Derry squeezed past derby rivals Tyrone to get their Allianz Hurling League Division 2 challenge off to a winning start at O’Neills Healy Park, Gerard Bradley’s first-half goal proving to be the crucial score.
A couple of superb Christy McNaughton points late on clinched victory for the Oak Leafers, who won promotion along with the Red Hands last season.
The visitors had to work hard for a narrow victory, and were hanging on at the end as the home side pressed for a goal that never came.
Aidy Kelly accounted for all of Tyrone’s seven first half scores, six of them from frees, as he kept his side in touch.
But it was the Oak Leafers playing into the wind and sporadic snow showers, who carried a more varied attacking threat.
Jack Cassidy, Shea Cassidy and Gerard Bradley were all on target, with John Mullan keeping them a point ahead at the end of the opening quarter.
And they created three goal-scoring chances in quick succession, taking just one of them, a neat finish from Bradley in the 21st minute.
The home side responded with three Kelly scores, but Christy McNaughton sent Derry in with a 1-6 to 0-7 interval lead.
McNaughton and Shea Cassidy stretched the Derry lead, and a brilliant McNaughton effort had them five ahead going into the final quarter.
But Aidan Woods and Kelly hit back to keep the home side very much in the hunt, with Mickey Little narrowing the gap top a single point with seven minutes to play.
Substitute Mark McCann sent over a couple of Tyrone scores, but the Oaks survived, with Mark Craig leading a defensive shut-out as Tyrone went for goal late on.
And Ryan McGill and McNaughton were both on target from long range to seal the league points for Johnny McGarvey’s side.
Scorers – Tyrone: A Kelly 0-10 (9f), M McCann 0-2, M Little, A Woods 0-1 each. Derry: G Bradley 1-1, C McNaughton 0-5 (2f), S Cassidy 0-3, J Mullan 0-2, J Cassidy, R McGill 0-1 each.
Tyrone: C Molloy 6; D Rafferty 6, F Devlin 7, R Molloy 7; C McGuigan 7, C Munroe 8, T Morgan 7; S Sweeney 6, M Little 7; A Woods 7, A Kelly 8, C Magill 6; B Molloy 6, K Morgan 6, R Weir 6. Subs: B Gormley 7 for Weir (37), T Mullin 5 for Magill (52), F Corry 5 for T Morgan (66), M McCann 6 for K Morgan (67), F Hurson for B Molloy (70)
Derry: S Kelly 7; P Neilis 6, M Craig 8, C O’Kane 7; S Cassidy 7, R Mullan 7, T Brady 6; M McGrath 6, R McGill 7; J Cassidy 10, G Bradley 7, C O’Reilly 6; J Mullan 7, C McNaughton 8, S Cassidy 7. Subs: S Quinn 5 for O’Reilly (48), J Friel 5 for O’Kane (52), E Conway 5 for J Cassidy (56), A Duffin 4 for Neilis (64), E Cassidy for Mullan (67).
Referee: C McCloskey (Antrim).