Allianz Hurling League Division 3A: Derry 1-15 Armagh 2-18
Provincial pride, the first points of the season, and most importantly, a sure-footed step away from the Allianz Hurling League Division 3A trap door was the prize on offer at sun soaked Celtic Park yesterday.
And when the full-time whistle sounded it was Armagh who would walk away with the spoils, running out convincing six-point winners in this Division 2B ‘four pointer’.
“We were fierce nervous today because we needed to get a result,” explained Orchard boss Paddy Kelly after his side's inaugural league win.
“When we were on top we were very good, but we only played in patches. In fairness to Derry they kept going. I think we’ll push on from here after this win under our belt.”
A powerful end to a nip-and-tuck first half saw the visitors eke out a seven-point lead at the break.
There was little to separate the two protagonists in the opening quarter until Eoin McGuinness drew first blood for Armagh taking advantage of some ileffectual Derry defending to slip the ball past Michael Kirkpatrick.
David Carvill’s follow up free stretched the Armagh lead to 1-6 to 0-4 before Derry responded with a goal of their own.
Liam Murphy skipped his way into the opposition goal zone before finding himself unceremoniously emptied by a combination of goalkeeper and defenders.
Goalkeeper Kirk stepped up to thunder the penalty only to see his rasping effort wonderfully saved by his opposite number Simon Doherty.
Fortunately for Derry their captain, Oisin McCloskey, was on hand to tap in the rebound to leave it a two point contest with seven minutes until the interval.
The Orchard men took full advantage of that short time frame to pull away from their hosts with free-taker Carvill, and David McCreesh with a late half goal, executing most of the damage to leave it 2-9 to 1-5 after the opening 35 minutes.
Both relegation-threatened sides battled for supremacy throughout a feisty second half which saw first Derry’s Cormac McKenna and then Armagh’s Nathan Green sent off.
But Paddy Kelly’s side always appeared to have that little bit more in the tank and held the valiant but limited threat from the hosts at bay.
Kelly pinpointed his side’s defensive resoluteness throughout the game as perhaps key to their opening league victory.
“Absolutely,” he agreed. “Our defence was good and it hasn’t been all year.
“We’ve been making mistakes. We’ve had different formations, different lads in and out but this is the first time we’ve had a settled set of experienced backs.
“If we can get a win against Donegal they we’ll maybe avoid that relegation play-off and we can get a win then maybe we can push on for the Christy Ring.”
Armagh: Simon Doherty, Ciaran Clifford, Artie McGuinness, David Bridges, Paul Gaffney, Nathan Curry (0-2f), Tiarnan Nevin, John Corvan (0-2), Dylan McKenna, Nathan Green (0-1), Stevie Renaghan (0-2), David Carvill (0-8, 0-7f), Cathal Carville, Eoin McGuinness (1-1), David McCreesh (1-0)
Subs: Conor McAnallen (0-1) for D McKenna (15), Barry Short (0-1) for N Green (66)
Derry: Michael Kirkpatrick, Eoin Gilmore, Seamus Higgins, Darragh McCloskey, Naoise Waldron, Cormac McKenna, Ciaran Steele, Jack Phelan (0-1), Paul Cleary, Alan Grant (0-5, 0-4f), Mark McGuigan (0-1), John Mullan (0-1), Gerald Bradley (0-1f), Oisin McCloskey (1-1), Liam Murphy (0-2)
Subs: Niall Farren for C McKenna (25), Darragh Cartin (0-2, 0-1f) for S Higgins (HT), Cormac McKenna for N Waldron (HT), N Waldron for J Mullan (48), Colm Murphy (0-1) for M McGuigan (60)
Referee: James Connors (Donegal)
