traded scores over the next 14 minutes, Seamus Higgins and John Mullan played in Brian Cassidy for a 25th minute goal that put Derry into a 1-7 to 1-4 lead and on their way home.

There were five points between the sides at half-time (1-9 to 1-5).

Daithi Sands broke through but blazed wide from an acute angle in the opening 20 seconds of the second half and despite Sands and McCrickard claiming two of the next three points, Derry were in control with McGuigan, Turner and O’Doherty cutting out any ball at the back and McAllister impressive

at midfield.

Daragh Mallon and Eoin Coulter worked hard in defence for Down but they were under a lot of pressure from the diagonal ball and eventually Brian Cassidy cut in from the right corner and delivered a perfectly weighted pass for Corey O’Reilly to bat home.

Less than 60 seconds later, the pair combined again for Derry’s third goal, O’Reilly cracking home a ground shot from 20 metres.

That made it 3-15 to 1-9 and already Oak Leaf thoughts were turning to Kilkenny.

Meanwhile, Limerick will meet Galway in the other All-Ireland semi-final after they defeated Cork by two points in the Munster U21 hurling final last night.

The Treatymen were four to the good at the short whistle, with Tim O’Mahony’s goal proving crucial for the Rebels as they recovered from a dire start to trail 0-11 to 1-4 at the break.

Aaron Gillane helped settle Limerick into the second-half with two early frees as Cork struggled to regain their momentum in front of 10,000 spectators at the Gaelic Grounds.

Although Declan Dalton helped narrow the margin for the Rebels, Gillane saw Limerick over the line with well-taken frees to set up the clash with Galway.

Derry: F McEldowney; S Higgins, P Turner, P McNeill; R McCartney, C Steele (capt.) (0-1, S McGuigan (0-1); C McAllister (0-2), J Mullan; E McGill, S Cassidy, O McKeever (0-2); D Cartin (0-7, 0-5 frees), C O’Doherty (0-1), B Cassidy 1-3

Subs: C O’Reilly 2-0 for J Mullan (30), N Smyth for C O’Doherty (52), P Burke for O McKeever (55), T Magee for C Steele (58). Yellow cards: C O’Doherty (14).

Down: H Flynn; B Byers, D Mallon, P McManus; M Fisher (0-2 frees), E Coulter, R Courtney; L Savage, J Doran; B Trainor (0-1), D Sands (0-1), R Campbell; O McManus (1-0), P óg McCrickard (capt) (0-1), C Coulter (0-4, 0-3 frees).

Subs: M Patterson for P McManus (43), O Duggan for O McManus and N Breen for C Coulter (both 58)

Yellow cards: D Mallon (27), J Doran (51)

Red card: J Doran (58)

Referee: C Cunning (Antrim)