Hurling & Camogie

Derry beat Armagh for Nicky Rackard Cup title, while Liam Watson fires Warwickshire to Lory Meagher Cup glory

Derry captain Oisin McCloskey lifts the Nicky Rackard Cup after Saturday's final win over Armagh at Croke Park. Picture by Philip Walsh 
Derry captain Oisin McCloskey lifts the Nicky Rackard Cup after Saturday's final win over Armagh at Croke Park. Picture by Philip Walsh  Derry captain Oisin McCloskey lifts the Nicky Rackard Cup after Saturday's final win over Armagh at Croke Park. Picture by Philip Walsh 

Nicky Rackard Cup final: Armagh 2-15 Derry 3-23

COLM McGurk hailed his home grown heroes as Derry bounced back from their 2015 Croke Park heartache to claim the Nicky Rackard Cup in some style.

Alan Grant top scored with 1-5 and struck the early goal that set Derry on their way to a convincing win with further majors from key duo Gerald Bradley and Brian Cassidy.

There were also excellent displays from Slaughtneil pair and dual players Chrissy McKaigue and Brendan Rogers.

The duo contributed three points each and corner-forward Rogers created Cassidy’s goal on the hour which killed the game.

Cian and Naoise Waldron both featured in the all-Ulster final too, three months after helping Cuala claim the AIB All-Ireland title there.

Manager McGurk noted that the pair have Derry blood in their veins and was happy that the team didn’t rely on imports compared to the Kerry team that beat the Oak Leafers in that 2015 Ring final.

“Kerry had five imported players,” said McGurk. “The two players we have, their parents have now built a new home in the Loup, the Waldrons’ mother is from the Loup. 

“The father has started a new hurling club called St Finbarr’s so they’ve really bought into the ethos of living in the county. 

“Okay, the two fellas teach in Dublin but they’re up every weekend and they’re fully part of the squad. They’ve really played a full part in the set-up.”

Armagh led briefly early on but five Derry points without reply between the 17th and 27th minutes put them into a lead they wouldn’t relinquish.

Derry led 1-9 to 0-6 at half-time and powered through Armagh in the second-half with McKaigue and Rogers coming into their own in this period.

The pair claimed Ulster club titles in both codes and played for Derry in the recent Ulster SFC clash with Tyrone.

“Christopher is a serious athlete and Brendan has a magnificent turn of pace,” said ex-Derry dual star McGurk. 

“They’ve basically trained one night a week, did about five sessions in total.

“We worked with club sides, with the Slaughtneil footballers and hurlers, with Cuala, and with the university sides to give them some breathing space.

“I didn’t see why we wouldn’t give the county footballers that same bit of breathing space and we just used them as leniently as possible.

“The final itself was a different matter. We needed them on the pitch for 70 and we got that. We always knew that if we were facing Armagh in the final, that they would be the most difficult challenge in the competition.”

Derry always looked a cut above their outclassed opponents who have now slipped to three consecutive final defeats, though unlike in 2015 and 2016 they were comprehensively beaten.

Goalscorers Bradley and Cassidy were excellent for Derry and Ruairi Convery drew on his experience to steer them home with four second half points.

“If Derry were playing Antrim in the Christy Ring final, my money would be on Derry,” said Armagh manager Sylvester McConnell. 

“They’re a physically strong side, they’ve got plenty of hurling in them. They probably got the wee breaks of the ball that we needed as well, we needed every player playing at the very top of his game and sometimes that’s not easy to get. But we came to give it one hell of a go and we’re very proud of the boys.”

Ryan Gaffney fired two goals for Armagh in the final 15 minutes but Derry were well in control at that stage.

“That’s their third run at it, I’m sure Armagh will be back,” said McGurk. “They’ve got a small crop of teams as well, there’s maybe less in Armagh than there is in Derry.”

Looking ahead, McGurk added: “The big issue is the availability of the football players that are playing dual codes.

“We’d hope to pick up a few U21s as well, to deep the panel. We’d like to get a bit more quality in.”

Armagh: S Doherty; C Clifford, A McGuinness, T Nevin; J Corvan, P Gaffney, C Devlin; N Curry (0-1), O Curry; D McKenna, E McGuinness (0-2), C Corvan (0-1); D Carvill (0-7, 0-6 frees), R Gaffney (2-0), C Carvill (0-3).

Subs: F Bradley for McKenna (30), D Magee for A McGuinness (h-t), D Gaffney (0-1) for E McGuinness (60), D Bridges for Devlin (62), C Gorman for C Corvan (70).

Derry: D McDermott; P Turner, S Cassidy, D McCloskey; P Cleary, O McCloskey, L Og Hinphey; C McAllister, C McKaigue (0-3); A Grant (1-5, 0-4 frees), M McGrath, G Bradley (1-3); B Rogers (0-3), B Cassidy (1-4), C Waldron.

Subs: K Hinphey for McAllister (23), N Waldron for Turner (h-t), C Doherty (0-1) for C Waldron (46), R Convery (0-4, 3f) for Grant (47), B Og McGilligan for Cleary (60).

Blood sub: K Hinphey for Grant (12-13),

Referee: S Hynes (Galway)

Lory Meagher Cup final: Leitrim 0-11 Warwickshire 0-17

LIAM Watson described Croke Park as his “playground” after another scoring masterclass that stole the silverware at GAA Headquarters.

Five years on from his remarkable 3-7 for Loughgiel in the All-Ireland club final, the ex-Antrim attacker drilled 11 points from frees for Warwickshire in their Lory Meagher Cup final win.

Now based in Coventry, the 34-year-old sensed his adopted team were in trouble at half-time when they trailed by two points and helped turn things around after the restart.

It was four converted frees from Watson – one of which he won himself and another scored from 90 metres – that put Warwickshire into a winning position.

From there the side managed by Belfast man Tony Joyce didn’t look back and nine points without reply ultimately sealed their second title in four years.

Cork man Michael O’Regan impressed in Warwickshire’s defence, while ex-Clare star John Reddan was on the bench and Galway’s Paul Uniacke hit an important point.

Watson provided the star turn, though, and spent most of the game attempting to link up the play around midfield having played the opening 20 minutes at full-forward.

“It seems to be my playground and I’m very happy here,” said Watson of Croke Park. 

“To get a win here is just unbelievable. Sometimes they ask me to come out to midfield where I’ll get a bit more room and hopefully play a wee bit of decent ball into the forwards. 

“It’s worked for us all year doing that, I’m just happy that it’s worked out that way again in the biggest game.”

Leitrim: D Molloy; V McDermott, D Carton, K McGrath; E Moreton, C Byrne, C Cunniffe; L Moreton, J Glancy (0-1); K McDermott, C Moreton (0-1), D McGovern; C O’Donovan (0-2), P O’Donnell (0-6 frees), Z Moradi (0-1). Subs: M Quinn for K McDermott (51), G O’Hagan for L Moreton (53).

Warwickshire: M Cremin; M O’Regan, D Bruen, T Kelly; J Collins, W Allen, D Kennedy (0-1); K Boxwell, P Uniacke (0-1); S Caulfield (0-2), C Robbins, I Dwyer (0-1); E McCabe, L Watson (0-11 frees), K Magee. Subs: C McBride for McCabe (52), S Hennessy for Magee (68), J Meagher for Boxwell (70), P Crehan for Dwyer (72), C Convery for Uniacke (73). Blood sub: C McBride (0-1) for Collins (30-31).

Referee: J Connors (Donegal).