Superb Derry Minors breeze past Galway to set up All Ireland semi-final against Dublin

Derry 1-13, Galway 0-4.

Derry Minors were back to their best in Carrick-on-Shannon on Saturday as they cruised past reigning champions, Galway, to set up an All Ireland Minor semi-final date with Dublin .

Damian McErlain’s impressive young Oak Leafers conceded 3-09 in the Ulster final against Monaghan but prior to that game had averaged just less than four points conceded while winning by average of 17. And on a damp and slippery surface at McDiarmuid Park, a relentless Derry were simply far too good at both ends of the pitch for a Galway team who had five survivors from last year’s side who had defeated Derry in last year’s semi-final.

Derry retained four players and perhaps it was the memory of last year’s defeat in Parnell Park, when Galway defeated fourteen man Derry by a point before beating Mayo easily in the final, that up fired McErlain’s troops. And with Ulster runners up, Monaghan, turning over Connacht champions, Mayo, there remains the possibility of an all Ulster All Ireland final!

In the other quarter finals,a late goal took Dublin to a 1-18 to 2-12 victory over Cork while Kerry had four points to spare in a 2-13 to 1-12 success over Kildare. The semi-finals on Saturday 24th June are Derry v Dublin and Monaghan v Kerry.

As for Saturday’s facile win over a Galway team that had more cards than scores, a 20 point victory would not have flattered Derry as they controlled the game from start to finish. There were times when Damien McErlain’s well tuned side over played the ball in attack electing to pass rather than take a score. Every Derry game seems to produce a new hero. In the Ulster it was the brilliance Conall Higgins. In this game it was half forward Eamon Young from Newbridge who was the ace attacker with 1-3 from play. The pace and movement of the Derry attack cut open the losers defence time after time and had all chances been availed of it would have been the proverbial cricket score!

Derry made one change with Cahal McKaigue coming in from the Ulster final win over Monaghan with John Boyle dropping out. With McKaigue fit gain he was given the centre half back spot with captain and club mate Fionn McEldowney dropping back to his previous corner back role. Attacking corner back Rory Small then moved to corner forward. The changes worked a dream. McKaigue cut out the attacking threat posed by Shay McGlinchey, a player who first lined out with Bellaghy before the family moved to Tuam where he now plays with Tuam Stars. Tommy Rogers and James Sargent bossed the midfield area and Sargent also found time to drop back and cut out a number of Galway attacks. Elsewhere Johnny McGuckin and Cahir Spiers were excellent.

Galway looked poor at times and they paid the cost for some reckless tackling. Their centre half back Ross Coen, who was already on a yellow card, completed the set after a wild challenge that saw him get a black followed by a red after 43 minutes. At that stage Derry led by 1-7 to 0-4 and the losers never scored again.

The speedy Derry right flank of Cahir Spiers and Young were lively in the opening period and it was the former who kicked an assured looking Derry into an early lead before Oisín Doherty hit a second.

Brian O’Malley hit the champions’ opener before Derry took off. McEldowney surged forward ‘Conor McCluskey’ style and fed McGuckian who placed Young for a fine score. With 14 minutes gone, Young hit the net. A ball into Higgins sprang loose and Young collected possession before his powerful shot put Derry into a 1-3 to 0-1, two Ger Dillon frees giving his team a 1-5 to 0-2 interval lead.

It was similar on the resumption when McGuckian won a free for a Dillon point at the start of the second half and added a point himself as Derry took control of the game once again. Just five minutes into the second half and Derry had both feet in the semi-final as they opened up an eight point lead.

Then, for a brief period Galway got their game together. A foul by McEldowney gave Charlie Cox the opportunity to hit their third score. Shay McGlinchey hit a long range wide as Galway became more disjointed. Dillon had a Derry free cleared before Galway’s last score on 40 minutes and that came from a Ciaran Mulhern free. Then came the dismissal of Coen and the Galway resistance became limited.

Captain McEldowney played in Cahir Spiers for the next score and now it was simply the case of how much Derry would win by. The Derry management had the luxury of being able to empty their bench. Spiers, Dillon and substitute Dara McGuckin added scores as Derry eased into the last four.

Derry scorers: Ger Dillon 0-5 (0-4f), Eamon Young 1-3, Cahir Spiers 0-2, Oisin Doherty, Johnny McGuckin, Dara McGuckin 0-1 each.

Galway scorers: Charlie Cox 0-2 (0-1f), Ciaran Mulhern 0-1f, and Brian O’Malley 0-1,.

Derry: Jack McCloy; Fionn McEldowney, Finbar Murray, Luke Grant; Cahir Spiers, Cahal McKaigue, Odhran Campbell; James Sargent, Tommy Rogers; Eamon Young, Ger Dillon, Johnny McGuckin; Rory Small, Conall Higgins, Oisin Doherty. Subs: Darach McGonigle for L Grant (43), Kevin Barry Mullan for T Rogers (47), Lee O’Neill for O Doherty (56), Dara McGuckin for J Sargent (58), Deaclan McNamee for C Higgins (59).

Galway: Cillian Walsh; Tiarnan Proulx, Vincent Gill, Sean O’Flynn; Olan Kelly, Ross Coen, Brian O’Malley; Shay McGlinchey, Stephen O’Grady; Mockey Mulryan, Ciaran Mulhern, Ruairi Walkin; Chrlie Cox, Ciaran McDonagh, Daniel Fitzmaurice. Subs: C McNally for R Walkin (INJ 25), P Faherty for S O’Grady (41), F Ó Conghaile for C McDonagh (43), S Rhattigan for B O’Malley (52), C Gannon for D Fitzmaurice (56) Referee: Conor Dourneen (Cavan).