DERRY GAA: Paddy Bradley top scores as Oak Masters defeat Donegal on debut

Played in glorious but energy sapping conditions, a sizeable home crowd (a few concerned wives and half of Glack) were well entertained from gun to tape. A debutant Derry side that read well on paper produced the goods in the white heat of war at O’Cahan Park, doing so in scintillating style at times. Paddy Bradley, of course, top scored with 1-9. That left wand of a foot is as magical as ever. But the Glenullin man was well supported with rampaging half back Eugene Scullion and Loup’s Shane McFlynn also finding the back of the net.

Bradley opened the scoring with Derry’s very first attack of the

game, before a determined Donegal hit back strongly and led 0-4 to a point after 10 minutes. Chalked full of experienced campaigners, Derry didn’t panic. The Oakleafers hit six of the next seven scores, including two goals, to take a real grip of the proceedings.

Green flags from Bradley and Scullion were followed up with points from

captain Jimmy O’Connor – the brightest star in the Derry constellation, Joe Gray and Paul McFlynn.

Derry lost fullback Emmet McGilloway, taped up like an Egyptian mummy,

to an early injury, but replacement Seamie O’Kane, who brought spark and muscle, was outstanding, along with Jack Joe Bigmore and Adrian Deery who pulled off a number of trademark blocks. Faughanvale’s Marty

McGuinness produced a lung bursting effort throughout.

Late half points from Donegal left the Tír Conaill trailing 2-5 to 0-7 at half-

time. The battle for midfield supremacy never cooled. Kevin McGuckin and Ciaran ‘Papa’ McIvor – Derry’s resident Luca Brasi, with titanium tough support from Brian Mullan and Eugene Scullion, enjoyed a wonderfully aggressive afternoon long battle with a powerful Donegal midfield led by the athletic Eunan Keaveney. Bone crunching hits reigned in all game in an explosive and sphincter-tightening clash, with Epsom Salt baths required for a night or two after for the ageless gladiators. It was ‘Are you not entertained?’ savage stuff. Magnificent. The legs that little bit slower, but the hearts beat just as strongly.

Derry’s half forward line also impressed throughout, with the guile and

vision of Paul McFlynn and Joe Gray gelling beautifully with the pacy

running of Jimmy O’Connor. Managers Ronan Rocks and James McGrath continually freshened things up with intelligent use of a Derry bench that was stacked with quality.

Donegal edged the opening of the second half, before Derry slammed the

door shut on their neighbours care of six consecutive Paddy Bradley points.

The visitors continued to fight on doggedly, forced to tag on points when an obdurate Derry defence refused to concede a goal. A classy finish to the net from Shane McFlynn polished the final scoreboard to the highest shine in Derry’s favour.

Derry’s next fixture is away to Antrim at the end of the month.

Derry: P McCallion, E McGilloway, A Deery, J Bigmore, M McGuinness, E

Scullion(1-0), B Mullan, K McGuckin, C McIvor, J O’Connor (0-1), P McFlynn (0-1), J Gray (0-1), P Bradley (1-9), D Conway, E Murphy

Subs: J Deighan, D Brolly, S O’Kane, S Timoney, S McGuigan, O Murray, M Scullion, T Niblock, P Scullion, R O’Kane (0-1), C McGuigan, S McFlynn (1-1), L McElhone, R Clarence