The unlucky streak of Derry in the championships continues as they suffered their third consecutive defeat, raising doubts about their chances of succeeding this year. On the field at Celtic Park, the day clearly belonged to Armagh. They soared to a victorious 11-point margin, which could have been wider, as they overwhelmed an underperforming Derry team. Derry’s players regularly lost the ball in attacking positions, leaving their defence vulnerable.
The scenario was all too familiar for Derry’s fans, mirroring their April defeat to Donegal. The lessons of past failures seemingly gone unheeded in this recent loss. Time after time, Armagh’s squad, clad in their polished, all-black gear, surged into the unguarded green space where Derry’s defenders should have been, reiterating the repetitive nature of Derry’s performance.
Armagh’s display of superior teamwork was highlighted repeatedly, with Odhran Lynch notable for his repeat efforts to rush back to his goal. The surrender of goal opportunities has not been addressed by Derry; across their last three championship matches, they have conceded nine goals: three against Armagh, two against Galway, and four against Donegal. In contrast, Derry’s offense has failed to deliver any significant scores.
The absence of a robust defence strategy is becoming a focal point for Derry’s opponents. Armagh consistently exploited this, and consistently proved superior. By halftime, they led 2-8 to 0-6, having created ample goal-scoring opportunities. Their performance merits praise, most notably in their recovery from their defeat in Ulster’s final. With 12 individuals contributing to their high score, Armagh had variety on their side, whereas Derry’s attack options were limited.
A further cause for concern is the limited depth of Derry’s team, demonstrated by manager Harte’s choice to only bring in two replacement players from the bench, despite the match turning against them. Even then, one of these, Ciarán McFaul, was dismissed in the 59th minute on a yellow and then a black card. By this stage, the match was well out of their control. His sending off perfectly encapsulated their dismal afternoon.
Initially, things appeared to be going smoothly for the home team as they were quick to gain the lead courtesy of Emmet Bradley. Yet, the first signs of impending difficulties arose at the seventh-minute mark. A lengthwise clearance found its way to Oisín Conaty, who, unencumbered, made a sprint through the defence line of Derry. A sequence of events that felt all too familiar.
Conaty launched a powerful shot which outmatched Lynch, but it hit the crossbar’s underside and bounced back, granting Derry a lucky escape. Then, at the 13th minute, Barry McCambridge got bested by Tiernan Kelly and suddenly vast areas of the Celtic Park were exposed to Armagh. The ball was eventually passed to Ross McQuillan, who had incidentally joined the match just a few moments ago as a substitute. He didn’t disappoint, as he skillfully got the ball past Lynch, making the score 1-3 to 0-3.
Derry were feeling the pressure from Armagh’s proficient interruption of their restarts, something that especially beneficial for Ben Crealey who made significant contributions for the Orchard County. Most of Derry’s goal opportunities in the initial half resulted from turnovers and rapid counterattacks – inducing a state of disarray in the Oak Leaf square as Rian O’Neill made a robust entrance after Turbitt misjudged his shot on Lynch.
Another frightful moment for Derry occurred in the 20th minute, with a case of déjà-vu. Derry’s triumphant press tactic backfired, leaving them vulnerable at the back. An odd, misplaced pass by Brendan Rogers gave Armagh the chance to exploit a three v one situation. The only challenge for Turbitt was managing the ample time he had to decide on his next move, with two of his companions unmarked to his left. Nevertheless, he opted to take the crucial shot, bringing the score to 2-3 to 0-4.
A wave of shock washed over Derry and as the first half came to a close, Armagh supporters enthusiastically applauded their team off the field. The sight of the defeated Derry team, who previously held the title of league champions until March 31st, was disheartening. They managed to score the first three points in the second half, but Armagh repeated their breakaway act five minutes into the restart, although overthinking a goal-scoring opportunity due to excessively passing near the Derry goal.
In the 53rd minute, Rian O’Neill expertly navigated through a kickout, securing Armagh’s third goal and extending their lead to 3-10 against 0-11. Armagh continued their victorious streak in the All-Ireland group stages, boasting two wins from their two matches.
The journey ahead seems murky for Derry, experiencing their third consecutive defeat. The trio of top teams, Dublin, Kerry, and Derry, has now morphed into a dominant duo—Dublin and Kerry.
The Armagh team comprised of Blaine Hughes, Aaron McKay, Barry McCambridge, Peter McGrane, Connaire Mackin, Tiernan Kelly, Aidan Forker, Rian O’Neill, and Ben Crealey. The bench for Armagh included the likes of Ross McQuillan, Jason Duffy, Oisín O’Neill, Greg McCabe, Shane McPartlan, Aidan Nugent, and Darragh McMullen.
Over on Derry’s side, the squad consisted of Odhran Lynch, Conor McCluskey, Chrissy McKaigue, Diarmuid Baker, Donncha Gilmore, Brendan Rogers, Conor Doherty, Conor Glass, Emmet Bradley, Ethan Doherty, Eunan Mullholland, Paul Cassidy, Niall Toner, Shane McGuigan and Lachlan Murray. Last-minute relief players were Ciarán McFaul who replaced Bradley and Declan Cassidy who came in Toner’s stead. David Coldrick of Meath officiated the match.
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