Football Qualifiers Round-Up

GAA Football All Ireland Senior Championship Qualifiers Round 2:
Derry 3-16 Monaghan 0-20

Paddy Bradley scored 2-8 as Derry got their season back on track with an impressive 3-16 to 0-20 defeat of Monaghan at Clones.

Bradley, who endured a difficult week, scored a goal in each half as the Oak Leaf men moved into Round Three of the GAA All Ireland Qualifiers.

The Glenullin man’s inter-county was the subject of intense speculation during the week, but he proved that he is as committed as ever to the Derry cause with a brilliant performance.

“I suppose stories like that keep the papers and TV channels in service,” Bradley said in a post-match interview.

“I trained last Sunday. I was carrying a bit of a niggle and there was a possibility that I might miss the game. I had intense physiotherapy throughout the week and it got me right for today.

“I was just glad to play my part. Once you are out in the heat of the battle all those things go to the back of your head.”

Monaghan boss Seamus McEnaney refused to be drawn on his future after the game. McEnaney, who has been in charge of the Farney County for five years, said it was “time for reflection” and was effusive in his praise of the Monaghan players.

Indeed, the players were deserving of the praise such was the entertainment they provided when compared to the dour battle they played out in the Ulster Championship back in May in Clones.

A Paddy Bradley goal after Monaghan goalkeeper Padraig McBennett had made a bad mistake gave Derry the lead in the first minute. James Kielt added another and Damian Cassidy’s side led by 2-3 to 0-2.

Monaghan fought back gamely and trailed by 2-8 to 0-11 at the break. But the Bradley brothers, Eoin and Paddy, delivered the killer blow in the 54th minute. Eoin Bradley won the ball and played a brilliant soccer-style pass to Paddy, who finished first time for a brilliant goal.

Ciaran Hanratty and Paul Finlay did their best to peg Derry back with 0-4 apiece, but Derry’s goals earlier in the game were enough to see them through.

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GAA Football All Ireland Senior Championship Qualifiers Round 2:
Wicklow 1-12 Cavan 0-8

Wicklow’s brilliant run in the 2009 GAA All Ireland Championship shows no signs of halting after Mick O’Dwyer’s side pulled off a 1-12 to 0-8 win over Cavan in Aughrim on Saturday night.

In a game played in atrocious conditions, the Garden County got the only goal of the game when Paul Earls punched to the back of the net after good work by Leighton Glynn. Wicklow led by 1-6 to 0-5 at half-time.

Tony Hannon, ho had a superb game, and Darren Hayden pushed Wicklow further ahead after the break, but Larry Reilly and Seanie Johnston hit back for Cavan.

However, the Breffni comeback never really materialised and it was Wicklow who finished the stronger.

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GAA Football All Ireland Senior Championship Qualifiers Round 2:
Donegal 0-13 Clare 1-7

Donegal progressed to the next round of the GAA All Ireland Qualifiers but not without a battle against Clare in Ballybofey.

The home side held the lead at 0-9 to 1-3 at the break after David Tubridy had slotted home a 19th minute penalty for the Banner.

Although the game failed to catch fire, Donegal manager John Joe Doherty will be happy with the performances of Colm McFadden and Michael Murphy, who chipped in with tallies of 0-4 apiece.

Donegal hit three points on the bounce just after the break and looked all set to power home with a big win, but Clare hung in doggedly and managed to stay in the game until the end.

In the end they reduced the gap to just three points and Tubridy was unlucky to have a goal disallowed at the death.

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GAA Football All Ireland Senior Championship Qualifiers Round 2:
Down 2-9 Laois 0-7

Down advanced to the next stage of the GAA All Ireland Qualifiers thanks to a relatively straight forward eight-point defeat of Laois in Newry on Saturday evening.

Paul McComiskey and Benny Coulter grabbed a goal in each half to hand the momentum to Ross Carr’s side. However, it was Coulter’s 6-th minute penalty that put the result beyond any doubt.

Down had led 1-4 to 0-4 at the break as scores were difficult to come by at sodden Páirc Esler. Laois cut the lead to two points on the resumption of play thnks to a Niall Donoher score.

However, Aidan Carr and Conor Garvey edged the Ulster men ahead and when Coulter found the net with ten minutes left on the clock, the game was over.