AIB glory for Derry

Dinner was delayed to 9.30pm due to the late arrival of one car load which included Head Coach Bevan Lynch, Captain Bob McKillop, Sam McAuley, David Witherow, and Philip Brady. Bevan was driving and Sam McCauley the smallest of the remaining giants bagged the front seat.

With a weight of over 340 kilos in the back seat Bob, David and Philip were stuck together like Siamese Triplets when they got to Athlone. The navigation was not helped by any of the famous five having done Irish Geography at school, and Bob using a 20 year old pre Celtic Tiger Map.

With dinner out of the way and some physio for a couple of players it was off to bed early for the team.

The only definite non starter was Josh Lewis who pulled a hamstring on Thursday. Rudi Moore was doubtful having been hit by the Lough Ness Monster Bob McKillop at Thursday training. His neck movement was not the best but intensive physio and ice pack and a fitness test before the game would determine his participation. The management and supporters led by Geoff Huey, Les Allen and William Houston remained in the bar to check the service, facilities and acoustics for possible celebrations on Saturday night.

Saturday morning with beautiful sunshine and no wind - a perfect day for rugby. There was four degrees of frost overnight with a pitch inspection at 11am. Breakfast for everyone at was 9am, anticipation, excitement team meeting at 11.45am. Team manager Mike Poole with Malcolm Montgomery at his side had everything organised. The IRFU had the whole day choreographed minute by minute including set times for team arrival at ground, boot check, team photo, warm up etc. The pitch was passed playable and word went back to the Hotel, 'game on'.

There was a pre match reception in the clubhouse for both sets of supporters and old acquaintances were renewed between old men who reminisced about great games and days gone by.

The volume of support from Derry and Armagh brought a special atmosphere pre game with Martin Higgins's voice being heard above everyone else. Andrew Semple put Derry ahead after 10 minutes with a quick tap penalty and a five pointer, Gowring the Armagh out half was playing well and got his team in front with two penalties. Richard McCarter charged down Gowring and ran in for a seven pointer and we were in front by six - what a stroke of luck and we needed it as we were second best.

Armagh got another penalty and we led by three points at the break. We would need to play better if we are going to win, we are giving away possession very easily and we have to work our socks off to get the ball back will we pay for it before the finish?

The start of the second half is edgy for both teams. Derry miss two penalties and Armagh miss an easy one. There are fifteen minutes gone when David Houston gets sin binned via mistaken identity; his fellow forwards have to dig deep without him to stay in the game. Armagh winger Irwin scores a try a minute later on the blind side from a ruck, where is our blind side cover? Houston is back on but Gowring increases his side's lead to 5 points on 29 minutes.

Peter Henderson is playing out of his skin, he saves Derry with a superb tackle on Steenson and then enters the line to receive a late pass from McCarter that carves open the Armagh defence but the referee blows for forward pass, unlucky.

Time is ticking away and the Derry pack are out on their feet with exhaustion, supporters can't see a retort from any quarter. Stephen Lindsay, Vice Chairman, sees the AIB girls put the Armagh ribbons on the cup and carry it to the pitch for the presentation; he tries to console himself and those around him in saying: "It is only the All Ireland Cup, the League is what we want, it is our priority for the season."

The game looks over when Matthew Irwin gets the ball and has a free run to the line but Henderson tracks him down and stops him 10 yards out.

There are five minutes of injury time gone - if Armagh get the ball and kick to touch the game is over. Derry drive forward towards the half way line; Mark O'Connor has the ball and is tackled and disposessed but hacks the ball forward from an Armagh hand, the ball is loose and Stephen Corr puts his body on the line and wins the ball on the ground.

McCarter collects and O'Connor is there to receive the pass: the ground is very undulating in the corner and Mark has 25 metres to go; it looks like he is going to fall over, the Derry supporters are on the feet as he scores a try in the corner to level the game. The supporters go wild.

Mark O'Connor walks back to take the conversion and there is a deafening silence as he kicks and bisects the posts - what a kick and Derry has won. Unbelievable. The players mob O'Connor and the excitement is high; the supporters can't believe what happened, they try and remember what happened, as now one expected the impossible to happen.

Peter Henderson, when asked about his tackle on Erwin said: "Matthew has outstanding initial pace over 15 metres and he got four metres ahead of me. I then remember seeing a video of a previous game and Andrew Semple tracked him down in a 50 sprint, so I thought I will keep running and he came back to me and I got him."

David Houston said: "I could never see us carrying the ball the length of the pitch as we were all exhausted."

Mark O'Connor chipped in to say: "I missed a couple of earlier penalties because I was trying to glide the ball through the posts. When I came back to take that conversion I thought, 'well we are level and I will go back to my old way of kicking and just give it a lash,' and over it went. We will celebrate tonight and look forward to the rest of the season tomorrow."