Hi °C | Lo °C DERRY scored an unexpectedly easy win over the Garden County at Celtic Park, with most of the damage being done in the first half when they amassed an 18-point lead.
Wicklow went ahead when Jonathan O'Neill scored the first of his seven points. The visitors would add just another point before the break as Derry built a commanding 2-14 to 0-2 half-time advantage, Derry captain Ruairi Convery scoring the first of his five first-half points to level at 0-1 each.
Niall Ferris cracked home the first goal in the 13th minute to make it 1-5 to 0-2, while Kevin Hinphey kicked the sliotar to the net 10 minutes from half-time to make it 2-9 to 0-2.
Wicklow made three changes at the break and showed more appetite for the battle, but the Oak Leaf county retained control of the match.
Man of the Match: P Kelly (Derry)
SCORERS – Derry: R Convery 0-7 (5f), N Ferris 1-3, K Hinphey 1-2, B Rodgers, A Grant 0-2 each, P Cleary, C Convery, O McCloskey 0-1 each. Wicklow: J O'Neill 0-7, G Weir, C Moorhouse, L Kennedy 0-1 each.
DERRY – D McDermott 7; C McSorley7, C Quinn 5, J McCloskey 7 ; R McCloskey, L Hinphey 7 , P Kelly 9; C Convery 7, K Hinphey 8; B Rodgers 8, R Convery 7, A Grant 8; P Cleary 6, O McCloskey 6, N Ferris 8. Subs: P Henry 6 for Quinn (21), T McCloskey 5 for Cleary (57), D McCloskey 5 for McSorley (59), B Quigley 5 for L Hinphey (61).
WICKLOW – J Murphy 6; S Kinsella 5, B Cuddihy 6, P Keane 5; G Byrne 5, L Kennedy 5, G Birmingham 8; J Henderson 4, B Osbourne 4; C Moorhouse 5, S Byrne 6, R Keddy 5; M Lee 5, A O'Brien 4, J O'Neill 8. Subs: J Connors 6 for Henderson (h-t), G Byrne 6 for Osbourne (h-t), G Weir 5 for A O'Brien (h-t), P Gahan 5 for Moorhouse (51), E Mason 5 for S Kinsella (55).
REF– L McAuley (Antrim)
