Determined Derry down Kerry in Tralee

There was All-Ireland semi-final revenge for Derry in Tralee on Saturday evening as Mickey Harte's determined side ran out dramatic one-point winners in a capacity Austin Stack Park to ensure their return to Allianz League Division 1 got off to the best possible start.

Derry, who welcomed back Glen All-Ireland-winning trio Conor Glass, Ethan Doherty and Ciaran McFaul, showed no signs of a lack of experience at this level as last year’s Division 2 runners-up took a double-score lead into the half-time break – 0-08 to 0-04 – before a late Shane McGuigan free won the game for the visitors after the two sides were level twice in the second half.

McGuigan starred for Derry with 0-07 with second-half goals from Conor Geaney and Dylan Casey not enough to salvage a result for Jack O’Connor’s side.

Kerry’s edge in terms of experience and home advantage was a prominent talking point in the week leading up to this National Football League opener, with talk of a Derry revenge for last year’s two-point All-Ireland semi-final defeat also on the cards as the weekend drew in.

Mickey Harte’s side seemed to pay no heed to such talk, however, as they settled into this game the very same as if they were playing a championship match at the height of the summer season, moving the ball around slickly and controlling the match through physicality, and endless movement both on and off the ball.

As expected, Derry got an early stronghold of the midfield battle as the experienced duo of Glass (above) and Brendan Rogers controlled proceedings against Kerry’s not so experienced combination of Joe O’Connor and Seán O’Brien, and early scores from Glass, full-back Christopher McKaigue, McGuigan, and Conor Doherty gave the Ulster champions a 0-04 to 0-02