Ciarán Meenagh: Conor Doherty goal was worth more than three

Derry manager Ciarán Meenagh was delighted with his side's immediate response to Cork's goal as the Ulster champions booked their place in the semi-finals of the All-Ireland SFC this afternoon.

On top for much of the first half at Croke Park, the Oak Leafers took a one-point lead into half-time and had stretched it out to four by the 44th minute.

The Rebels then struck for a well worked goal, finished cleverly by Rory Maguire, but Derry rattled the net themselves inside a minute.

Moments later Shane McGuigan landed a free to stretch the lead out to five with 20 minutes to play and Meenagh's charges were able to manage the game from there.

"That was a huge score, it was worth more than three," he told RTÉ's Sunday Sport afterwards.

"It was a sucker punch to Cork, taking the wind out of their sails completely. It was going to be very difficult [for them] if we managed the game properly, and defended with the principles which we do, and then attack smartly.

"From that stage I felt we were in control in terms of seeing the rest of the game out."

On the game overall, Meenagh added that his side had delivered the type of performance that they had been working on in the build-up.

"I'm very relieved," he added. "We came here to hopefully win by one point. If we won by more that was a bonus.

"I'm delighted, relieved we won the game against a very tricky Cork outfit, who had momentum behind them.

"We won by four and probably left a fair bit behind us. It was the nature in which we responded to Cork's goal, in particular, and of them starting much better than us in the game.

"All things that we had talked about and we planned forensically and so it was in terms of how we delivered."

Next up for Derry will be Kerry, Mayo or Dublin. They already