Ulster U20 Football Championship final: Derry 2-15 Armagh 0-14
THE story heading into yesterday’s inaugural Ulster U20 final between Armagh and Derry certainly centred around the Orchard suspensions, but by the close of play it was the Cassidys who were stealing the headlines.
Starter Declan and substitute Brian, no relation, had telling contributions as the Oakleaf county won 2-15 to 0-14 to lift the Danny Murphy Cup and secure an All-Ireland semi-final date with Mayo.
Bellaghy’s Declan rightly collected the Man of the Match award but it was Slaughtneil’s Brian who had the most telling say on proceedings as he produced a match-winning 2-2 tally following his introduction 18 minutes from time.
‘Vindication’ was the buzz-word for Derry boss Mickey Donnelly who felt that the entire set-up had been on the end of some unfair abuse – no doubt hinting at the eyebrows that were raised by some when he was handed the role at the start of the season.
“They’ve taken a hell of a lot of flak,” the Tyrone native said of his players.
Donnelly, who is enjoying a season to remember after helping to guide St Ronan’s to Hogan Cup glory in April, was also full of praise for the performances of substitute Brian Cassidy.
“Someone said about Brian Cassidy ‘was that a move to bring Cass on?’
“Brian has been hurling all year. He was with Slaughtneil, he played in two All-Ireland Club semi-finals.
“He’s a very talented lad there’s no doubt about that. We were just glad to have him.”
The manager also admitted that the suspension drama surrounding the opposition was a distraction for the Derry camp.
“It was surely,” he said. “Trying to come in here and say ‘ah the focus was on us all week’….
“At this level you have full-time data analysts looking at matches and focusing on kick-outs, breaking ball, different styles of play.
“Whenever you don’t know who is going to take the field it’s very, very difficult.”
Seven points may have separated the sides at the end, but it was only after Cassidy’s inspired substitution that the game was put to bed.
As expected, eight of Armagh’s suspended 10 were available for selection, and one of those, Ross McQuillan, opened the scoring with Rian O’Neill doubling their tally two minutes later.
Derry had plenty of ball in the opening skirmishes but it took until the eighth minute for them to get off the mark when the influential Lorcan McWilliams won and converted a free.
He repeated the dose seconds after Armagh’s Conor Turbitt had a shot brilliantly cleared off the line by Eoghan Concannon before O’Neill put the Orchard county back in front with a converted ‘45’.
Declan Cassidy then grabbed his first of the day but it was bettered by Armagh defender Conor O’Neill who ran half the pitch and split the posts.
McWilliams, from another free, drew Derry level and Declan Cassidy put them ahead for the first time with a stunning effort in the 16th minute – a lead they wouldn’t relinquish.
Ben McCarron and Jason Duffy traded scores before a great Derry team move saw Lorcan McWilliams palm towards goal only for a couple of Orchard defenders to somehow clear off the line.
Duffy whistled a shot just wide of Oran Hartin’s post before Declan Cassidy and Conor Doherty pushed Derry 0-8 to 0-5 ahead as the half drew to a close.
There was still time for Duffy to leave two points in it at the break.
After a rip-roaring opening 30 minutes, the second half was a much more sedate affair but it remained tight.
A point still separated the sides by the time Brian Cassidy came into the field, Oisin McWilliams, Declan Cassidy, Lorcan McWilliams on target for Derry and McQuillan (2), Conor O’Neill (free) and Rian O’Neill raising white flags for Peter McDonnell’s men.
From there on in Derry made their charge. A close-in Lorcan McWilliams free put them two ahead before Brian Cassidy grabbed the first of two goals with a composed finish past Callan Duffin.
Armagh needed an instant response and a long-range Rian O’Neill free left them 1-12 to 0-11 behind with 11 minutes left, and McQuillan ate away at that deficit further following a fine team move.
That was as close as they would get though as Brian Cassidy went on a 1-2 scoring splurge with the goal coming after the brilliant Callum Brown gathered possession when under immense pressure.
Declan Cassidy tagged on another point before Justin Kiernan and McQuillan tagged on consolation scores for Armagh.
“It was what it was,” was McDonnell’s response when asked did the suspensions and subsequent hearings make their build-up difficult.
“We tried to make the most of it, we didn’t know who we were going to have or who we weren’t going to have but listen, I think at the end of the day we were beaten by a stronger Derry team.”
Armagh: C Duffin; J McAlinden, B McCambridge, D Loye; C McGeary, Conor O’Neill (0-2, 0-1f), S McCarthy; R McQuillan (0-5), Callum O’Neill; J Duffy (0-2), C Turbitt, M Carr; R Magennis, J Murphy, R O’Neill (0-4, 0-1f, 0-1 ‘45’).
Subs: R Garvey for Carr (ht), J Kiernan (0-1) for Murphy (42), Niall Magennis for R Magennis (44), K McAlinden for Turbitt (50), Darren Luckie for J McAlinden (52),
Derry: O Hartin; S McKeever, D Rafferty, C McShane; E Concannon, C McCluskey, P McGrogan; C Brown, O McWilliams (0-1); C Doherty (0-1), S Downey, B McCarron (0-1); M McGrogan, L McWilliams (0-5, 0-4fs), D Cassidy (0-5).
Subs: B Cassidy (2-2) for M McGrogan (42), M Bradley for McCarron (44, black card), J McAtamney for L McWilliams (56), H McGurk for D Cassidy (33)
Referee: S Laverty (Antrim)
