Derry caught cold as late Kerry goals mean defeat in Celtic Park

Derry 1-24, Kerry 5-15

Derry will wonder how they’re not celebrating a first victory of the season after hitting the self destruct button to concede two goals in the final 90 seconds of a pulsating clash with Kerry.

Two gift goals for Kingdom substitutes Donal O'Sullivan and Paul Geaney flipped a crazy match on its head and sent Jack O'Connor's team home with a win they will scarcely believe after trailing by three with time all but up.

A MArk Doherty spill after initially winning the ball back handed O'Sullivan to first before new Oak Leaf keeper Neil McNicholl, a midfielder by trade with Glenullin, then kicked the resultant kick-out straight to Paudie Clifford who found O'Sullivan to put the winner on a plate for fellow sub Paul Geaney.

Harsh on Doherty and McNicholl who hadn't put a foot wrong previously on very encouraging first starts at senior level!

Indeed the overriding irony was that this was an otherwise excellent display from Derry who showed massive improvement from the league opener in Healy Park. As well as Doherty and McNicholl; Anton Tohill was superb, especially first half, Donncha Gilmore looked every inch the accomplished county player and Ben McCarron served notice of his undoubted potential – all major positives

And yet it counted for nothing in terms of the league table, which may prove the most important lesson of all for Paddy Tally's evolving panel. Learn the lessons of this frantic finale and it could yet be the making of this squad.

Almost 4,900 were in Celtic Park to see the crazy end to a crazy game who showcased everything about the new rules, and all the chaos it brought with it.

All the pre-match chatter among the home support centred on that senior debut for McNicholl, a hugely talented midfielder whose first appearance in his county's senior colours was also his first appearance as a keeper, Tally's most obvious reaction to that Tyrone game seven days ago.

That meant four changes in total from the side who lined out in Healy Park, McNicholl joined by Doherty, Cormac Murphy and McCarron with Lynch, Ciaran McFaul, Lachlan Murray and Declan Cassidy stepping down.

It didn't take long for things to kick into gear either as Shane McGuigan split the posts inside 50 seconds, a point that was followed by Brendan Rogers' second two-pointer in two games to put Derry 0-3 to no score after four minutes.

Kerry then exploded into life with their first goal under Gaelic football's new era, Paudie Clifford the beneficiary of the extra space inside before handing Conor Geaney an easy goal which tied the game for the first of six times in the opening half.

Sean O'Shea's free edged Kerry in front but when Ethan Doherty then pointed the dye was cast for a tit-for tat half of highly entertaining football in which Derry's former Aussie Rules duo in midfield, Anton Tohill and Conor Glass, gave the home side a great grip on kick-outs.

But they weren't getting it all their own way with Barry Dan O'Sullivan popping up in some great areas and it was he who fired Kerry back in front with the first of two points before the short whistle but again, Derry levelled, this time through a Toner free.

The scores kept coming, Geaney and O'Sullivan for the Kingdom before Paul Cassidy and McGuigan levelled once more after the Oak Leafers had sent a couple of two-point efforts wide. O'Shea and Toner swapped scores before Geaney again found the back of the net on 28 minutes, swapping passes with his brother Dylan before finishing from close range for a 2-5 to 0-8 lead.

McGuigan then took the option of taking a free that was moved forward out for a two point effort that sailed wide but Derry finished the half stronger, McCarron showing his tam-mate how it was done with a sublime two point shot ahead of Toner's third which levelled once more.

And Derry weren't finished, full-back Diarmuid Baker - the third Steelstown player to start - getting forward to cap a fine team move with a fisted point before club mate Gilmore tapped over a mark that was brought back after he had sent his initial effort wide. It meant a 0-13 to 2-05 lead for Tally's team after a breathless half.

Again, it took only seconds for Derry to get up to speed after the restart, Paul Cassidy finding Glass who applied the necessary finish and when Cassidy then found the target himself seconds later, it was six in a row for the Oak Leafers who led by five at 0-16 to 2-05.

Conor Geaney's point stemmed the flow and when Dylan Geaney then grabbed a two pointer with his first of the day, the game was back in the melting pot.

Derry's response was emphatic, Brendan Rogers taking flight to majestically claim the kick-out before Ethan Doherty grabbed a much needed home score.

Sean O'Brien and Ethan Doherty swapped points before Derry were caught with only two back which allowed O'Shea to tap over a crucial two point free for 0-19 to 2-11. Keeping up?

Toner's fourth point of the day provided at least breathing room but points from O'Shea and a brace from substitute Donal O'Sullivan levelled at 0-21 to 2-15 with four minutes to play.

Derry kicked into gear immediately with McGuigan storming through the fire brilliantly to the net for a goal which was added to by points from Lachlan Murray and two more from McGuigan. It should have been enough, even after Paul Geaney had muscled home a third Kerry goal. It wasn't and Derry will wonder how!

Derry scorers: Shane McGuigan 1-4 (1f), Brendan Rogers 0-3 (1tp), Ethan Doherty 0-2, Niall Toner 0-4 (2f), Paul Cassidy 0-2, Ben McCarron 0-2 (1tp), Diarmuid Baker 0-1, Donncha Gilmore 0-2 (1m), Conor Glass 0-2 (1 '45'), Lachlan Murray 0-1,

Kerry scorers: Conor Geaney 2-2, Paul Geaney 2-0, Sean O'Shea 0-5 (2f, 1tpf), Barry Dan O'Sullivan 0-2, Dylan Geaney 0-2 (1tp), Sean O'Brien 0-1, Diarmuid O'Connor 0-1, Donal O'Sullivan 1-2.

Derry: Neil McNicholl, Diarmuid Baker, Eoin McEvoy, Mark Doherty, Conor Doherty, Brendan Rogers, Donncha Gilmore, Conor Glass, Anton Tohill, Cormac Murphy, Paul Cassidy, Ethan Doherty, Niall Toner, Shane McGuigan, Ben McCarron. (Subs) Lachlan Murray for C Murphy, 47mins; Patrick McQurk for McCarron 54mins; Dan Higgins for A Tohill, 60mins; Declan Cassidy for D Gilmore, 61mins; Jody McDermott for D Baker, 65mins (blood sub - rev 69mins).

Kerry: Shane Ryan, Damien Bourke, Jason Foley, Tom O'Sullivan, Graeme O'Sullivan, Tadhg Morley, Sean O'Brien, Diarmuid O'Connor, Barry Dan O'Sullivan, Paudie Clifford, Sean O'Shea, Ruairi Murphy, Conor Geaney, Killian Spillane, Dylan Geaney. (Subs) Donal O'Sullivan for Ruairi Murphy, 46mins; Keith Evans for K Spillane, 50mins; Paul Geaney for C Geaney, 55mins; Cathal O Beagaioch for B O'Sullivan, 58mins; Eddie Healy for S O'Brien, 67mins.

Referee: Martin McNally (Monaghan)