Derry Masters off to winning start in Armagh - but only just!

Derry masters produced a barnstorming finish to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat in their opening league fixture away to Armagh.

Derry trailed by two at half-time, and found themselves 2-9 to 0-11 behind by the 55th minute. But the Oakleaf men dug deep to hit an unanswered 2-1 in the last five minutes to finally stretch their necks over the line. Raymond Wilkinson’s 56th minute penalty and Marty McGuiness’s 58th minute goal proved the key scores for Derry’s come from behind win.

Despite missing a number of influential players from last year’s All Ireland Intermediate winning team – Paddy Bradley, Paul Cartin, Brian Mullan and the McFlynn brothers – the Oakleafers arrived at Pearse Óg Park in good shape. Recent friendly wins, sound off-season recruitment, and a number of lung bursting training sessions all banked saw Derry travel in confident mood. And when Jimmy O’Connor split the posts in Derry’s first attack the omens were forboding for an Armagh side that had struggled last season.

Indeed, further points from Ciaran McIvor, and debutant Wilkinson, care of a Darren Conway defence-splitting pass, handed the favourites an early 0-3 to 0-1 lead. But after that Armagh – feisty and well-conditioned throughout – dominated the scoreboard for the next 10 minutes to score 1-3 without reply and lead 1-4 to 0-3 after 20 minutes of relentless hot sunshine.

A second from O’Connor point and a brace from Joe Gray reduced Derry’s deficit before a late Armagh free handed the hosts a 1-5 to 0-6 lead at the break.

The half-time message from the Derry management team – Honda Mullan, Sig Doherty and Enda O’Hagan – was not to panic, to keep

working the scoreboard and believe.

A ‘one-two’ with Emmet McGilloway created a Gavin Diamond score soon after the restart and a lovely curling Wilkinson free brought the two well match sides together at 1-5 to 0-8. Indeed Diamond produced a magnificent ‘Man of the Match’ second half display, along with new captain Kevin McGuckin, driving his team mates on from in and around the middle third.

Armagh, however, took control of the third quarter to hit four of the next six scores including their second goal of the contest. Trailing by three, and having lost the influential Joe Gray (0-2) and Darren Conway to early game injury, Derry’s day took another blow when the home side were awarded a 49th minute penalty. An outstanding save from Brian Scullion, diving low to deny a well struck spot kick, spectacularly saved Derry’s blushes.

The big, beautiful Bellaghy shotstopper’s heroics brought added belief to a Derry team that was struggling to find their best form. Indeed, the Derry defence manned by Irish International Rules winner, Aidy Deery, Jack Joe Bigmore, Eddie McLaughlin, Conor Doonan and the outstanding Philip Mooney on debut, finally shut the in-form Orchard attackers down to keep them, crucially, scoreless for the last 10 minutes. Mooney would later seen eating protein balls all the way back to Swatragh after the game.

Derry still had a 2-9 to 0-11 deficit to bridge with the last sands on the time clock rapidly trickling away. Sloppy at times throughout, well-conditioned Derry had plenty of juice coming into the home straight, and continued to battle their way back into contention. A 57th minute penalty, no more than Derry deserved, offered the Oakleafers the lifeline they craved. And when Wilkinson coolly slotted the ball home the late, late show was on.

Ballinderry ace ‘Crook’, with 1-3 to his name, was in imperious form in his first outing for Derry masters and Marty McGuinness was just as good. The Faughanvale man matched that 1-3 personal tally, including a 58 th minute goal which grabbed Derry a two point lead. McGuinness burst through on goal and rocketed the ball into the top right hand corner of the Armagh net.

The ‘Vale clubman then followed his match-winning goal with a third point to complete the day’s scoring and Derry’s dramatic come-back win.

Derry: Brian Scullion, Conor Doonan, Aidy Deery, Philip Mooney, Marty McGuinness (1-3, 2f), Gerard O’Kane, Jack Joe Bigmore, Kevin McGuckin, Ciaran McIvor (0-1), Joe Gray (0-2, 1f), Jimmy O’Connor (0-2), Donal Brolly, Raymond Wilkinson (1-3, 1f, 1m), Gavin Diamond (0-1), Darren Conway. (Subs) Emmet McGilloway, Eddie McLaughlin, Kevin Cosgrove, James McNicholl, Ricky Clarence, Liam McElhone, Owen Murray, Gary Cunningham