Derry held off Monaghan on Wednesday evening to pick up their first win in this year’s Ulster U20 football championship.
It finished 1-11 to 2-6 in Castleblayney, where John Guckian’s early goal gave the visitors a dream start before Bobby McCaul rattled their net.
With Oisin Doherty in fine shooting form, the Oak Leafers went on to lead by three at the half but Monaghan kept it tight and Aaron Carey’s goal in the 57th minute trimmed their deficit down to the minimum.
However, Derry held out and it was Doherty that provided the clinching score with his fifth point of the evening to ensure they bounced back from last week’s third round loss to neighbours Tyrone.
In Dunsilly, Down hit three goals in the closing quarter to see off Antrim by 5-8 to 1-6.
It was the Saffrons that had put up the better display in the first-half, as points from Tom Shivers and a Niall Fallon goal saw them towards a 1-4 to 0-3 interval lead.
Down would eventually find their rhythm however, and goals from Senan Carr and Cormac O’Reilly would get them motoring before netting three more times to cement their first win of the competition.
Tweet🏐🇦🇹 𝗨𝟮𝟬 𝗙𝗢𝗢𝗧𝗕𝗔𝗟𝗟
— Derry GAA (@Doiregaa) April 3, 2024
Full time:
⚪️ Muineachán 2-6
🔴 Doire 1-11
Oisin Doherty gets the final score of the evening, as Derry emerge from Castleayney with a two point victory. pic.twitter.com/WiMd4Oshd5