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Details

Date Time Competition Season
14 May 2023 4:00 pm Ulster SFC 2023

Match Report

Derry Edge Armagh In Ulster Thriller On Penalties

Odhran Lynch saved three penalties as Derry recorded back to back Ulster titles, in a thriller with Armagh in Clones, that went the distance as they prevailed via the dreaded spot kicks.

Brendan Rogers early goal for Derry had given them the advantage and numerous times in the game the sides were level, from the start and then at the very end of normal time when Rian O’Neill landed a free that brought the game to extra-time, then into extra time and finally as we headed to penalties.

Derry winning 3-1 on spot kicks as Shane McGuigan, Conor Glass and Ciaran McFaul all converted, but Lynch will be the hero for Derry as he made big stops to give Derry hope before his teammates followed it up.

Derry had been the better side in the opening half. Shane McGuigan and Rogers with scores. A high ball in from Paul Cassidy was fisted to the net by Rogers in the eighth minute. O’Neill and Rory Grugan kicked over points for Armagh as they trailed by one point going in at the break 1-05 to 0-07.

The second half was an entertaining affair. Twice in that half Derry were ahead by two points but couldn’t shake Armagh off. A pointed free from McGuigan in the 61st minute put two between the sides again. Rogers had a chance to extend that lead in the 66th minute but he hit the post.

Armagh cut the deficit to just one point with a ‘45 from O’Neill in the 69th minute but there was time for late drama. Rogers was shown a black card and it was up to O’Neill to draw the game.

Armagh were quick off the mark in the opening half of extra time, as Ross McQuillian pointed to put them a point ahead, it was nerve wracking, it was intense, as neither side wanted to give an inch knowing a mistake may give a score, a mistake by James Morgan as he fouled Shane McGuigan, he converted the free and the sides were level on the stroke of half time, but Jarlath Óg Burns pointed in the last act of the half, putting Armagh back in front.

Into the second half of extra time, the intensity never lifted, neither side wanting to give an inch as they looked for an Ulster title, Stefan “Soupy” Campbell kicked a massive point for a two point lead, but McGuigan replied for Derry and the drama was still alive as ever.

Tension palpable, Armagh passed around looking for space, trying to get an inch to take their scores, they passed around and up came Ethan Raferty, to take possession and boot over a crucial score for his side.

But the ending would be as dramatic as the entire contest, Niall Toner and Shane McGuigan pointed for Derry to put them level, then in added time the youngster Lachlann Murray pointed to put Derry ahead, Derry felt they had it but Murray committed a foul on Campell as he raced for goal, up stepped O’Neill and his free sent us to penalties.

O’Neill stepped up first as we entered penalties, Lynch got down well to his left to save, while McGuigan put Derry ahead going down the middle, Rafferty dove well to his right as a strong hand kept out Paul Cassidy, while Lynch would do the same as he kept out Aidan Nugent.

Captain Conor Glass made it 2-1 for Derry as he blasted to the net past Rafferty, but the Armagh keeper could not do the same, as he went to the left of the goal, but the outstretched frame of Lynch was there to save, it fell to Ciaran McFaul, score and they are champions for the second year running, he finished to the net and Derry will celebrate long into the night.

Armagh
1Ethan Rafferty Goalkeeper 54', 87'
2Conor O’Neill Defender 49'
3Aaron McKay Defender
4Aidan Forker Defender
5Ciaran Mackin 22 Midfielder 44'
6Greg McCabe Defender 13'
7Jarlath Óg Burns Defender 9', 80'
17James Morgan Defender
9Shane McPartland 24 Midfielder
18Barry McCambridge 19 Defender
10Jason Duffy Forward
12Rory Grugan 11 Forward 18', 31'
13Andrew Murnin 25 Forward
14Rian O’Neill Forward 7', 29', 35', 69', 70'
15Conor Turbitt Forward
16Shea Magill Goalkeeper
8Ben Crealey Midfielder
11Stefan Campbell 12 Forward 51', 85'
19Ross McQuillan 18 Forward 72'
20Callum Cumiskey Defender
21Ciaran Higgins Defender
22Connaire Mackin 5 Defender
23Stephen Sheridan Midfielder
24Aidan Nugent 9 Forward
25Oisin Conaty 13 Forward
26Cian McConville Midfielder

