All-Ireland SFC Group 1: Derry 2-7 Westmeath 0-9 Derry manager Mickey Harte insists morale was dented by recent championship defeats and victory in Saturday’s must-win game with Westmeath was the beginning of building some confidence back. Goals from Conor McCluskey and Emmett Bradley shot the league champions into this morning’s draw for the preliminary quarter-finals. Derry were 1-5 to 0-5 ahead at half-time but points from Westmeath substitutes Robbie Forde, Jack and Stephen Smith shaved the margin to a point before Bradley’s goal clinched victory.
“It doesn’t solve all our problems,” Harte said of Saturday’s vital win. “We still have to be aware of what caused us damage in the games that we lost, and try and continue to work so they don’t happen again, certainly in such a prolific fashion.” Derry were without the suspended Gareth McKinless and short three of their listed substitutes.
Niall Toner, Marty Bradley and Conor Doherty were unavailable with Niall Loughlin going through a separate warmup with conditioning coach Sean Quinn. It was 64 minutes before Cormac Murphy took off his tracksuit to make his championship debut. Youngster Ruairi Forbes joined him, the sixth championship debutant under Harte’s watch.
What this week brings, we’ll have to wait and see but Derry’s win in Newry keeps their name in the hat. “He’s come on well, in another week or two he could be much better – if we have a week or two,” Harte said of Loughlin’s progr.
