Win or bust as Derry face rivals Armagh in the knockout Ulster Senior Football Championship on Sunday. Padraig Kelly runs the eye over some battling encounters between these proud GAA counties ..
Ulster Senior Football Championship semi-final
July 3, 1955
Derry 3-4 Armagh 0-2
Derry and Armagh met for the first time in championship football in 1953 with the men in orange prevailing, and they would do so again in their 1954 clash.
The tables would be turned in 1955 though as Derry qualified for their first Ulster final since 1921, although their hopes of an inaugural provincial title would be ended by Cavan four weeks later.
That semi-final win over Armagh pointed to brighter days ahead though as they made a mockery of their tag of underdog at Casement Park.
With three quarters of the game gone, Armagh had only a point on the board.
Derry had only 1-4 to their name at that stage too, Frank Niblock with their goal, but Chuck Higgins (penalty) and Colm Mulholland found the net late on to give them a comfortable winning margin.
Before the game, defender Mickey Gribben said “it’s Derry’s time now”, and he was spot on with that particular assertion.
Ulster Senior Football Championship final
July 24, 1977
Armagh 3-10 Derry 1-5
Armagh’s route to the 1977 All-Ireland decider included their first-ever provincial final meeting with Derry.
Tom McCreesh was inspirational as the Orchard county made light work of the Anglo Celt holders at St Tiernach’s
Park.
The opening 20 minutes were even but from there on Armagh took control with Paddy Moriarty palming home their first goal in the 32nd minute and Noel Marley raising a second green flag seconds later.
Derry, who were without American-based Mickey Moran and Brendan Kelly, were chasing a provincial three in-a-row but the writing was on the wall at the interval as they trailed 2-5 to 0-3.
Larry Kearns added a third Armagh goal after the resumption and although Gerry Keane struck back with a goal for Derry, the result was never in doubt as Armagh ended a 24-year wait for Ulster honours.
Ulster Senior Football Championship final
July 16, 2000
Armagh 1-12 Derry 1-11
This Ulster final was a massive signpost on Armagh’s journey to the top of the pile in the years that followed.
After their emergence win over Down in the 1998 quarter-final, Derry had emphatically ended their hopes in the Ulster semi-final.
They met once again in the semi-final in 1999, but this time Armagh came out on top as Oisin McConville pointed a late free after Henry Downey was controversially cited by John Bannon for a bone-shuddering shoulder on Paddy McKeever.
With that perceived injustice in mind, and the fact that Armagh were the holders, Derry carried plenty of motivation into the 2000 Ulster final.
They had needed two bites of the cherry to get past Antrim in the semi-final, and they were second best for most of the final – but they had a golden chance to force another replay.
Anthony Tohill’s 55-metre free drifted wide though and in the aftermath Eamonn Coleman called time on his second stint with the Oakleaf county.
All-Ireland Senior Football Qualifier round one
July 8, 2007
Derry 0-10 Armagh 0-9
While every Ulster clash carries an air of unpredictability, few would have put their neck on the line and plumped for a Derry win at Clones.
Their fans certainly seemed to agree with Oakleaf supporters badly outnumbered in the stands.
Armagh were knocked out of Ulster by Donegal despite dominating while Paddy Crozier’s men were pretty wretched against Monaghan and were very fortunate to lose by just two points. Joe Diver and Enda Muldoon were out too, although the latter did come on in the closing stages.
The expected Orchard onslaught didn’t come thoug and Derry led 0-6 to 0-4 at the break. Oisin McConville and Stephen Kernan kept Armagh in touch but in a dramatic conclusion, 22-year-old Collie Devlin kicked a Derry winner moments after Paul Keenan felt like he should have been awarded a tap-over free at the other end.
It would be Joe Kernan’s last game in charge of Armagh and it certainly felt like an end of an era for that great team.
Ulster Senior Football Championship preliminary round
May 16, 2010
Armagh 1-10 Derry 1-7
Paddy O’Rourke’s Armagh travelled to Derry city knowing that the hosts hadn’t suffered a championship defeat at Celtic Park since their famous loss to Down in 1994.
While this game never touched the heights of that classic, it did produce plenty of drama while a superstar emerged to win the game for the visitors.
Paddy Bradley’s first-half goal had given Derry the initiative, but Stevie McDonnell kicked some wonderful scores to send the sides in level.
The move of Charlie Vernon to midfield gave Armagh a foothold around the middle and their chances improved when Eoin Bradley picked up his second yellow card.
The magic moment came when McDonnell kicked a long ball in and a young Jamie Clarke, moments after being introduced for his Championship debut, fielded the ball brilliantly and found the net.
Derry’s day of regrets continued as Gerard O’Kane saw his penalty saved by Paul Hearty.
