Derry 1-15 Tyrone 1-12

By Michael McMullan

Derry bounced back from last week’s defeat to Meath with a vital home win over neighbours Tyrone on Saturday night in Celtic Park.

It’s a first league win since their penalty shootout win over Dublin in the 2024 final at Croke Park.

It was a victory built on grit and summed up by a late block from Paudi McGrogan.

The Oakleafers dominated much of the game but were often guilty of passing up point chances in search of goals that Tyrone’s scrambled defending closed down.

The Red Hands then missed chances to dig out a result with McGrogan’s door finally slamming shut.

Derry began with points from Lachlan Murray and Conor Doherty before Mattie Donnelly opened the scoring in the third minute.

An excellent first half-time continued to flow with Matthew Downey and Conor Glass helping the home side into a 0-4 to 0-2 lead.

A Ben Cullen point levelled matters at 0-5 each before Niall Loughlin edged Derry ahead.

A Conor O’Neill two-pointer gave Tyrone the lead for the first time in the 24^th minute before Derry struck for the first goal.

Conor Glass hammered to the net after an excellent catch from Conor Doherty at midfield for a 1-7 to 0-8.

Tyrone did go in ahead at the break when an Ethan Jordan free to Ciarán Daly who drilled to the net.

It was a double whammy for the home who were reduced to 14 men with a Lachlan Murray black card.

Shane McGuigan levelled from a free the missed a chance from play as Derr controlled the early stages of the half.

A McKernan two pointer put Tyrone ahead as Murray returned to the fray.

Murray picked up a Baker pass but has hit shot blocked by Kennedy for a 45 but McGuckin pulled his shot wide.

Conor Doherty tied the game before a McElholm point on the break had the Red Hands ahead, 1-11 to 1-10.

A Rogers two pointer had Derry back ahead in a well contested game, midway through the half.

A Jordan free tied the game with Tyrone then denying Derry a goal, their scramble defence excellent all across the game. McGuigan pushed Derry three ahead with a right footed point to seal the game.

The Oakleafers travel to Kildare in the round three, after the break, with Tyrone welcoming Cavan to Omagh.

Derry scorers: S McGuigan 0-4 (3f), C Glass 1-1, B Rogers 0-3 (1tp), L Murray (1f), C Doherty 0-2 each, M Downey 0-1, N Loughlin 0-1, and C McAteer 0-1 each

Tyrone scorers: E Jordan 0-4 (3f, 1 45), C Daly 1-0, M McKernan, C O’Neill 0-2(tp) each, M Donnelly, D Canavan, B Cullen and E McElholm 0-1 each

Derry: S McGuckin; R Forbes, C McCluskey, D Baker; C Doherty, G McKinless, P McGrogan; C Glass, B Rogers; E Doherty, M Downey, P Cassidy; L Murray, S McGuigan, N Loughlin
Subs: N Toner for Downey (48), C McAteer for Loughlin (58), S Young for Murray (63), J Doherty for Cassidy (67)

Tyrone: N Morgan; C Quinn, A Clarke, J Clarke; B Cullen, M McKernan, R Cassidy; B Kennedy, C O’Neill; C Kilpatrick, E McElholm, C Daly; D Canavan, M Donnelly, E Jordan

Subs:  P Teague for Kennedy (54), Matthew Óg McGleenan for O’Neill (55), L McGarrity for Jordan (56), F Burns for McKernan (63)

Referee: P Neilan (Roscommon)