Sean Dolan's produce improved second half to see off Doire Colmcille in city derby

Dolan’s 0-10, Doire Colmcille 0-7.

Despite not making the best use of possession, Sean Dolan’s did enough in the second half to get the better of Doire Colmcille in a low key city derby at Owenbeg on Saturday.

After struggling for scores in the first half, the winners brought Odhran McKane and Mark O’Kane off the bench for the second half with McKane converting four frees and O’Kane hitting the ‘insurance’ point from play when the Colmcilles staged a late mini-rally. There were loads of experience on either side but Dolan’s looked fitter and faster all over the field. They got a bit of a shock in the first half when Colmcille went into a 0-5 to 0-2 lead by the 20th minute. Conor Doherty had hit three long range points two of them from frees with Fearghal Mac an Deanigh and Mal Campbell also on target.

Caolan McCosker, who was outstanding in the Dolan's half back line, got their first two scores, one from a free. Their third score did not arrive until the 25th minute and that was a long range free by player-manager, Paul Melaugh. The other half of the management, Ciara McGurk, the well known Derry Ladies footballer, patrolled the sideline.

With a two point lead in a low scoring game, the Colmcille’s must have felt quietly confident at the interval but they were completely outplayed in the last half hour and did not score until the closing stages of the game. The free taking of McKane had the Creggan men level by the 52nd minute and his third successive free gave them a lead they never really looked like losing.

Energetic corner back Ryan McLaughlin opened up a two point lead in the 47th minute and seven minutes later Kevin Nixon made the score 0-8 to 0-5 for Dolan's. Another McKane score looked as if it would end the game as a contest but there was still a bit of resistance left in the Colmcille ranks. Ryan Loughran closed the margin to three and there were worried faces in the Dolan’s faithful when Darren Quinn’s effort left the score 0-9 to 0-7. Those frowns were quickly followed by were sighs of relief however when Mark O’Kane hit the winners 10th score.

Sean Dolan’s scorers: Odhran McKane (0-4, 4f), Caolan McCosker (0-2,1f), Paul Mealugh (0-1, 1f), Ryan McLaughlin (0-1), Kevin Nixon (0-1) and Mark O’Kane (0-1).

Doire Colmcille scorers: Conor Doherty (0-3,2f), Malachy Campbell (0-1), Ryan Loughran (0-1), Fearghal Mac an Deanaigh (0-1), Darren Quinn (0-1).

Sean Dolan's: Ryan McCloskey, Liam McNulty, Joe Gallagher, Ryan McLaughlin, Ruairi McGurk, Caoimhin Thompson, Caolan McCosker, Paul Melaugh, Paul Clifford, Conor McCosker, Gearoid McDermott, Malachy Gallagher, Like Clarke, Emmett Coyle, Kevin Nixon. (Subs) Sean O’Donnell, Odhran McKane and Mark O’Kane.

Doire Colmcille. Mickey Nash, Malachy McKeever, Harry Curran, Conall Rooney, James Gillespie, Fearghal Mac an Deanaigh, Ben Smyth, David Quigley, Matthew McDermott, Damian Watson, Malachy Campbell, Odhran McCartney, Richard Stewart, Conor Doherty, Eoghan Doherty.

Referee: Terence McGilligan (Slaughtmanus)