Derry
1Odhran Lynch Goalkeeper
2Christopher McKaigue Defender
3Eoin McEvoy Defender
4Conor McCluskey Defender
5Conor Doherty Defender 36'
6Gareth McKinless Defender 34'
7Padraig McGrogan 10 Defender
8Conor Glass Midfielder 53'
9Brendan Rogers Midfielder 8'
16', 22'
23Benny Heron 18
11Paul Cassidy Forward
12Ethan Doherty Forward
13Niall Toner Forward 47', 88'
14Shane McGuigan Forward 4', 28', 50', 62', 80', 85', 89'
15Niall Loughlin 20 Forward
16Ryan Scullion Goalkeeper
10Padraig Cassidy 7 Forward
17Declan Cassidy Defender
18Ciaran McFaul 23 Forward
19Shea Downey Defender
20Lachlan Murray 15 Forward 91'
21Ben McCarron Defender
22Paul McNeill Defender
24Conleth McGuckian Defender
25Mark Doherty Defender
26Niall O’Donnell Forward

Timeline

  4' Shane McGuigan
Rian O'Neill 7' 
  8' Brendan Rogers
Jarlath Óg Burns 9' 
Greg McCabe 13' 
  16' Brendan Rogers
Rory Grugan 18' 
  22' Brendan Rogers
  28' Shane McGuigan
Rian O'Neill 29' 
Rory Grugan 31' 
  34' Gareth McKinless
Rian O'Neill 35' 
  36' Conor Doherty
Ciaran Mackin 44' 
Rory Grugan
Stefan Campbell		 45' 
Shane McPartland
Aidan Nugent		 45' 
  47' Niall Toner
  47' Benny Heron
Ciaran McFaul
Conor O'Neill 49' 
  50' Shane McGuigan
Stefan Campbell 51' 
  53' Conor Glass
Ethan Rafferty 54' 
Barry McCambridge
Ross McQuillan		 58' 
  61' Niall Loughlin
Lachlan Murray
  62' Shane McGuigan
Andrew Murnin
Oisin Conaty		 64' 
  65' Padraig McGrogan
Padraig Cassidy
Rian O'Neill 69' 
Rian O'Neill 70' 
Ross McQuillan 72' 
Ciaran Mackin
Connaire Mackin		 77' 
Jarlath Óg Burns 80' 
  80' Shane McGuigan
Stefan Campbell 85' 
  85' Shane McGuigan
Ethan Rafferty 87' 
  88' Niall Toner
  89' Shane McGuigan
  91' Lachlan Murray
  • 90'

    HE SCORES IT DERRY ARE ULSTER CHAMPIONS

  • 90'

    Pressure on Ciaran McFaul

  • 90'

    DERRY NEED TO SCORE TO WIN

  • 90'

    LYNCH SAVES FOR THE THIRD TIME

  • 90'

    Ethan Rafferty next, keeper v keeper

  • 90'

    BLASTS IT HOME ITS 2-1 DERRY

  • 90'

    Conor Glass to step up

  • 90'

    SAVED BY LYNCH

  • 90'

    Aidan Nugent to put Armagh ahead

  • 90'

    SAVED BY RAFFERTY 1-1

  • 90'

    Cassidy for Derry

  • 90'

    HE SCORES 1-1

  • 90'

    Callum Cumiskey up for Armagh

  • 90'

    SCORED 1-0 DERRY

  • 90'

    Shane McGuigan for Derry is their first taker

  • 90'

    SAVED

  • 90'

    Up steps Rian O'Neill for Armagh

  • 90'

    What a second half we had, Stefan “Soupy” Campbell kicked a massive point for a two point lead, but McGuigan replied for Derry, up came Ethan Raferty, to take possession and boot over a crucial score for his side. Niall Toner and Shane McGuigan pointed for Derry to put them level, then in added the youngster Lachlann Murray pointed, Derry felt they had it but Murray committed a foul on Campell as he raced for goal, up stepped O’Neill and his free sent us to penalties.

