DERRYLIN .............................. 2-12

ST JOSEPHS .............................1-7

No dispute about the outcome of this tussle with Derrylin producing a very efficient performance to romp through to a solid victory.

At one stage they had scorched ten points clear as the St Josephs side struggled to make any impact and though the deficit was to be trimmed back a little over the run in, this was still an emphatic success for the O'Connell's

Leading the charge for them was Mark Murphy who was to spend a considerable portion of his time in the full forward slot.

And he was to be a dominant figure here, posing enormous problems for the St Josephs defence and he was to finish with an impressive two goals and four points tally.

Critically while Murphy was destroying the St Josephs back division, his county midfield colleague Martin McGrath was to be sideline spectator, an injury ruling out him from participating.

So St Josephs were bereft of their most influential figure and it was a handicap which they couldn't cope with.

They had an especially limp first half effort, managing just a solitary point and though they did make a better fist of matters after the changeover, it was never remotely near enough of an improvement to cause a confident Derrylin any trouble.

Enda Ferris was the sole St Josephs forward on view who did pop up to some effect and he was to shoot most of his side's scores.

Declan McKeever was also to have an occasional contribution to the Ederney cause but they were a well beaten side from a long way out.

The defeat will be a bad blow to their promotion prospects and they will need to show considerable improvement if they are to put pressure on the leading sides when the campaign resumes later in the summer.

Derrylin shot a tally of seven points in the first half, Mark Murphy with three, Barry Murray and Cahir Shannon with two each, Enda Ferris hitting the sole St Josephs response from a placed kick.

Ferris signalled a brief St Josephs revival on the restart with two more scores but any suggestion that they might claw their way fully back was knocked on the head by a prompt Derrylin scoring spree.

Mark Murphy fielded an incoming lob, turned smartly and smacked home his first goal on thirty six minutes and ten minutes later he added his second in similar circumstances.

Points from the in form Murphy and from Paul McManus pushed Derrylin comprehensively ahead and inevitably they then took their foot off the pedal as the final ten minutes got underway.

St Josephs had a goal from the alert Ferris, and a few points were tacked on but in the closing spell, the Derrylin authority was underlined by a finishing touch from Cahir Shannon who notched two late points.

In the winner's defence, full back Miceal Shannon had a solid match with Mark McBrien featuring in the half back line.

Referee John Mohan Aughdrumsee.