Sligo no match for super Derry

Sligo relegated from Cup

DERRY powered past hosts Sligo in the last round of the Christy Ring Cup in Markievicz Park with three second half goals, two courtesy of Ruairí Ó’ Mianáin, proving the difference as Johnny McGarvey’s side were deserved winners against the Yeats County, who drop to the Nickey Rackard Cup after a season blighted by injuries.

Stephen Shiel’s men were behind by 1-16 to 0-8 at the interval and free-taker Gerard O’Kelly-Lynch chipped over a number of scores following the resumption, hitting four on the bounce, but Derry went for the jugular, two goals from Ó’Mianáin and another from John Mullan seeing them comfortable winners as they showed their dominance throughout.

Derry went into an early lead, one they never looked like relinquishing, and were ahead by five points midway through the opening half.

All of their forwards got on the scoresheet and midfielder Callum O’Kane hit their first of four goals on 19 minutes as Sligo faced an uphill battle, Gerard O’Kelly-Lynch was Sligo’s leading scorer finishing with an eleven point tally but Derry responded to every Sligo attack. Things went from bad to worse for the hosts when Eoghan Rua McGowan received a second yellow card on 35 minutes. Sligo responded however, O’Kelly-Lynch hitting four points but Derry kept up the momentum, Meehaul McGrath, Darragh McGilligan and Richie Mullan on target before Ó’Mianáin blasted to the net twice as Derry were not going to be caught, Mullan adding their fourth as they were comfortable winners and reach the final with Kildare. SCORERS: Sligo: G O’Kelly-Lynch (0-11 8f ’65), C Hannify (0-2), T Cawley (0-2), R McHugh, J McHugh, F Cawley, E O’Donoghue (0-1 each)

DERRY: R Ó’Mianáin 2-4 (1f), J Mullan 1-3, C O’Kane (1-1), C O’Doherty (C) 0-9 6f, D McGilligan (0-4), M McGrath (0-3 1f), C O’Reilly 0-2, C McNaughton, C Murray, J Cassidy 0-1 each SLIGO: L Comerford, D Keaveney, M Munnelly, K O’Kennedy (C), F Connolly, R McHugh, N Feehily, E McGowan, J McHugh, L O’Kelly-Lynch, F Cawley, T O’Kelly-Lynch, G O’Kelly-Lynch, C Griffin, Thomas Cawley SUBS: C Hannify for T O’Kelly-Lynch (27), R O’Kelly-Lynch for Munnelly (45), F O’Kelly-Lynch for Griffin (57), E O’Donoghue for L O’Kelly-Lynch (60), D Flynn for Feehily (63), S Brennan for T Cawley (67)

DERRY: O O’Doherty, S F Quinn, P Kelly, C Murray, S Cassidy, R Mullan, J Freil, C O’Kane, M McGrath, D McGilligan, C O’Doherty (C), C O’Reilly, J Mullan, C McNaughton, R Ó’ Mianáin

SUBS: D Mooney for O’Kane (43), P Cleary for McNaughton (45), E Conway for O’Reilly (56), J Cassidy for Murray (58), S Kelly for Ó’ Mianáin (60) REFEREE: C Ó’Regan.