Brilliant Derry crowned Christy Ring Cup champions after superb victory over Kerry
Christy Ring Cup Final
Derry's 20 year pursuit of the Christy Ring Cup ended with probably the county's best display of hurling in those two decades as Kerry were defeated in Croke Park on Saturday.
A brace of goal from the sublime Connor Melaugh and one more from Shea Cassidy capped the type of performance that demanded more than a single 'Player of the Match' award such were the number of heroes in red and white. From start to finish, Johnny McGarvey's men were inspired, driven by the type of desire that only three successive final defeats can instil.
Written off before a ball was struck, this is a Derry squad at their best when their backs are to the wall. Tell them they can't do something and simply sit back.
This was a championship that was Kerry's before a game was played, the other counties labelled also rans in a competition that was expected to rubber stamp the Kingdom's return to Joe McDonagh hurling. They breeze through every game until their final group visit to Find Insurance Celtic Park where they found a Derry team sick of being nearly men.
The importance of that two point group victory cannot be overstated. Not only did it take Derry to a fifth Christy Ring final in six season, it planted the belief that they could defeat Kerry and they too that confidence into Saturday final in Croke Park.
A brilliant opening half gave Derry a six point interval lead and it was hard to believe Derry's level could rise. Yet they did as they forged 11 points ahead at one stage with Melaugh and Shea Cassidy hitting excellent solo goals.
Of course Kerry rallied. They were always going to and two goals from substitute Oisín Maunsell made it more nervous than it had to be. Sean Kelly did his now usual 'super' keeper impression with a couple of fantastic stops and in front of him was a Derry defence putting mind and body on the line.
And it was fitting - as Kerry got it back to four points before Derry broke on 74 minutes to win a free - that the last score of a pulsating final came from the hurl of Cormac O'Doherty, a talismanic captain who simply refused to accept Derry wouldn't get their hands on the trophy at some point.
And of course, behind it all was Johnny McGarvey, a man whose value to Derry hurling is beyond measure. He hit every ball, felt every challenge but when the referee's final whistle sounded, McGarvey can at last say 'mission accomplished'. Derry were Christy Ring champions
The Oak Leafers started in superb fashion, producing probably their best 35 minutes of the season in an excellent first half display that took the Oak Leafers into half-time with a six point lead at 1-12 to 0-09.
Two weeks previously in the final group meeting it had been Kerry who flew from the blocks but Derry had learned the lesson and were four points to the good inside the opening six minutes with Connor Melaugh and Conor Coyle superb.
Kerry's first half wide tally of 13 told only half the story. Yes, the Kingdom had been wasteful at time with their shooting but so much credit went to a Derry defensive performance straight out of thew top drawer with Jamie Lee McGlade, Patrick Turner, Cathair McGilligan and Eamon Cassidy bringing an intensity that set the tone for their side's opening half.
From throw-in, Ronan Walsh hit a Kerry wide inside 20 seconds as Rian Collins showed The Kingdom forward how it was done with two points from play inside two minutes. Coyle hit a third seconds later and while Ferry dangerman Padraig Boyle saw an effort come off the outside of he Derry post, when Cormac O'Doherty sent over a free following a foul on Deaghlan Foley, McGarvey's men were well worth their four point advantage.
Michael Slattery finally got The Kingdom on the scoreboard in the ninth minute but Derry response was the game's opening goal only seconds later.
Keeper Sean Kelly's ability to join play and start attacks has been an impressive feature of Derry's development this season and it was his puck following the Slattery point that took out the whole Kerry backline. Connor Melaugh had read it but still had plenty to do before accelerating away to crash a brilliant finish in off the underside of the crossbar for 1-04 to 0-1 with less than 10 minute gone.
A soft free from Boyle doubled Kerry's tally with their wide count already at seven before 15 minutes had elapsed.
Another O'Doherty free was followed by possibly the highlight of the half which ironically didn't result in a score as Coyle went past five Kerry players on a wonderful run down the left. his low shot lacked power but was almost spilled over the line by Kingdom netminder Conor Bohane.
Foley's long range effort and and O'Doherty free took Derry's lead out to seven at 1-07 to 0-03 as Shea Cassidy came to the party with two points from play. With Coyle adding another Derry led 1-10 to 0-08 on 28 minutes, a lead that was added to by another Shea Cassidy effort and one Darragh McGilligan as Derry turned around 1-12 to 0-09 in front.
The big question was could Derry reproduce those levels for the full 70 plus minutes and we had our answer inside a minutes as superb defensive work from Jamie Lee Mc Glade set Eamon Cassidy up for a score that summed up everything good about Derry. More than that, it told Kerry that Derry's first half display was no flash in the pan.
Kerry had stepped up the performance but found aDerry team unwilling to take a backward step and the third quarter epitomised it. Each time Kerry turned the screw, Derry responded, never more so that when, on 44 minutes, Melaugh wheeled away past Kyle O'Connor to fire home Derry's second major.
Only four minutes later Shea Cassidy added a third with a lovely individual goal his display deserved as Derry led 3-17 to 1-13. Kerry made them sweat but found a red and white wall unwilling to move. And after 20 years of trying, The Christy Ring Cup was coming to the Sperrins. Doire Abu!
Derry scorers: Connor Melaugh (2-2), Rian Collins (0-2), Conor Coyle (0-3), Cormac O'Doherty (0-5, 5f), Deaghlan Foley (0-4), Shea Cassidy (1-4), Darragh McGilligan (0-2), Eamon Cassidy (0-1), Thomas Brady (0-1).
Kerry scorers: Padraig Boyle (1-10, 6f), Oisín Maunsell (2-0), Michael Slattery (0-2), Sean McGrath (0-1), Jordan Conway (0-1), Hugh Lenihan (0-1), Ronan Walsh (0-1), Liam Og O'Connor (0-1), Michael Leane (0-1), Daniel Casey (0-1).
Derry: Sean Kelly, Jamie Lee McGlade, Patrick Turner, Cathair McGilligan, Eamon Cassidy, Tiernan Melaugh, Conor Coyle, Cormac O'Doherty, Thomas Brady, Connor Melaugh, Joseph Mulholland, Darragh McGilligan, Rian Collins, Shea Cassidy, Deaghlan Foley. (Subs) Ryan McGarvey for E Cassidy (blood sub), 24-33mins; Eamon McGill for J Mulholland, 45mins; Ryan McGarvey for T Brady, 51mins; Sean Quinn for S Cassidy, 67mins; Ryan McGill for C Melaugh, 69mins.
Kerry: Conor Bohane, Eric Leen, Sean McGrath, Kyle O'Connor, Adam Segal, Jason Diggins, Michael Leane, Kevin Goulding, Hugh Lenihan, Tom Doyle, Ronan Walsh, Jordan Brick, Gavin Dooley, Padraig Boyle, Michael Slattery. (Subs) Jordan Conway for A Segal, 33mins; Oisín Maunsell for G Dooley, 40mins; Ivan Conway for J Brick, 47mins; Liam Og O'Connor for M Slattery, 55mins; Daniel Casey for J Diggins (blood sub), 62-66mins.
Referee: Matthew Farrell,