DERRYLIN’S superior cutting edge told as they powered past Coa, with Kian Prior delivering a standout nine-point haul in a game played throughout at a lively tempo.
Even though a 32nd minute Ben Thompson two-pointer halved Coa’s deficit heading into the interval, the visitors reasserted control and never looked back, running out 0-18 to 1-08 winners.
By the time Sean McManus struck for the game’s only goal in the 58th minute, Derrylin already had the points wrapped up, holding a commanding nine-point cushion.
Tight tussle
Both sides shared the scoring load with six players apiece getting on the board, but Coa will certainly regret a much higher number of misses, particularly in the second half.
The game began with Derrylin opening the scoring in their first attack after early Coa pressure came to nothing, Fearghal McGovern taking a pass from brother Colm to shoot over.
That was quickly cancelled by Niall Quinn, who then neatly chipped through for Gary Lynch to point.
Great work by Cathair Leonard paved the way for Diarmuid Owens to loft over a sixth minute two-pointer, but straight from the kickout Peter Dolan shot a Coa equaliser, Quinn again the supplier.
A second McGovern point in the ninth minute moved Derrylin in front again and they were not headed thereafter.
Scores by Josh Smith, Michal Prusakiewicz, Prior (2), Fearghal and Declan McGovern resulted in a 0-10 to 0-06 half-time lead.
Derrylin to the fore
Darragh Mulroy and Caoilte Farry (frees), along with McManus from play, accounted for the home side’s scores.
It didn’t take Derrylin long to continue where they had left off after Thompson’s early second-half two-pointer.
Prior fired over a 34th minute snapshot on the turn before landing the O’Connell’s second two-point score five minutes later.
Slick passing then produced an Owens score to make it 0-14 to 0-8 by the three-quarter mark.
With Coa continuing to miss viable opportunities from frees and play, a further trio from Prior, starting with a successful ’45, pushed the visitors well clear.
Coa did grab a deserved consolation goal when McManus reacted fastest to finish to the net after a Calum Green free had dropped into a crowded goalmouth.
There was still time for Prior to round off his own impressive display by cutting in to slip over from a narrow angle as the game moved into the closing stages.
James Dolan’s high fielding was a notable feature of the Derrylin display, with the McGovern brothers, Josh Smith and Cathair Leonard among others also prominent alongside Prior.
Tiarnan McGrath and Peter Dolan were particularly lively in the Coa defence, with Ben Thompson working hard around midfield.
