Derry 1-20
Cavan 0-19

By Michael McMullan

VICTORY wasn’t enough for Derry to secure promotion on Sunday in Find Insurance Celtic Park.

Cork’s win over Tyrone saw the Rebels promoted alongside Meath.

While Cavan were beaten, Louth’s victory over Kildare saved the Breffni men from the drop to Division Three.

“The overriding emotion is disappointment,” said Derry manager Ciarán Meenagh, “In the short-term, in terms of winning the game, that’s grand but we left ourselves in a hole after last week (against Louth).

“I suppose it was out of our control, things had to go our way elsewhere in a couple of games but that didn’t work out.

“The overriding feeling is disappointment but we’ll have to take a look at it through a wider lens,” he added.

“The perspective of some of our performances, particularly after losing the first game against Meath, I thought was really positive.

“It’s disappointing not to get promoted but we’ll have to take a look at the bigger picture as well and build on the positives.”

Cavan started brightly and were three up after five minutes with points from Gearóid McKiernan, Conor Brady and Tiernan Madden.

Derry shot back into contention with Loughlin’s eight-minute goal. Ehan Doherty’s fist pass went to ground and he pulled on the ball, with the shot going low and beyond Liam Brady’s dive to level matters.

A Lachlan Murray run a point put Derry ahead with McGuigan kicking a two-point free for a 1-3 to 0-4.

Derry were lucky at the other end. Ciarán ‘Holla’ Brady pulled one goal chance wide and had another blocked by Darragh McVeety.

A fisted McGuigan point had Derry six up before McKiernan (twice) and Oisin Brady pointed to leave Loughlin’s goal separating the teams at the break, 1-9 to 0-9.

Cavan hit the first score after the break from Oisin Brady after a spell of turnovers. Derry had a goal chance but Loughlin blazed over in the 43^rd minute.

Derry then pushed five up with scores from Ethan Doherty and Lachlan Murray by the 50^th minute.

Murray and McGuigan (2) added quickfire points and Derry went eight points ahead with 15 minutes to go.

Oisin Brady and Ryan Donohoe replied with two pointers to leave four between the sides before McGuigan’s tenth point of the game.

Ethan Doherty added a third with Forbes kicking over before McVeety’s two pointer gave Cavan a glimmer again but Derry saw it out.

Derry:  S McGuckin; R Forbes, P McGrogan B Rogers; D Baker, G McKinless; R Ó Mianáin; C Glass, D Higgins; E Doherty, S McGuigan, P Cassidy; N Loughlin, M Downey, L Murray
Subs: C McCluskey for Downey (HT), N Toner for Ó Mianáin (48), S Young (0-1) for Cassidy (58), N O’Donnell for Higgins (65), S Kearney for Forbes (68)

Cavan: L Brady; E Clarke, B O’Connell, Cormac Brady; N Carolan, J McLoughlin, Ciarán Brady (Arva); R Donohoe (0-2tp), Conor Brady (0-1); T Madden (0-2), O Brady (0-4, 1tp), E Shehu; D McVeety (0-3, 1tp), G McKiernan (0-5, 3f), P Lynch (0-2tpf)
Subs: G Smith for Shehu (48), P Corrigan for Cormac Brady (57), F Shehu for O Brady (61), R Tobin for Carolan (68), C McGovern for Lynch (68)

Referee: T Murphy (Galway)