  • 90'

    End of Extra Time as Rian O'Neill points a late free to send us to penalties

  • 80'

    Jarly Og edges Armagh ahead

  • 80'

    Shane McGuigan's free levels the game

  • 79'

    Brendan Rogers is back on for Derry. His side did well without him

  • 71'

    Ross McQuillan puts Armagh ahead for the first time

  • 70'

    Extra-time in Clones. Phew!

  • 70'

    Rian O'Neill with the equaliser

  • 70'

    Brendan Rogers is black carded.

  • 69'

    Rian O'Neill with his fourth. This time a free

  • 62'

    Shane McGuigan with a free. His 4th point

  • 59'

    Ross McQuillan kicks in a high ball but Derry are able to clear

  • 54'

    Ethan Rafferty up and gets a point

  • 53'

    Great score from Conor Glass

  • 52'

    Aidan Forker is booked

  • 51'

    Stefan Campbell with a point

  • 50'

    Fantastic score from Shane McGuigan

  • 39'

    Derry defending well

  • 36'

    Conor Doherty up for a point for Derry

  • 35'

    Rian O'Neill with his third point

  • 34'

    Gareth McKinlass with a point

  • 32'

    Shane McGuigan's free lands into Ethan Rafferty's hands

  • 31'

    Rory Grugan with his second free

  • 29'

    Rian O'Neill with a fine point and much needed for Armagh

  • 28'

    Lovely point for Derry. Benny Heron to McGuigan and he fists over

  • 27'

    Derry with their 4th wide

  • 25'

    Poor wide for Armagh. Good defending from Derry. The Orchard County have kicked 4 wides so far

  • 25'

    Poor wide for Armagh. Good defending from Derry. The Orchard County have kicked 4 wides so far

  • 23'

    Armagh get a free in their own half and they can breathe

  • 22'

    Another great point from Rogers. That's 1-2 from him

  • 18'

    Rory Grugan with a free

  • 16'

    Brendan Rogers with a great point

  • 15'

    The big talk so far about this game is the jersey clash. I thought I was the only one thinking that. I was going to pay Vision Express another visit

  • 13'

    Greg McCabe with a mark. 1 point game

  • 11'

    Armagh nearly caught again with a high ball in from Shane McGuigan

  • 9'

    Jarly Og Burns with a mark

  • 8'

    Brendan Rogers capitalises on a mistake from Ethan Rafferty

  • 7'

    Fantastic strike from distance from Rian O'Neill. Free levels

  • 4'

    Shane McGuigan opens the scoring

  • 3'

    This is like a rugby match with phases of play

  • 2'

    Derry with the early possession. Passing the ball around

  • Armagh changes - James Morgan in for Ben Crealey and Barry McCambridge for Stefan Campbell Derry change - Benny Heron for Padraig Cassidy

  • Changes in both sides

  • The three other provincial finals have been one sided. Will Ulster buck the trend?

  • Armagh have defeated Antrim, Cavan and Down on their way to the final while Derry have seen off Fermanagh and Monaghan

  • Both teams had differing fortunes in their league campaigns. Armagh were relegated from Division 1 while Derry were promoted from Division 2. Though championship is a different ball game.

  • Derry are hoping to retain the Anglo Celt Cup while Armagh are looking for their first Ulster title since 2008

  • Welcome to Final Whistle's coverage of the Ulster SFC Final between Armagh and Derry

Ground

St. Tiernachs Park, Clones
St. Tiernach’s Park, Clones, County Monaghan, H23 FK29, Ireland

Diarmuid Kearney is a freelance Sports Journalist based in Co Kerry. He has more than 5 years experience covering domestic and international soccer for different media organisations, while also working for local and national print and digital organisations covering GAA.