Derry are kings of Ulster once more as penalty drama defeats Armagh in Clones
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Where do you begin?
Well, in the words of Derry captain Conor Glass as he raised the Anglo Celt Cup aloft before a sea of adoring red and white, "Back to back, baby!"
Forty seven years after the Oak Leaf county won successive Ulster titles Derry's new heroes secured another page in what is becoming a silver laden chapter in Oak Leaf football. And what a way to do. In a game that had everything, this one had even more as Derry became the first county to win a provincial final on penalties. Even then, Hollywood appeared to have drafted the script as Ciaran McFaul stepped forward to despatch the winning spot-kick after Odhran Lynch had produced two breath-taking penalty saves to deny Aidan Nugent and Ethan Rafferty. But more of that later!
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Hide AdFirst there was the story of how we reached penalties as Derry looked to have won, then lost, then won it again before Rian O'Neill's 91st MINUTE brought the teams level at the end of a spectacle that will long be remembered by the 28,700 strong crowd in St. Tiernach's Park.
It was control versus chaos with Derry's experience of 12 months ago against Donegal crucial as they scrambled their way into extra time with Brendan Rogers on a black card before having to fight back from two down with four minutes of extra-time left. It was then that Shane McGuigan took control. First he won a free which Niall Toner slotted over before retreating to halfway to win the subsequent kick-out, get fouled again and send a remarkable 50m free between the posts to level.
Step forward Lachlan Murray to seemingly fist Derry to the title. Not so! With 90 plus minutes on the clock, Stefan Campebll surged forward in Armagh's last attack before going down. Free Armagh. Up steps Rian O'Neill and we had the history making penalties. McGuigan, Glass and that McFaul winner found the net for the champions with Callum Cumiskey the only Armagh man to score as Rian O'Neill, Nugent and Rafferty all saw their efforts saved by an inspired Lynch.
That McFaul penalty was the cue for scenes that probably surpassed last year's as a tsunami of red and white washed over the pitch, reminding everyone who needed it why the Ulster Championship is unique, new All Ireland structure or not.
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Hide AdThe opening half seemed almost a lifetime away by that stage but Derry owned possession for much of the first 35 minutes and probably should have been further ahead than their one point advantage.
Brendan Rogers was the half's dominant figure, punching Derry's opening goal on eight minutes and firing over two excellent scores. The Oak Leafers should have had another major when Niall Loughlin did brilliantly to punch a high shot goalwards from the back post but, with the ball rolling agonisingly across the vacant goalmouth, Benny Heron was inches away from applying the finishing touch.
Derry’s clever movement and positioning inside was creating plenty of chances and it was only when Armagh decided to push up hard on Odhran Lynch's kick-out that the Orchard County began to unsettle the holders.
Shane McGuigan's fisted 21st minute point had put Derry 1-04 to 0-4 up and in control but one lost kick-out changed the temperature. After nine uncontested restarts, Lynch was suddenly bereft of options and his long kick was plucked out of the air by Jarly Og Burns, the ball switched to O'Neill for what was Armagh's first score from play. Armagh pressed again, Lynch hesitated and referee David Gough responded to the Orchard calls of 'how long?' by awarding the hop ball which inevitability led to a free which Rory Grugan tapped over.
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Hide AdAn excellent Eoin McEvoy block ensured Armagh wouldn't close the gap further before Gareth McKinless became the third Derry scorer of the half. Rian O'Neill answered that with a lovely 45m effort leaving the game perfectly poised at 1-05 to 0-07 as the break.
Within 19 seconds of the restart Niall Loughlin had stretched the Derry lead but it was a more aggressive, attack minded Armagh that emerged as the capacity crowd were treated to a tit for tat half that looked Derry's until the closing seconds. Five times Derry stretched the lead to two points and were the width of a post away from making it three when Rogers fisted an effort off the post. Yet for all Derry's control, Armagh responded every time as they entered injury time only one down. Even then, Derry looked the more composed but eventually the chaos Armagh had been seeking broke out.
An ill judged Paul Cassidy effort drifted wide as the sides went into five added minutes. Grugan appeared to have blown Armagh's best chance but as Derry broke, substitute Padraig Cassidy's pass was intercepted by Ross McQuillan who looked in on goal. Rogers responded the only way he could but his drag on the Armagh man meant a black card.
Amid the chaos there was still time for Grugan to win with a potentially match winning mark. Again he was short and the sides headed into extra time with Derry a man short for all but two or them.
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Hide AdThe first half of extra time was Derry game management and it looked to have worked a treat when McGuigan's free cancelled out Ross McQuillan's point which put Armagh in the lead for the first time in the final, but Armagh had the last say when Karly Og Burns opted for the safety of a fisted point when the possibility of a goal was opening up.
The second period of extra time was like Hollywood stuff and Shane McGuigan was the star. Armagh looked to have won then, then Derry thanks to McGuigan. O'Neil's equalising free brought a noise that could have crumbled nearby buildings but it would be Derry roaring by the end. What a game!