GAA: Derry Masters edge Antrim to return to All Ireland final

As the contrasting driving rain and warm sunshine fought for supremacy over the Swatragh skies, Derry were trailing by a point as the game entered stoppage time, but a crucial Marty Donaghy point levelled matters and took us to extra-time.

The Oakleaf men finally found something like top gear during the extra period, hitting six of the last seven points in 10 minutes to finally sweep aside Antrim’s stubborn challenge. And it was no more than the reigning champions deserved, with a final appearance against Cork now on the near horizon.

Playing into a partisan head breeze, the home side ran in a point to the good leading 0-6 to 0-5 at half-time. Gavin Diamond, rolling back the years, opened the scoring before a textbook outside of the boot Ciaran Mullan special handed the Oakleafers an early advantage.

Antrim, who were well worth their league victory over Derry earlier in the season, returned fired to lead 0-3 to 0-2 after 10 minutes.

Derry, sloppy in the final third, finally took some measure of control and hit three in a row. Raymond Wilkinson – a livewire all contest – levelled matters with a neat score. Ryan O’Kane, with a long kick pass assist from skipper Kevin McGuckin, handed Derry the lead again before Diamond put Derry two up with a classy finish from a difficult angle.

The Saffrons responded again to level matters at 0-5, before ‘Crook’ Wilkinson edged Derry one ahead at the interval

The visitors equalised soon after the resumption before Derry took a two point lead through Gerard O’Kane, assisted by Paul Cartin, and a trademark Jimmy O’Connor run and point.

‘Carty’ was at bustling best on Saturday afternoon, bursting through heavily manned Antrim tackles like many’s a Banagher man trying to break into the Klondyke Bar before last orders back in the day. Cartin, along with ‘Man of the Match’ Eugene ‘Cookie’

Scullion, bossed midfield from start to finish. Scullion was the Rolls Royce in a field of Ford Capris!

However, a 40th minute Antrim goal snatched the lead from Derry who now trailed 1-7 to 0-8, but the introduction of the elusive Marty Donaghy would prove to be a pivotal moment in this contest.

‘Nugget’ and ‘Crook’ played important build up work for Gavin Diamond’s 48th minute brilliant goal. Donaghy then pointed to put Derry two up at 1-9 to 1-7.

But Antrim still harboured thoughts of victory, and three in a row once again tipped the momentum in favour of the travelling side who led 1-10 to 1-9 as the game slipped into injury-time. Indeed Derry can thank their powerfully goalkeeper Pearse McCallan for one outstanding save to deny a game-winning goal late in the day. Mr McCallan would later, quite rightly, feast on the post-match chicken nuggets like Henry XIII eyeing up a new bride in a room full of Tudor ladies.

With the All Ireland Shield slipping through their fingers and playing with just 14 men after the dismissal of the combative Ciaran McIvor, Derry attacked one last time. And it was very much cometh the hour, cometh the man as Donaghy converted an equalising free to dramatically take the tie into extra-time.

Derry were brilliant in extra-time, and played with a rediscovered surety and sleekness they had missed for most of this arm wrestle. Four points in a row all but nailed the Antrim coffin closed. ‘Nugget’ Donaghy, again, followed by points from Rory O’Reilly, Jimmy O’Connor and Joe Gray put Derry four up.

At the back Derry were formidable, and much improved from that earlier chastening experience against Antrim. International Rules player, Aidy Deery, was his usual immaculate self, with Eddie ‘safe hands’ McLaughlin producing another performance of real confidence in his debut season.

Drum’s Donal Brolly and vice-captain Brian Mullan, rattling along with a dozen Ibuprofen to dull the pain, battled through a mountain of work. (“I’ll need a lock of oil on the wheelchair tomorrow morning!” ‘Tiddles’ later quipped.)

‘Sam’ O’Reilly really should have scored a second goal for Derry when he speedily burst through on goal late on only to see his rasping shot canon off the Davitt Park crossbar.

But two final points from Stephen McGuigan, who landed a dinger and made it look like child’s play, and another Raymond Wilkinson clinker confirmed the Oakleaf victory.

Derry scorers: Gavin Diamond 1-2, Marty Donaghy 0-3 (2f), Raymond Wilkinson 0-2, Jimmy O’Connor 0-2, Stephen McGuigan 0-1, Eugene Scullion 0-1, Joe Gray 0-1, Ciaran Mullan 0-1, Ryan O’Kane 0-1, Gerard O’Kane 0-1, Rory O’Reilly 0-1

Derry: Pearse McCallan, Aidy Deery, Kevin McGuckin (C), Eddie McLaughlin, Gerard O’Kane, Brian Mullan, Donal Brolly, Paul Cartin, Eugene Scullion, Jimmy O’Connor, Ciaran Mullan, Gavin Diamond, Ryan O’Kane, Ciaran McIvor, Raymond Wilkinson. (Subs) Rory O’Reilly, Marty Donaghy, Joe Gray, Stephen McGuigan, Marty McGuinness, James McNicholl, Jack Joe Bigmore, Kieran O’Kane, Eunan Murphy, Gareth Murphy, Emmet McGilloway, Ricky Clarence, Liam McElhone, Kevin Donnelly, Seamus O’Kane