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Late goals stun exiles
 By
Larry Cooney
Two late goals within a minute including one directly from a Gareth O’Kane
free denied London a rare victory at Ruislip on Saturday.
Brendan Bolger’s Exiles were enjoying a deserved two-point lead
and seemingly poised for victory over the Oak Leaf county when Sean Leo
McGoldrick struck the first of two Derry goals in the 28th minute of the
second-half.
Playing with the benefit of the breeze London made much the brighter start
and fully deserved their 0-3 to no score lead after only six minutes.
A long-range Fergus McMahon free opened the scoring within a minute of
the throw-in and two similar scores soon followed from midfielder Niall
Healy and a Martin Finn free.
However Derry were level six minutes later with scores from Oisin McCloskey,
Sean Leo McGoldrick and top scorer Gareth O’Kane.
Although Derry were in the ascendancy in midfield they failed to capitalise
and were just two points ahead when London full-forward Martin Finn caught
a dropping ball in the 23rd minute and slammed it to the net for the opening
goal.
A point from Eric Kinlon followed within a minute to give London a two-point
lead but three unanswered points from McBride, Oisin McCloskey and Gareth
O’Kane put the visitors back in front as half-time beckoned.
However a superb long-range point from Fergus McMahon tied the scores
on the stroke of half-time, London 1-5 Derry 0-8.
Now facing the elements London made a similar bright start to the second-half
as they did in the opening period.
A Sean McBride point edged Derry back in front three minutes after the
re-start but that score was soon cancelled out by Brian Tennyson.
London’s midfield partnership of Niall Healy and Paul Fagan was
now enjoying the balance of play but somehow the London attack failed
to take full advantage of their possession until a dropping ball from
Eric Kinlon landed in the Derry square after 46 minutes.
With the ball falling just short of its intended target London full-forward
Martin Finn punished a hesitant Derry defence who failed to clear their
lines by scoring his second goal.
London still had their noses in front with 10 minutes remaining and a
fine point from Eamon Leamy looked as though it might deliver a rare victory.
However disaster struck when the London defence failed to control a high
ball into the square from Kevin Hinphy.
The ball broke to an unmarked Sean Leo McGoldrick who duly planted the
sliotar in the net to give Derry a one-point lead.
Within a minute London goalkeeper John Joe Burke was picking the ball
out of the net again when a Gareth O’Kane long-range free went all
the way to the net to end London’s brave resistance.
Both sides face Kildare in their next games with Derry entertaining the
Lilywhites at Banagher next weekend.
London travel to Clane on the following weekend with their hopes of progress
in this year’s Christy Ring Cup already looking extremely remote. |
