Gaelic Games

Derry show no mercy as they outclass Fermanagh in one-sided Ulster quarter-final

Ulster champions were well worth their 10-point half-time lead and were relentless in their attacking

Derry's Ethan Doherty and Luke Flanagan of Fermanagh during the Ulster championship clash. Photograph: Laszlo Geczo/Inpho
Derry's Ethan Doherty and Luke Flanagan of Fermanagh during the Ulster championship clash. Photograph: Laszlo Geczo/Inpho
Gerry McLaughlin
Sat Apr 15 2023 - 20:21

Fermanagh 2-8 Derry 3-17

Derry’s man of the match, Shane McGuigan, said Saturday evening’s victory over Fermanagh was “easier than we thought”.

This mismatch was well over by the 27th minute, when Derry centre forward Paul Cassidy strolled through the Fermanagh defence and could afford to stumble and still finish to the net.

Cassidy’s cool finish put a vastly superior Derry into a 2-7 to 0-3 lead and there was no way an outgunned Fermanagh side looked like mounting any real resistance.

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The winners were well worth their half-time lead of 2-9 to 0-5. Fermanagh did manage to hit two goals from Che Cullen in the third quarter but Derry replied with a well-struck penalty from man of the match McGuigan to run out easy winners.

“We did a lot of work and the two goals in the first half kind of killed off Fermanagh’s momentum especially with them playing with the breeze,” McGuigan said afterwards. “But I thought we were brilliant coming out with the ball in the first half.

“We varied up our running and our kicking game and it left Fermanagh with a lot of work to do against the breeze in the second half.”

And even though some sloppiness in the Derry defence saw Fermanagh grab two second-half goals, there was always going to be only one winner.

“We hit four quick points and people were saying that we don’t have enough scoring threats, but Rory emphasises one to 15 as all of us are defenders and attackers.

“And it is great that we have all those outlets, and our midfielders are ball players, and they are more than capable of taking scores too and that takes the pressure off forwards a wee bit too.”

He added: “Our transition is something we have worked on from the start of the year and the quicker we get the ball up the pitch the more dangerous we will be. We were not expecting Fermanagh to go as man for man as they were, but Tyrone or Monaghan could come with a different template the next.

“We took the game on its merits today and thankfully it worked out for us.”

Meanwhile disappointed Fermanagh team boss Kieran Donnelly said: “Look, they are a Division One team. They are Ulster champions and that’s the level they are at and we just have to keep aspiring to be better.

“Again, I thought the boys showed great character and we built a platform in the second half. Again we missed a few chances that would have made the scoreline a bit easier to look at but we have to take the positives into the Tailteann. I have urged the boys that we had a good league, let’s go at the Tailteann, and they will.

“They very much have a pride in wearing the Fermanagh jersey, they are a young squad.”

The Ulster champions sprinted from the blocks and late sub Eoin McEvoy landed the first point after just a minute. That set the pattern for total Derry dominance as they carved holes in a hesitant Fermanagh defence at will.

The points flowed from Pádraig McGrogan and keeper Odhrán Lynch, who was playing as the extra man to put them 0-3 to 0-0 lead after just five minutes.

Paul Cassidy made it 0-4 to 0-0 lead before a searing Ultan Kelm run ended with midfielder Ryan Jones getting the first point for the home side.

But Derry midfielder Brendan Rogers was reigning supreme, and the Ulster champions struck the first major blow when the impressive Ethan Doherty hit McGuigan with the perfect pass and the full-forward finished to the net with aplomb to put Derry ahead by 1-5 to 0-4

Ryan Lyons pointed two frees for Fermanagh, but McGuigan put dominant Derry ahead by 1-6 to 0-3 by the 20th minute. Fermanagh did launch two high balls into the Derry square but Lynch dealt with both most capably.

Derry’s second goal was of the much softer variety as the beavering Cassidy raced through the centre of the Erne defence and had time to stumble before casually picking his spot. That was the killer blow for the home side after just 27 minutes.

And Derry almost had another goal a few minutes earlier but gave possession away at the death. Fermanagh did manage to tack on two more points from a Lyons free and Kelm from play.

But Derry were equal to that as well, with two points from the virtually unmarkable McGuigan to leave them leading by 2-9 to 0-5 at the break.

And, despite Fermanagh’s two goals in the second half, the result was never in doubt.

FERMANAGH: Sean McNally (0-1,45); Luke Flanagan, Che Cullen (2-0) Lee Cullen; Jonathan Cassidy, Shane McGullion, Lee Cullen; Ryan Jones (0-1), Brandon Horan; Josh Largo Ellis, Ryan Lyons (0-2f) Ronan McCaffrey; Ultan Kelm (0-2) Darragh McGurn, Aidan Breen (0-1) Subs: Declan McCusker (0-1) and Conor McShea for Brandon Horan and Aidan Breen (h-time), Conall Jones for Cian McManus (47) Garvan Jones for Ryan Lyons (60), Fionan O’Brien for Josh Largo Ellis (70),

DERRY: Odhran Lynch (0-1); Chrissy McKaigue, Padraig McGrogan (0-1), Conor McCluskey (0-1), Conor Doherty, Gareth McKinless, Padraig Cassidy (0-2); Conor Glass (0-1) Brendan Rogers (0-1); Nialll Toner (0-1) Paul Cassidy (1-2) Ethan Doherty (0-1); Eoin McEvoy (0-1) Shane McGuigan (2-5,1 pen, 1 free), Niall Loughlin. Subs: Benny Heron for Conor Glass (40), Paul McNeill for Eoin McEvoy (56), Ben McCarron for Chrissy McKaigue (62), Lachlann Murray for Nialll Loughlin (68), Declan Cassidy for Niall Toner (71).

Referee: Joe McQuillan (Cavan).