Derry pulled off an incredible comeback against Galway to escape Celtic Park with a draw and get their first point in the National League.
This time last year the Ulster side strutted into Connacht with the wind at their backs, momentum snowballing behind them, and they cut through their injury-stricken opposition before leaving with two more points on the board.
Going into today’s game it was a case of role reversal as Padraic Joyce’s men have been in fine form this season so far, racking up large scores and loving life under the new rules, while the men in red and white had yet to win a match and were desperate to get their first victory in this League campaign.
The first half went as form would dictate, with Galway dominating for the majority of the opening period and finding a lot of success from their aggressive press on Neil McNicholl’s kick out.
The Tribesmen kept the home side pushed into their own half and on two occasions when Derry did manage to get through, the imperial John Maher was there, making two point-saving blocks before starting a counter attack for his team.
Last season’s Player of the Year Paul Conroy found Dylan McHugh with a lovely little invention, slipping a sneaky hand-pass between two of Derry’s backs for the dynamic defender to run onto, and the half back made the most of the opportunity by striking the ball past McNicholl and into the net.
Shane Walsh has been enjoying life under the new enhancements too, particularly with the new 40m arc whereby scores count for two from outside it. In Celtic Park, the flying forward stroked over two beauties back-to-back to add four points to the board.
Galway’s Shane Walsh competes with Derry’s Ben McCarron and Diarmuid Baker
Paul Cassidy was the one shining light from Derry, kicking three impressive points from play, one of which was borne from a long, speculative ball sent in by Ciaran McFaul, landing perfectly into the forward’s hands, who then duly popped it over the bar.
New rules or not, there doesn’t seem to be a perfect remedy for long periods of possession as both teams tried to keep the ball at times.
But the away side certainly seemed more adventurous, best highlighted by a lovely crossfield pass by John Daly that played Matthew Tierney through on goal before he was ultimately fouled and the free kick easily pointed by Walsh.
Galway started the second half with a similar attitude as Cein d’Arcy fisted over a well worked point, but Celtic Park really found its voice when keeper McNicholl burst up the field before collecting the ball at pace, brushing off two defenders and going for goal, only for it to be blocked and sent over the bar.
The Glenullin man, now boosted with confidence, became more involved in the game and, although the pitch was a lot more stretched by both teams, neither side could make the most of the space as wides from both teams started to add up.
Eventually the new rules worked against Galway, who were reprimanded for only having two players in their half instead of the required three, and McGuigan scored the free from outside the arc to give them a two-pointer.
Anton Tohill of Derry and Shane Walsh of Galway battle for possession
Substitute Lachlan Murray offered a burst of energy from the bench, kicking the next point and then hitting the post only for it to drop to McGuigan again, who wasn’t going to miss.
Now with the crowd awoken, the Oakleafers fed off the energy circulating the ground and captain Conor Glass scored a big point from play to mean that there was only a goal in it.
Super sub Murray then sent another one over but, in typical Walsh fashion, the Kilmacud Crokes star scored a free from outside the 40m arc to give his side breathing room.
Another point from the Desertmartin man brought the deficit back to three, and then McGuigan scored the next three in a row to draw the game with only minutes left on the clock.
In the end the buzzer went, and in a game of two halves a draw was probably a fair result. Although Derry only leave with a point on the table, the manner of their comeback will give them great confidence as the Tally era has truly begun.
Lachlan Murray of Derry in action against John Daly of Galway
DERRY: N McNicholl 7, D Baker 8, E McEvoy 7, M Doherty 6, C Doherty 7, B Rogers 7, D Cassidy 6, C Glass 7, A Tohill 7, C McFaul 7, P Cassidy 9, E Doherty 7, N Toner 6, S McGuigan 9, B McCarron 5, L Murray 9.
Subs: B McCarron off for Lachlan Murray (43), N Toner off for Cahir McMonagle (58), M Bradely off for Padraig McGrogan (65).
Scorers: S McGuigan 0-8 (2f 2p), P Cassidy 0-3, N McNicholl 0-1, L Murray 0-3, C Glass 0-1.
GALWAY: C Gleeson 7; J McGrath 8, S Fitzgerald 7, L Silk 7, D McHugh 8, J Daly 7, S Kelly 7; P Conroy 7, J Maher 9; S O’Neill 7, S Walsh 8, C Darcy 7; C O Curraoin 6, M Tierney 7, F O Lai 6.
Subs: C O Curraoin off for Robert Finerty (43), F O Lai off for Johnny Heaney (48), S O’Neill off for K Molloy (54), D’Arcy off for Daniel O’Flaherty (61).
Scorers: C O Curraoin 0-1 (1f), D McHugh 1-0, M Tierney 0-1, J Maher 0-1, S O’Neill 0-1, S Walsh 0-8 (2f, 3 2p), C D’arcy 0-1.
Referee: David Gough