Sunday Mirror (Northern Ireland)
OCEANS ELEVEN!
Oak Leafers show huge margin between sides with 11 scorers
ULSTER champions Derry marched ruthlessly towards back-to-back Ulster SFC titles with an impressive eight-point semi-final victory over Monaghan.
Eleven different players scored for Derry in a dominant display at Healy Park.
Conor McCluskey’s goal helped Derry lead 1-12 to 1-5 at half-time with Shane McGuigan top scoring with 0-9.
Karl O’Connell and Karl Gallagher hit goals in each half for Monaghan, but Derry played the game on their terms.
Down and Armagh meet on Sunday for the right to face holders Derry in the Ulster final at Clones on May 14.
Much like their win over Monaghan in last year’s Ulster semifinal, Derry took total control of the game early on and never lost their iron grip of it.
Derry have proved many times over the last 18 months they are accomplished frontrunners and it was a role they found themselves again leading 0-6 to 0-2 after 16 minutes.
Conor Glass, Shane McGuigan, Paudie McGrogan and a brace from the superb Paul Cassidy had them streaking clear.
O’Connell’s pace allowed him to burst through the middle and his low finish under Odrhan Lynch’s legs gave Monaghan brief hope. But that’s all it was amidst a Derry onslaught.
With their defenders pushing up, it left Jack McCarron and Conor McManus forced to track back, which is not their game. Both men struggled and McCarron was called ashore before half time along with the unlucky Darren Hughes, who picked up a knock and was forced off.
It got hot and heavy too. Derry boss Rory Gallagher was booked by ref Sean Hurson for his reaction to Monaghan being awarded a free in front of the Derry dugout. It brought boos and cheers in equal measure from the huge crowd in Omagh.
One of the highlights for Derry was goalkeeper Lynch’s point from play – for the second Ulster Championship game in a row.
Beggan’s kickout went Derry’s way and with McGrogan’s help, Lynch stroked the ball back over his opposite number’s head.
With Conor Glass dropping back and dictating play, Derry were playing the game on their own terms.
They led 1-12 to 1-5 at the break and it was hard to see any way back for Monaghan.
They came back from five points down against Tyrone last time out, but this seven-point gap looked unsurmountable and so it proved.
Even when Karl Gallagher buried the ball into the net off the crossbar for a second Monaghan goal, Derry didn’t panic.
A high ball from Gary Mohan caused Derry problems and it ended up in the net – the eighth goal they’ve conceded in the last three games.
The goal was followed by a beauty from Kieran Hughes but Conor Glass stepped up with a captain’s point to steady Derry.
Rory Beggan made a great save from Niall Toner but Derry kept tipping over enough scores in the last quarter to cut the life out of the game.