Kerry raise five green flags as Derry self destruct

Derry suffered a second successive Division 1 defeat after hitting the self-destruct button to concede two goals in the final 90 seconds of a thrilling league encounter against Kerry.

Almost 4,900 were in Celtic Park to witness the home side leading by three at 1-24 to 3-15 at the death, two defensive lapses in the final two plays of the game handed goals to Kingdom substitutes Donal O'Sullivan and Paul Geaney to flip the game on its head.

A Derry spill after initially winning the ball back handed O'Sullivan the first before new Oak Leaf keeper Neil McNicholl, a midfielder by trade with his club, then kicked the resultant kick-out straight to Paudie Clifford who found O'Sullivan who put the winner on a plate for fellow sub Geaney who had already grabbed himself a goal.

It was a crazy end to crazy game. For Kerry a high octane introduction to the new rules and for Derry, ironically a vastly improved performance with plenty to be encouraged about, before the final 90 seconds that is.

Ironically all the pre-match chatter among the home support centred on that senior debut for McNicholl, a hugely-talented midfielder with Glenullin, whose first appearance in his county's colours was also his first ever appearance as a goalkeeper.

The roll of the dice constituted Paddy Tally's most obvious reaction to his first look at the new rules seven days previously.

That meant four changes in total from the side who lined out in Healy Park against Tyrone, McNicholl joined by Mark Doherty, Cormac Murphy and Ben McCarron with Lynch, Ciaran McFaul, Lachlan Murray and Declan Cassidy stepping down.

For Kerry there were no starting debuts despite Eddie Healy and Cathal Ó Beaglaoich initially being named in Jack O'Connor's starting 15, their places