Derry defeat London to edge closer to Christy Ring Cup final

Derry 2-22, London 2-13

Derry hurlers took a major step toward Croke Park and Christy Ring Cup final with a critical nine point victory over London at Owenbeg on Saturday.

Johnny McGarvey's men went into the 'make ort break' clash off the back of a first loss of the season following their defeat to Kildare late time out, a result which dictated only victory over the Exiles would keep Derry in the hunt for a spot in the decider.

And that place was in the balance for the majority of the game to had a proper championship feel to it. London brought plenty of physicality and in for Kerry player Jack Goulding, they had a player who could easily hurl at the top level. The major disappointment for Neil Rogers was that Goulding's team-mates never got anywhere near his level of accuracy in a game that would see the Exiles register 17 wides.

Much of that was down to Derry's intense defending, the Oak Leafers rearguard limiting London to only six second half points with Paddy Kelly, Niall Farren and Mark Craig excellent behind Richie Mullan while keeper Oisin O'Doherty never put a foot wrong under some dangerous high balls.

At the other end Christy McNaughton was an excellent tip to Derry's attacking spear and he had more than ample support from Ruairi O'Mianain and Cormac O'Doherty who took control of proceedings for the home side in an impressive second half display.

The victory means Derry go into their final group game in Sligo knowing victory will likely see them into the final, unless London can shock championship favourites Kildare in Ruislip, a result which would see all three tied a the top on eight points and score difference come into the equation.

McGarvey brought McNaughton back in to act as an attacking focal point and the former Antrim player enjoyed an excellent opening half, winning plenty of 'dirty' ball as Derry recovered from the loss of two soft goal to turn around one point to the good at 1-11 to 2-07.

Central to to that was the display of Ruairi O'Mianain whose 1-03 from play was illustrative of a superb individual performance in a half in which Derry were at times guilty of taking a pass too many.

London came into the game as the competition's leading scorers, averaging 3-24 in their opening three Christy Ring group games before this, and while Jack Goulding was his usual dead eye self, grabbing 1-05 before half-time, the flip side of of the Exiles' shooting was a concern with 11 first half wides and three shots dropped short. That was in comparison to Derry's two first half wides and in a game of fine margins, those misses are critical.

London's wastefulness was highlighted inside the opening three minutes when, despite enjoying the best of the exchanges, they had already registered two wides and dropped two shots short.

By contrast, Derry looked efficient, McNaughton teeing up John Mullan for an excellent opener before O'Mianain and Cormac O'Doherty combined for the impressive Corey O'Reilly to double Derry lead.

O'Mianain's opening point had Derry 0-3 to no score head before four minutes had elapsed and it took a needless loose pass from Paddy Kelly, presented to Ronan Crowely who split the posts, to get the Exiles up and running in the seventh minute.

It proved the kickstart London needed. An O'Doherty '65' restored Derry's three point lead but it disappeared as quickly as Kevin Reid's excellent long ball in was brilliantly touched to the net by former Kerry player Goulding who was causing Derry all manner of trouble.

Successive scores from Dylan Dawson and Goulding (2) had London 1-05 to 0-5 ahead but just as the Exiles seemed to be gaining the upper hand Derry struck for their opening goal, Corey O'Reilly's sublime sideline cut drifting to the back pots where O Mianain rose above everyone to touch home a crucial goal to tie proceedings at 1-05 to 1-05.

A second Kildare goal 24 minutes saw Sean Glynn's superb run in off the left go unchecked and he wasn't about to pass up the opportunity, smashing a shot O'Doherty did well to get a touch to but could stop crossing the line for 2-06 to 1-06.

Derry rallied though O'Mianain, O'Doherty (f), Darragh McGilligan scoring before another O'Mianain effort deep into injury time ensured Derry would go into the break one to the good at 1-11 to 2-07.

The second half saw Derry enjoy more control even if at times they were architects of their own trouble with a poss too many inside their own half. But that said, from the moment Cormac O'Doherty did a 'Bergkamp' by flicking the ball around his own back to gather and point for a sublime opener, Derry looked in charge.

There was never much in it though and it took until the home side's second goal - McNaughton on the end of a flowing move that saw Corey O'Reilly pick him out to finish low across goal - to finally seal the deal.

James Friel tagged on a great point but even then, at 2-17 to 2-12, Derry were indebted to a superb Oisin O'Doherty save when Goulding teed up Cathal O'Carroll who was clean through on goal.

Paddy Kelly capped an excellent display with a superb point as scores from Paul Cleary and O'Doherty added a surprising gloss to the scoreboard. It was job done, but work still to do.

Derry scorers: Ruairi O'Mianain (1-3), Cormac O'Doherty (0-7, 4f, 1 '65'), John Mullan (0-1), Corey O'Reilly (0-3), Christy McNaughton (1-1), Meehaul McGrath (0-1), Darragh McGilligan (0-3), James Friel (0-1), Paddy Kelly (0-1), Paul Cleary (0-1)

London scorers: Jack Goulding (1-8, 3f, 1 '65'), Sean Glynn (1-1), Ronan Crowley (0-1), Dylan Dawson (0-2), Cathal O'Carroll (0-1),

Derry: Oisin Doherty, Paddy Kelly, Mark Craig, Niall Farren, Sean Cassidy, Richie Mullan, James Friel, Callum O'Kane, Meehaul McGrath, Darragh McGilligan, Cormac O'Doherty, Corey O'Reilly, John Mullan, Christy McNaughton, Ruairi O Mianian. (Subs) Cahal Murray for C O'Kane, 58mins; Sean Francis Quinn for N Farren, 64mins; Paul Cleary for J Mullan, 67mins; Dara Mooney for Meehaul McGrath, 69mins; Sean Kelly for R O'Mianain, 72mins;

London: Tommy Wallace, Padraig Muldoon, Conor Byrne, Niall Geoghegan, Tom Millerick, Sean O'Meara, Cathal O'Carroll, Adam Cunney, Robbie Murphy, Owen Sheil, Sean Glynn, Kevin Reid, Dylan Dawson, Jack Goulding, Ronan Crowley. (Subs) Eoghan McHugh for R Murphy, 44mins; Niall Broderick for R Crowley, 52mins; Malcolm Flannery for O Sheil, 56mins; Paul Kennedy for D Dawson, 56mins;Rory Lodge for S Glynn, 64mins;

Referee: Peter Owens