James Kielt hits 1-9 as Derry find form against Louth

Derry 1-18 Louth 2-10

Derry bounced back from the nadir of their Ulster championship capitulation at the hands of Tyrone defeating Louth by five points in their opening qualifier fixture.

James Kielt top-scored for the home side, hitting 1-9 as Derry battled back from a point down at half-time, with Kielt's second-half penalty confirming Derry's safe passage to the next round.

A monster point from the outside of Kielt’s left foot was the last kick of the first half but the score still left Derry a point down, trailing 1-5 to 0-7 at the break. In truth the opening 35 minutes was a ragged, disjointed affair with both sides struggling for any real fluency and confidence after recent defeats.

Level at 0-2 apiece at 12 minutes, Louth drew first blood when Jim McEneaney drilled home a penalty to hand the 'Wee County' the early initiative. Derry responded, and three points in a row from Mark Lynch, Emmett McGuckin and Christopher Bradley brought them level at 0-5 to 1-2 after 23 minutes.

A Declan Byrne point edged Louth ahead soon after, and with free-takers Kielt and James Califf converting a brace of points apiece, it handed the visitors the slimmest of leads at the break.

Colin Kelly’s side stretched that lead shortly after the restart, but after that Derry gradually took a grip of events.

Kielt was at the heart of seven consecutive scores midway through the second half as Derry produced some of their best football of the season. A goal and a point from Declan Byrne gave Louth some hope, but after that Derry accelerated for home. Kilrea man Kielt despatched a 65th-minute penalty which wrapped up the Derry win, with a straight red for Byrne in injury time confounding Louth's misery.

DERRY: Michael Conlan; Gareth McKinless, Ciaran Mullan, Karl McKaigue; Neil Forester, Brendan Rogers, Liam McGoldrick; Conor McAtamney, Niall Holly; Danny Heavron, Christopher Bradley (0-3, one free), Eoghan Brown; James Kielt (1-9, 1-0 penalty, six frees), Emmett McGuckin (0-2), Mark Lynch (0-2, frees).

Subs: Kevin Johnston for L McGoldrick (41 mins), Niall Loughlin for E Brown (41 mins), Niall Toner (0-1) for M Lynch (49 mins), Emmett Bradley (0-1) for N Holly (51 mins), Oisin Duffy for C Mullan (63 mins), Shane Heavron for E McGuckin (69 mins).

LOUTH: Craig Lynch; Pádraig Rath, Patrick Reilly, John Bingham; Derek Maguire, Darren McMahon, Anthony Williams; James Stewart, James Califf (0-4, four frees); Declan Byrne (1-3), Jim McEneaney (1-1), Ruairi Moore; Eoghan Lafferty, Conor Grimes (0-1), Ryan Burns (0-1, free).

Subs: Gerard McSorley for J McEneaney (41 mins), Adrian Reid for R Moore (46 mins), Bevan Duffy for J Stewart (51 mins), Jim McEneaney for R Burns (64 mins).

Referee: Marty Duffy (Sligo)