Allianz Football League Division Two: Derry miss out on promotion despite win
- Published
Shane McGuigan returned from suspension to score six points, but it wasn't enough to lift the Oak Leafers up into Division One
Derry missed out on promotion despite victory over Meath as Roscommon beat Galway to join the Tribesmen in moving up to Division One.
Having been hammered by Galway last week, the Oak Leafers needed already-promoted Galway to see off Roscommon.
However, while Rory Gallagher's men secured a 1-16 to 2-11 win in Navan, Roscommon ran out 1-20 to 1-15 winners at Dr Hyde Park.
Relegated Down ended the campaign with a 2-14 to 1-9 defeat by Clare.
For Derry, missing out on promotion is a bitterly disappointing outcome having started the campaign with four consecutive victories as they dispatched Down, Offaly, Cork and Clare.
However, their fate was taken out of their hands last week when they conceded four goals in a miserable 11-point reverse to Galway.
Derry needed Galway to emulate such a devastating display against Roscommon but that was always unlikely as Tribesmen boss Padraic Joyce fielded as understrength team.
As a result, Gallagher missed out on backing up last year's promotion from Division Three with a return to football's top table.
Gallagher will at least take solace that his players managed to rescue their pride after being thumped by Galway as they recovered from a four-point deficit with 20 minutes left in Navan to win by two.
With Jack O'Connor having already raised a green flag for Meath, Shane Walsh's 49th-minute penalty put the Royal County in a commanding position only for Derry to fight back with Niall Loughlin's 65th-minute goal proving decisive.
Staying in Division Two will be a bitter pill for Derry to swallow given they won five of their seven games, but their focus now turns to the Ulster Championship with either Fermanagh or Tyrone to come in the quarter-final in a month's time.
Down sign off miserable campaign with another defeat
Elsewhere, Down ended their dismal campaign with defeat by Clare, who escaped any relegation worries on the final day.
Already relegated with one solitary draw to their name, James McCartan's men will drop into the third tier and are set to fight for the Tailteann Cup unless they can spring a surprise and reach the Ulster final.
Emmet McMahon netted for Clare on eight minutes to set the tone for Down, who, to their credit kept in touch with the visitors and reduced the margin to one before Cian O Dea found the net at the end of the half for a 2-5 to 0-5 lead.
Clare took advantage of Barry O'Hagan's black card to move into a nine-point lead, but Down were given hope when Ryan McEvoy scored from play 16 minutes into the second half.
However, Finn McElroy's red ensured Down finished the game with 14 men and Clare ran out eight-point winners.
Offaly players were visibly dejected at the full-time whistle in Tullamore as Stephen Sherlock's late free sent them down to Division Three
Offaly joined the Mournemen in missing out on the All-Ireland series after a late free by Stephen Sherlock saved Cork in a tight 1-21 to 1-20 winner-stays-up battle at Tullamore.
Cork held a three-point advantage at half-time after Cathail O'Mahony's strike for the visitors was cancelled out by Anton Sullivan's penalty for Offaly.
The Rebel County extended their lead to six and looked to be on course for a comfortable win, however Offaly produced a spirited comeback to level the game.
But in late heartbreak for Offaly, Sherlock's free in the fourth minute of injury time ensured Cork will fight for the Sam Maguire later in the year and Offaly are relegated to the third tier.