Derry hurlers unlucky as Kildare grab Owenbeg victory despite improved Oak performance

Allianz Hurling League, Division 2A
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Derry 0-19, Kildare 2-23

Derry hurlers were left with only another take of what might have been as Kildare condemned the Oak Leafers to a third Division 2A defeat of the season despite the home side dominating long periods at Owenbeg on Sunday.

Johnny McGarvey's men paid the price for a poor start but the 10 point margin of victory flattered the Lilywhites and barely told the story of a match in which there was little between the two teams.

Kildare's Alan Goss chases Derry's Darragh McGilligan at Owenbeg on Sunday. (Photo: George Sweeney)Kildare's Alan Goss chases Derry's Darragh McGilligan at Owenbeg on Sunday. (Photo: George Sweeney)
Kildare's Alan Goss chases Derry's Darragh McGilligan at Owenbeg on Sunday. (Photo: George Sweeney)
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With Cormac O'Doherty and James Burke imperious from frees - the Oak Leaf talisman finished with 0-14, all from placed balls - Derry had every reason to feel aggrieved at a couple of decent second half penalty shouts which were waved away by Westmeath referee, Caymon Flynn. Indeed the second saw Kildare break and build to eventually score their second goal through substitute Killian Aherne, a six point swing which only exasperated Derry frustrations.

The result means Derry, for whom John Mullan was excellent, now have two games against Down and Carlow to save their 2A status and while it won't be much consolation today, if Derry can reproduce this second half display in those games, they are in with every chance.

Derry went into the game still searching for their first league points of the season and the early omens weren't good, Kildare almost exclusively bossing the opening exchanges to establish a seven point lead inside eight minutes.

At that stage Derry were struggling, too tepid in the tackle and second best at both their own and the Kildare puck out but gradually as the half wore on McGarvey's men got to grips with the game.

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It wasn't before the Lilywhites had taken a stranglehold though, Brian Byrne's ninth minute goal coming after he accepted a James Burke pass to waltz through the centre of an eerily vacant Derry rearguard and smash past Eoin Mulholland.

At that stage the outcome looked a foregone conclusion but as the tide turned Derry held Kildare to one point over the next 16 minutes as Cormac O'Doherty began to find his range from frees on his way to a first half tally of 0-8, all from placed balls.

Kildare had been three up inside four minutes, a free and a '65' from the imperious Burke being added to by Gerry Keegan's point. Cormac Gough grabbed Derry's opener with a lovely over the shoulder effort after good work from Meehaul McGrath but the Oak Leaf score looked an exception rather than the rule at that stage.

Byrne's goal arrived with Kildare 0-5 to 0-1 up but gradually Derry's intensity level was rising and the scoreboard reflected it.

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Callum O'Kane grabbed an Oak Leaf score and while Burke score a 'monster' effort reminded Derry of the visitors' threat the second quarter belonged to the home team who had brought it back to 0-11 to 1-14 by half-way, courtesy mainly of those eight O'Doherty frees.

The second half began with O'Doherty and Keegan swapping points before Burke edged Kilare out to 1-16 to 0-12.

That score was answered by a huge Eamon Conway effort, the Derry half back splitting the posts from 50 plus metres as the team went tit-for-tat in the scoring.

O'Doherty continued to make capital from placed balls and when John Mullan scored just short of the 50th minute, Derry had brought the Kildare lead back to four points at 0-16 to 1-17.

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Derry were the masters of their own downfall at times too though, needlessly giving away possession and frees which allowed Kildare to keep their hosts always at arm's length and four points would be as close as Derry got.

Not that they eased off any and entering injury time Derry were still within those six points, the lead which ironically Kildare had established in the opening minutes. Had either of the potential penalties been given, the trajectory could have changed. As it was, Kildare's 1-01 in injury time sealed Derry's and give the outcome a lopsided look.

The Oak Leafers had paid the price for the opening quarter, a quarter in which they stood off Kildare and found themselves seven behind. That was the disappointing aspect but the remainder of the game was more than encouraging as Derry showed they can compete at this level.

With Division 2A now 'split' into almost two division within one, that relegation spot will be decided between Derry, Carlow and Down, the latter two whom Derry finish their league campaign against. Derry's league destiny remains in Oak Leaf hands. The challenge now is to turn performance into points.

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Derry scorers: Cormac O'Doherty (0-14, 14f), John Mullan (0-2), Cormac Gough (0-1), Callum O'Kane (0-1), Eamon Conway (0-1)

Kildare scorers: Brian Byrne (1-1), Killian Aherne (1-0), James Burke (0-10, 8f, 1 '65'), Gerry Keegan (0-5), Cathal McCabe (0-3), Cathal Dowling (0-2), Declan Flaherty (0-1), Sean Whelan (0-1),

Derry: Eoin Mulholland Sean Francis Quinn, Mark Craig, Daire Kelly, Eamon Conway, Cormac Gough, Sean Cassidy, Meehaul McGrath, James Friel, Corey Reilly, Cormac O'Doherty, Callum O'Kane, Padhraig Neilis, John Mullan, Darragh McGiligan. (Subs) Paul Cleary for P Neilis, 42mins; Cahal Quinn for C Gough, 64mins.

Kildare: Paddy McKenna, Niall O Muineachain, Simon Leacy, Cormac Byrne, Cian Shanahan, Rian Boran, Conan Boran, Alan Goss, Cathal McCabe, Paul Dolan, Gerry Keegan, James Burke, Brian Byrne, Declan Flaherty, Cathal Dowling. (Subs) Killian Aherne for D Flaherty, 44mins; Jack Higgins A Goss, 47mins; Sean Christanseen for C McCabe, 57mins; Mark Delaney for P Dolan, 59mins; Harry Carroll for C Shanahan, 71mins; Sean Whelan for G Keegan, 71mins;

Referee: Caymon Flynn (Westmeath)