Telstar lift Derry & District Over 40s Centenary Cup as Tommy McCallion winner shocks Foyle Harps

Foyle Harps 1, Telstar 2

Telstar were crowned Derry & District Over 40s Centenary Cup champions after Tommy McCallion's second half winner capped a dramatic late fightback against Foyle Harps at Duncreggan Road on Friday night.

The Creggan side were trailing as an exciting final ticked past the 82nd minute before two late strikes turned the game head and secured the silverware in memorable fashion.

Former Derry City, Cliftonville, Coleraine and Glentoran star McCallion had already seen his side haul themselves back on level terms through Darren McCready's penalty but within seconds they were celebrating again.

With Harps still settling themselves following McCready's spot-kick, McCallion found himself in space as the Harps defence waited on an offside flag that never arrived. McCallion wasn't waiting though and he made no mistake with the type of finish that became his trademark during a glittering career in senior football.

It was a fitting finale to a superb tournament which has captured the imagination of Derry's footballing public and which featured some of the best and most recognisable faces from a golden era of Derry and District football.

The first half was a tight affair with the play often getting bogged down in the middle of the park where McCallion, Denis Villa and McCready enjoyed a great battle with Stevie Johnston and Gary Kennedy but clear cut chances at either end were limited.

Indeed the first real opportunity of the game fell to Ryan McCreadie but Telstar keeper McColgan was equal to the effort. As both teams continued to find goal scoring opportunities at a premium, it was the defending from Telstar's Paddy McLaughlin and Jim Keeney of Harps that caught the eye as the pair rolled back their respective clocks with vintage displays.

With the attacking quality in both teams though something had to give and eventually the deadlock was broken just before half time when Micky Dillon's superb solo run took him into space before firing past McColgan from an acute angle to give Harps a slender lead going into the break.

Telstar started the second half on the front foot and almost equalised when Robbie Nicholl started a lovely move involving Decky Divin and Mark Crossan but Boyle in the Harps' goal was alert to the danger. At the other end Johnston had a glorious chance to double the Harps lead but couldn't connect when well placed.

Just when it appeared Harps name was on the cup, the script was flipped by those two Telstar goals in as many minutes. First, with just eight minutes left on the clock, Gerard Taylor was adjudged to have handled inside the penalty box and referee Marty Dunne had no hesitation but to point to the spot. Harps weren't happy with the decision but the competition's top scorer, McCready stepped up to see his spot kick just about make it past keeper Boyle and bring the teams level.

That set the stage for McCallion's winner and he didn't disappoint with the finish. Harps rallied but the clock was against them as Telstar held out to be crowned Over 40s champions in this the Derry & District's 100th year.

The Trophy was presented to Telstar captain and goalscorer Darren McCready by the D&D stalwarts Willie Barrett, Jimbo Crossan and Liam Smyth wit tributes paid to both finalists and all the teams who competed in a superb competition.