Derry relegate Roscommon for Division 1 final berth as Galway survive despite Kerry loss

March 24, 2024

Derry's Conor Glass has a shot against Roscommon ©INPHO/Lorcan Doherty

Derry will play Dublin in the Allianz Football League Division 1 final next weekend after both teams recorded emphatic wins in this afternoon’s seventh round clashes.

In Celtic Park, Mickey Harte’s men were 2-19 to 1-9 winners over a Roscommon side that will be playing their league football in Division 2 next year.

An electric start to the game saw goals from Declan Cassidy and Donie Smith inside the opening 10 minutes, but it was Derry that moved towards a 1-8 to 1-5 half-time lead and they’d hit an unaswered 1-7 in the second-half, including a Lachlann Murray goal, to cruise into the decider and relegate the Rossies in the process.

It’s set to mark the second year in-a-row that the Ulster champions face Dublin in a league final, having contested the Division 2 decider last year, with the Dubs having demolished Tyrone by 5-18 to 0-12 at Croke Park this afternoon.

The All-Ireland champions were in devastating form in front of goal as Colm Basquel (2), Niall Scully, Cian Murphy and Lorcan O’Dell netted their majors on route to a resounding 21-point win.

Darren McHale and Matthew Ruane bagged the decisive goals as Mayo recorded their fourth win of the campaign (2-13 to 1-14) against already relegated Monaghan in Clones.

Meanwhile, Galway will remain in Division 1 next season despite suffering a 0-15 to 1-10 loss to Kerry in Killarney.

Brothers Paudie and David Clifford came off the bench in the Kingdom’s two-point win and, despite suffering their fourth loss, the Tribesmen remain safe in the top tier as a result of Roscommon’s defeat in Derry.


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