Derry finished strongly to beat Monaghan by three points despite having skipper Fergal Doherty sent-off in Sunday's Ulster Championship clash.

Doherty was dismissed for a second yellow card with the sides level, but late points from James Kielt, Joe Diver and Paddy Bradley sealed the win.

Derry had been boosted by an early Paddy Bradley goal but Monaghan battled back to lead 0-6 to 1-2.

In the semi-finals Derry will face Armagh or Tyrone on 21 June.

Derry played against the strong breeze in the first half but took early command to lead by a goal and two points to Stephen Gollogly's opening point for Monaghan.

Chris McKaigue landed his first Championship point and then came Paddy Bradley's eighth-minute goal.

606: DEBATE Give your views on Derry's Championship chances

The All Star forward fisted in after getting on the end of Enda Lynn's lofted effort from the left which was drifting off target.

Eoin Bradley's point from play gave Derry that four-point cushion but, remarkably, they failed to score for the next 26 minutes and dominant Monaghan got five unanswered points to lead 0-6 to 1-2.

Derry would have been further behind if Monaghan had been more accurate as the Farney men were guilty of eight first-half wide.

Paddy Bradley ended the Oak Leafers' barren spell by landing a free in first-half stoppage-time to leave the sides level at the interval.

With 12 minutes to go the sides were still locked - 1-7 to 0-10.

Paddy Bradley, Eoin Bradley, Barry McGoldrick and James Kielt all scored from play for Derry with Paul Finlay (two frees), Thomas Freeman and Rory Woods on target for Monaghan.

Derry then had their skipper Fergal Doherty sent-off for charging into Gary McQuaid when play had stopped.

Doherty, already booked in the first half, was shown a second yellow card by referee Jimmy White.

Another fine long-range point from Kielt edged the home side ahead again and then Joe Diver made it a two-point gap.

Derry: B Gillis; K McGuckin, K McCloy, G O'Kane, C McCaigue (0-01), B McGoldrick (0-01), SL McGoldrick, F Doherty, J Diver (0-01), B McGuigan, P Murphy, E Lynn, E Bradley (0-02), P Bradley (1-03, 0-01f), J Kielt (0-02).
Substitutes: M Lynch for Murphy (40), B Mullan for Lynn (53).

Monaghan: P McBennett; D Mone, V Corey, D McArdle; D Freeman, G McQuaid, D Hughes; E Lennon, D Clerkin, C McManus; P Finlay (0-03, 3f), S Gollogly (0-01), R Ronaghan (0-02), R Woods (0-01), T Freeman (0-03, 1f).
Substitutes: M Downey for Ronaghan (45), C Hanratty for Lennon (46), P McGuigan for Woods (65).

Referee: J White (Donegal).

E-mail this to a friend

Printable version