Derry relegate Roscommon and ease into Division 1 final against Dublin

Derry will meet Dublin in the Allianz National League Division One final after an emphatic 2-19 to 1-09 victory that spelled the end of Roscommon's two year stay in the top flight.

Davy Burke's Rossies went into the game needing something from the game to have any hope of retaining their top-flight status and for three quarters of the game, they looked capable of setting up a grandstand finish in a game as open as any you're likely to see this season.

A tight first half saw goal chances aplenty but Roscommon's inability to capitalise on chances saw a Derry team that looked to be playing in third gear lead by three at the break.

That lead was cancelled out within five minutes of the restart but when the counties headed into the home straight, Derry raised their level to blow the visitors away.

Mickey Harte's men hit an incredible 2-18 of their 2-19 tally from play and when they hit the accelerator Roscommon had no answer.

After drawing level in the 42nd minute, the visitors managed only one more point over the remaining half hour. Derry, by contrast, hit 1-11 and were a class apart.

Roscommon had started a must-win match by retaining possession for close to three and a half minutes from throw in, a passage of play that should have ended with the game's opening goal but, after swapping passes with Eoin McCormack, Enda Smith blazed inches over the Derry crossbar. It was a sign of things to come as goal chances almost outnumbered pointed efforts.

A McGuigan free equalised before the game exploded into life on nine minutes. First McGuigan sent Conor Glass clear but the Derry midfielder elected to shoot over when a goal was.

But perhaps the AIB Club Player of the Year knew something we didn't because within seconds the ball was