By Clem Ryan
Derry corner-forward Colin Devlin is the hero of Foyleside following his injury-time winning point to dump Armagh out of the qualifiers – a scenario that looked most unlikely for most of the second half of this match.
In front of 16,496 spectators, Derry opened with a Paddy Bradley free after seven minutes, followed two minutes later by a point by Devlin.
It took Armagh 10 minutes to score, with a fine long-range point by Oisin McConville opening their account.
Sixteen minutes had elapsed when Paul Murphy, who started instead of Enda Muldoon, capitalised on some loose Armagh defending to kick a good 30 metre point, while Barry McGoldrick, who had started for Joe Diver, made it 0-04 to 0-01 for Derry after 20 minutes.
One minute later, Steven McDonnell had Armagh’s second score to reduce the margin to two points.
Derry continued to pressure every Armagh possession, win plenty of ball and were trying to work quick ball to their inside-forwards. However, the quality of these deliveries was often sub-standard.
Diarmuid Marsden reduced the margin to one point with a fine running score after 25 minutes.
Nine minutes passed before the next score when James Conway set up Mark Lynch for a good point– Derry’s first score for 14 minutes.
Armagh launched a couple of attacks before Steven McDonnell notched his second point in injury-time. Derry responded immediately with Paddy Bradley scoring his second point a minute later to send Derry in deservedly leading by 0-06 to 0-04 at half-time.
Armagh re-opened with increased intensity and cracked over four unanswered points: two from Steven McDonnell, and one apiece from Stephen Kernan and Oisin McConville to lead by 0-08 to 0-06 after 47 minutes.
Amazingly they would add only one more point for the rest of the match.
Derry finally scored after 50 minutes when Paddy Bradley pointed a 43 metre free.
Kernan and Bradley then swapped points to keep Derry within one point with 55 minutes gone.
The quality of football wasn’t great, with few passages, if any, of sustained play.
Bradley brought them level again at 0-09 each with another fine 40 metre free with just five minutes left.
Both sides then missed opportunities before two minutes into injury-time, corner-forward Devlin pointed from an acute angle to push Derry in front.
They had completely overturned the form book and possibly ended one of the great management careers of modern times.
Whatever about Joe Kernan’s future, Paddy Crozier immediately called his players into a circle to warn against over-celebration. With Mayo up next in the qualifiers, that’s wise advice.
Armagh: Paul Hearty, Enda McNulty, Brendan Donaghy, Andy Mallon, Aaron Kernana, Kieran McGeeney, Ciaran Mckeever, Kieran Toner, Paul McGrane, Paddy McKeever, Stephen Kernan, Martin O’Rourke, Steven McDonnell, Diarmuid Marsden, Oisin McConville
Subs used: Kevin Dyas for Ciarán McKeever (h.t.); James Lavery for Kieran Toner (39mins); Paul Keenan for Paddy McKeever (59mins)
Derry: Shane O’Kane, Michael McGoldrick, Kevin McCloy, Gerard O’Kane, Liam Hinphy, Sean M. Lockhart, Francis McEldowney, Fergal Doherty, James Conway, Barry McGoldrick, Conleth Gilligan, Mark Lynch, Colin Devlin, Patrick Bradley, Paul Murphy.
Subs used: Raymond Wilkinson for Conleth Gilligan (28mins); Joe Diver for James Conway (54 mins); Joe Keenan for Liam Hinphey (60 mins);Gavin Donaghy for Mark Lynch (67mins).
