Ruairí Murphy, Kerry, and Donncha Gilmore, Derry, in Allianz Football League action. during the Allianz Football League Division 1 match between Derry and Kerry at Celtic Park in Derry. Photo by Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile
Allianz Football League Division One
Kerry 5-15 (5-2-11) Derry 1-24 (1-2-20)
By Michael Wilson at Celtic Park
Derry suffered a second successive Division One defeat after conceding two goals in the final 90 seconds of a thrilling league encounter against Kerry on Sunday.
Almost 4,900 were in Celtic Park to witness a game Derry had won on more than one occasion before, with the home side leading by three at 1-24 to 3-15, two defensive lapses in the final two plays of the game handed goals to Kingdom substitutes Donal O'Sullivan and Paul Geaney to flip the game on its head.
A Derry spill after initially winning the ball back handed O'Sullivan to first before new Oak Leaf keeper Neil McNicholl, a midfielder by trade with his club, then kicked the resultant kick-out straight to Paudie Clifford, who found O'Sullivan who put the winner on a plate for fellow sub Paul Geaney.
It was a crazy end to crazy game. For Kerry an high octane introduction to the new rules and for Derry, ironically a vastly improved performance with plenty to be encouraged about - before the final 90 seconds.
Ironically, all the pre-match chatter among the home support centred on that senior debut for McNicholl, a hugely talented midfielder with Glenullin whose first appearance in his county's colours was also his first ever appearance as a goalkeeper, Paddy Tally's most obvious reaction to his first look at the new rules seven days previously.
That meant four changes in total from the side who lined out in Healy Park against Tyrone, McNicholl joined by Mark Doherty, Cormac Murphy and Ben McCarron with Lynch, Ciaran McFaul, Lachlan Murray, and Declan Cassidy stepping down.
For Kerry, there were no starting debuts despite Eddie Healy and Cathal O Beaglaoich initially being named in Jack O'Connor's starting 15, their places taken by Damien Bourke and Barry Dan O'Sullivan as the ball was thrown in by referee Martin McNally.
It didn't take long for things to kick into gear either as Shane McGuigan split the posts inside 50 seconds, a point that was followed by Brendan Rogers' second two-pointer in two games to put Derry 0-3 to no score after four minutes.
Kerry then exploded into life with their first goal under Gaelic football's new era, Paudie Clifford the beneficiary of the extra space inside before drawing Derry's cover to give Conor Geaney an easy goal which tied the game for the first of six times in the opening half.
Sean O'Shea's free edged Kerry in front, but when Ethan Doherty pointed the dye was cast for a tit-for tat half of highly entertaining football in which Derry's former Aussie Rules duo in midfield, Anton Tohill and Conor Glass, gave Derry great grip on kick-outs.
But they were getting it all their own way with Barry Dan O'Sullivan popping up in some great areas and it was he who fired Kerry back in front with the first of two points before the short whistle but again, Derry levelled, this time through a Toner free.
The scores kept coming, Geaney and O'Sullivan for the Kingdom before Paul Cassidy and McGuigan levelled again after the Oak Leafers had sent a couple of two-point efforts wide.
O'Shea and Toner swapped scores before Geaney again found the back of the net on28 minutes, swapping passes with his brother Dylan before finishing from close range for a 2-5 to 0-8 lead.
McGuigan then took the option of taking a free that was moved forward back for a two point effort that sailed wide, but Derry finished the half stronger, Ben McCarron showing his tam-mate how it was done with a sublime two point shot ahead of Toner's third of the half which levelled once more.
And Derry weren't finished, full-back Diarmuid Baker getting forward to cap a fine team move with a fisted point before Steelstown club mate Donncha Gilmore tapped over a mark that was brought back after he had sent his initial effort wide. It meant a 0-13 to 2-5 lead for Tally's team after a breathless half.
Again, it took only seconds for Derry to get up to speed after the restart, this time Paul Cassidy finding Glass who applied the necessary finish and when Cassidy then found the target himself seconds later, it was six in a row for Derry who led by five at 0-16 to 2-5.
Conor Geaney's point stemmed the flow and when Dylan Geaney then grabbed a two pointer with his first of the day, the game was back in the melting pot.
Derry's response was emphatic, Brendan Rogers taking flight to majestically claim the kick-out before Ethan Doherty grabbed a much needed home score.
Sean O'Brien and Ethan Doherty swapped scores before Derry were caught with only two back which allowed O'Shea to tap over a crucial two point free for 0-19 to 2-11.
Toner's fourth point of the day provided at least breathing room but points from O'Shea and a brace from substitute Donal O'Sullivan levelled ay 0-21 to 2-15 with four minutes to play.
Derry kicked into gear immediately with McGuigan storming through the fire brilliantly to the net or a goal which was added to by points from Lachlan Murray and two more from McGuigan. It should have been enough. It wasn't. Derry will wonder how.
Scorers for Kerry: Conor Geaney 2-2, Paul Geaney 2-0, Sean O'Shea 0-5 (2f, 1 2ptf), Donal O'Sullivan 1-1, Barry Dan O'Sullivan 0-2, Dylan Geaney 0-2 (1 2pt), Sean O'Brien 0-1, Diarmuid O'Connor 0-1,
Scorers for Derry: Shane McGuigan 1-4 (1f), Brendan Rogers 0-3 (1 2pt), Ethan Doherty 0-2, Niall Toner 0-4 (2fs), Paul Cassidy 0-2, Ben McCarron 0-2 (1 2pt), Diarmuid Baker 0-1, Donncha Gilmore 0-2 (1m), Conor Glass 0-2 (1 '45'), Lachlan Murray 0-1,
Kerry: Shane Ryan, Damien Bourke, Jason Foley, Tom O'Sullivan, Graeme O'Sullivan, Tadhg Morley, Sean O'Brien, Diarmuid O'Connor, Barry Dan O'Sullivan, Paudie Clifford, Sean O'Shea, Ruairi Murphy, Conor Geaney, Killian Spillane, Dylan Geaney.
Subs: Donal O'Sullivan for Ruairi Murphy, 46mins; Keith Evans for K Spillane, 50mins; Paul Geaney for C Geaney, 55mins; Cathal O Beagaioch for B O'Sullivan, 58mins; Eddie Healy for S O'Brien, 67mins.
Derry: Neil McNicholl, Diarmuid Baker, Eoin McEvoy, Mark Doherty, Conor Doherty, Brendan Rogers, Donncha Gilmore, Conor Glass, Anton Tohill, Cormac Murphy, Paul Cassidy, Ethan Doherty, Niall Toner, Shane McGuigan, Ben McCarron.
Subs: Lachlan Murray for C Murphy, 47mins; Patrick McQurk for McCarron 54mins; Dan Higgins for A Tohill, 60mins; Declan Cassidy for D Gilmore, 61mins; Jody McDermott for D Baker, 65mins (blood sub - rev 69mins).
Referee: Martin McNally (Monaghan).
