Lethal Derry book Final spot

Ulster GAA Football Championship Semi-Final
Armagh 1-11 Derry 3-14

Passion and good, quick play headed by Derry’s Eoin Bradley and Conleth Gilligan proved to be too much for many people’s favourites Armagh at Clones.

Goals from Mark Lynch, Bradley and Gilligan as well as new tactics from manager John Brennan was vital in the Oak Leaf men earning the victory. Only two weeks ago question marks were hanging over Derry’s victory against Fermanagh but today’s performance shows just how good they can be.

They were lethal in front of the Armagh goal with Bradley, Gilligan and Enda Muldoon given so much room to cause havoc in. But at the other end they were very effective in stopping the supply into Jamie Clarke and Stevie McDonnell, which lead to Paddy O’Rourke’s men never leading throughout the 70 minutes.

But the opening 15 minutes saw a good compelling game of football with end-to-end scoring. Bradley was on hand to kick two frees for Derry while McDonnell and Aaron Kernan levelled things up.

Derry managed to but some daylight between themselves and Armagh with points from Gilligan and two from Bradley, the second the second of which was an absolute monster of a point from all from 45 yards out.

The move of the match resulted in the opening goal of the game with half an hour gone. Mark Lynch picked up the ball just inside the Armagh half on the left hand side of the pitch. Fine interchanging play between Seán Leo McGoldrick and Michael Bateson freed up space for Lynch to run into and he blasted past Paul Hearty in goal.

It nearly got better for Brennan’s men only seconds later. A long ball was pumped into the danger area and Gilligan latched on to a shot but Hearty managed to scramble this effort away from the goal.

That goal seemed to compose Derry and Lynch got his second point of the game to send his team in at the break 1-8 to 0-6 ahead. Paddy O’Rourke needed a way of getting good early ball into the full-forward line and to stop the Oak Leafers’ dominance in the middle of the park.

Whatever was said at half time seemed to do the trick. Just 15 seconds after the restart Armagh got the goal they so desperately need. A fine pass from Billy Joe Padden put through Michael O’Rourke and he stormed down the centre of the field to blast his effort into the Derry net leaving Danny Devlin with no chance.

But that was as good as it got for the Orchard County. Gilligan clocked up a further two points for his side before Derry looked in complete control. Bradley, a thorn in Armagh’s side all afternoon, skipped in behind Andy Mallon to pick up James Kielt’s pass and blast to the net on 57 minutes to send the his team on their way.

Armagh did not give up, however. Two points from McDonnell and a fine point from midfielder Charlie Vernon narrowed the gap to just six points.

But the game was well and truly over when Gilligan was on hand to claim Derry’s third goal of the game. A contender for man of the match, Mark Lynch fed a fantastic ball into the path of the corner-forward and he gave Hearty no chance between the posts.

The high intensity of the game had now passed and Brennan’s men managed to clock up a few late scores in the remaining minutes which saw them safely through to the Ulster GAA Football Championship final.

For Armagh, maybe too much was read into their victory over All-Ireland finalists Down and now they must prepare for life in All-Ireland Football Qualifiers.

Armagh Scorers: S McDonnell 0-6 (0-3f, 1 ’45), M O’Rourke (1-1), J Clarke (0-1), A Kernan (0-1), P Duffy (0-1), C Vernon (0-1).

Derry Scorers: E Bradley (1-5, 0-2f), C Gilligan (1-5 (0-5f), M Lynch (1-2), SL McGoldrick (0-1), C Kielt (0-1)

Armagh: P Hearty, A Mallon, B Donaghy, K Dyas, A Kernan, C McKeever, V Martin, K Toner, C Vernon, T Kernan, BJ Padden, M Mackin, M O’Rourke, S McDonnell 0-6, J Clarke. Subs: J Lavery for Martin, P Duffy for Dyas, D McKenna for Padden, B Mallon for O’Rourke, J Murtagh for T Kernan.

Derry: D Devlin, SL McGoldrick, K McGuckin, D McBride, B Og McAlary, C Kielt, M Bateson, J Diver, M Friel, M Lynch, J Kielt, B McGoldrick, E Muldoon, E Bradley, C Gilligan. Subs: C Mullan for McAlarey, C O’Boyle for Muldoon, E McGuckin for Bradley, C McGoldrick for Lynch

Referee: D Coldrick (Meath).