Pádraic Joyce and Paddy Tally had mixed emotions after an All-Ireland group stage clash that swung one way, and then the other, before ultimately ending in a draw.
Derry upped their performance from last week's defeat to Armagh and looked like they were going to hold on to win the game before Matthew Tierney fired home a late goal for Galway.
The Tribesmen then conceded the last score of the game - like they had against Dublin last time out - and had to settle for a share of the spoils.
The Oak Leaf County led by eight with just over 20 minutes to play but, with their season one the line, Galway found a way.
Instead of being out, they now face a clash with Armagh, who have already qualified for the quarter-finals, in a repeat of last year's All-Ireland final knowing that their fate is in their own hands.
"Relieved to get out of there with a point the way we played," manager Joyce told RTÉ Sport afterwards.
"Obviously being six points down with six minutes to go, we just showed good character to stick at it. A bit of Hail Mary stuff, but look, delighted to still be in it, involved in it.
"We take a point and it gives us something to play for in the last game, but overall wouldn't be happy with our performance at all.
"We seemed to panic a bit in the second half there. A lot of wild shots; someone's just said there we had 16 misses at the goal. So look, we need to look at that."
Moving one ahead it looked as if Galway were going to win the game, but Derry weren't to be denied.
It was something which particularly frustrated Joyce, with its echoes of the loss to the Dubs on day one.
"The way the game has gone, you never have enough done," he added.
"Eight points down it was looking very bleak for us, no doubt about that. But we clawed it back and then we were a point up again.
"Just like Dublin the last time we didn't learn to force the kick out - to press it - and then we let them in for a soft score at the back end to level the game.
"At that time, you take the point at that stage [with] the performance we put in. It wasn't enough to win the game, to be honest, and fair play to Derry.
"They brought a lot of fight to the game and that's what a proper championship game is like.
"We need to win the game [against Armagh]. We have two weeks now to dust ourselves down and get ourselves ready, work on a few things and away we go."
Derry will hope Armagh do them a favour against Galway, but they know that a win against Dublin would guarantee them a place in the knockout stages.
While it leaves them in the same boat as the Tribesmen - with their destiny in their own hands - manager Paddy Tally felt they should have taken more from today's game at Celtic Park.
"In one way I feel really disappointed we didn't win the game," was Tally's summation.
"But geez, we played really well today. The last goal, a scramble goal... definitely one that got away.
"We shouldn't be losing that lead. Galway asserted themselves in the middle of the field. They got the run on us and they got a few handy scores.
"I thought for a few of their scores we hadn't an awful lot of pressure on them so we'll have to look at that. But that was disappointing, we should be closing the game out."
Pushed on whether his side had failed to manage the game with such a big lead, Tally added: "That was a crazy game. Kickouts were going long around the middle.
"There was a lot about who could just get the hands on the ball it looked at times that we were going to get away and get scores and then somebody would fumble a ball.
"It was difficult conditions out there as well. Both teams served up a real good spectacle, as such, but it doesn't take away from the disappointment. Eight up, you should see that game out.
"It doesn't change things. We were always going to have to go to the last game after losing the first match. We had to go and get something out of the last two matches.
"It's in our own hands, we have a chance. We've got to beat Dublin in the last game."
