O’Doherty fires Derry to summit

CORMAC O’DOHERTY’S 11-point haul put Derry on top of Division 2B at Kildare’s expense in St Conleth’s Park.

The game was decided by O’Doherty outscoring his freetaking counterpart, Brian Byrne, by one point.

Kildare opened-up a 1-2 to 0-2 margin by the 15th minute through Caolan Smith’s goal, but O’Doherty always kept his side in touch.

Kildare appeared to have had the measure of Derry when Conor Dowling re-established a four-point lead in the 34th minute. But with Sé McGuigan registering his first point, two O’Doherty frees kept Derry in contention at 1-7 to 0-9 at half-time.

No sooner had the secondhalf started when O’Doherty and Richie Mullan responded to Byrne’s fifth free to level the game.

Alan Grant’s second point gave Derry a one-point lead before substitute, John Mullan doubled it with his first touch. In the end, Thomas Brady’s score and O’Doherty’s 11th point put Derry in pole position for promotion.