Derry U20s defeat Cavan to set up Ulster semi-final against Donegal

Derry 1-11, Cavan 0-07

Derry progressed to an Ulster U20 Championship semi-final against Donegal after Oisin Doherty's second half goal put the seal on a patchy victory over Cavan at Owenbeg on Wednesday night.

Doherty, brother of Derry senior player, Conor, was excellent throughout and it was his 40th minute goal - firing home after Ciaran Chambers’ shot had struck the crossbar -that finally ended Cavan's gutsy challenge but manager Hugh McGrath will not be fooled by the final scoreline. Derry struggled for fluency for much of the game and while always on top after an impressive opening salvo from Cavan, the Oak Leafers never quite hit top gear.

Doherty was an exception to that, as was James Murray whose man marking job on Cavan full forward Darragh Lovett robbed the Breffni men of much of their attacking potency but, victory aside, Derry will need to raise their game for the semi-final.

Larry Reilly's visitors actually started the better of the two teams and were two points up after six minutes thanks to Barry Donnelly''s sixth minute fisted opener and one from Cian Keaney five minutes later.

Operating with dangerman Lovett as a lone forward inside, the Breffni game-plan was based around dropping deep and forcing Derry into crowded central channels with an aim of forcing turnovers and breaking at pace. It worked well, initially at least, but as the errors started to creep in to Cavan’s play Derry took control and five successive points in a nine minute period changed the complexion of the match completely.

With Cavan unable to get Lovett on the ball due to the superb marking job of Murray, Derry kicked into gear as two Oisin Doherty points, the opener a seventh minute free, levelling proceedings before a lovely Ruairi Forbes and another Doherty free following a foul on Ryan McNicholl seeing the Oak Leafers 0-4 to 0-2 ahead by the 13th minute.

A miscued Daire Madden free proved the catalyst for the home side's fifth score, a lightning quick break transition from the turnover ending with the impressive Patrick McGurk sending his shot between the sticks.

A second Keaney free stopped the home side's scoring streak before Niall O'Donnell came to the party with two scores in a row to take Derry's lead out to 0-7 to 0-3 by the 24th minute. Cavan’s response was a Lovett's first of the game via a 27th minute free, but Derry had saved the best score of the half for last as Eoin Higgins cut in off the right touchline to arrow a beauty between the posts from wide out under the Owenbeg stand.

There was still time for the ball to finish the half in Derry's net but the goal came via a misplaced fisted effort from Cavan corner-back Kyle McCabe who was trying to find a colleague after finding himself crowded out at the end of an encouraging foray forward.

Derry were indebted to a superb Rory Small interception at the beginning of the second half but should have had the ball in the net four minutes after the restart when McNicholl found himself in on goal and slid a lovely low finish under Cavan keeper Lee Phillingham only to watch his shot be scrambled off the line by a retreating Cavan defender.

The escape fuelled Cavan who were stringing together some decent attacks and enjoying one of their best periods of the games as Daire Madden reduced the deficit to 0-8 to 0-5, but disaster struck on 38 minutes and it was all of Cavan's own making.

A loose pass inside Derry's '45' gave the Oak Leafers the perfect platform from which to break and Ruairi Forbes was doing exactly that and making great strides forward, strides which forced Favour Shehu to take evasive action. The Cavan half-back unceremoniously dragged the Lavey man to the floor and there was only ever one outcome.

The black card was promptly produced and Derry made the extra man pay almost immediately as a flowing Oak Leaf move involving at least five players found substitute Ciaran Chambers in space eight yards out. The Bellaghy player’s shot cannoned off the cross bar but fell perfectly for Doherty at the back post and he gleefully smashed the ball into the empty net for 1-08 to 0-5.

With still 20 minutes to play, Derry had control and rarely looked like relinquishing it thereafter. Cavan managed only two further points, one from Madden and a huge Keaney free, but it was never to be enough to knock Derry out of the boxseat.

'Man of the Match' Doherty tagged on another score before Conall Heron and Forbes finished things off with two final points. It was far from perfect at times and there will be improvements needed for the semi-final but Derry were always the better team.

Derry scorers: Oisin Doherty (1-4, 3f), Ruairi Forbes (0-2), Patrick McGurk (0-1), Niall O'Donnell (0-2), Eoin Higgins (0-1), Conal Heron (0-1),

Cavan scorers: Barry Donnelly (0-1), Cian Keaney (0-3, 2f), Darragh Lovett (0-1, 1f) Daire Madden (0-2),

Derry: Callum Armstrong, Fionn McEldowney, James Murray, Rory Small, Conleth McGrogan, Patrick McGurk, Danny McDermott, Ruairi Forbes, Conall Heron, Cahir Spiers, Ryan McNicholl, Johnny McGuckian, Niall O'Donnell, Eoin Higgins, Oisin Doherty. (Subs) Sean Young for C Spiers, 38mins; Ciaran Chambers for E Higgins, 38mins; Rory McGill for R McNicholl, 49mins.

Cavan: Lee Phillingham, Jensen Tynan, Evan Crowe, Kyle McCabe, Favour Shehu, Oliver McCrystal, Ben McGahan, Ryan Tobin, Eoghan Hartin, Michael Smith, Matthew Smith, Barry Donnelly, Cian Keaney, Darragh Lovett, Daire Madden. (Subs) Cormac Galligan for Matthew Smith, 38mins; Lorcan Reilly for Michael Smith, 44mins; James Tully for F Shehu, 49mins; Joe Dugdale for Jensen Tynan, 53mins.

Black Card: F Shehu, 38mins.

Referee: Niall McKenna (Monaghan)