O'Connor's boot secures history

CITY of Derry, with one last throw of the dice via the last play of the game scored a try courtesy of Mark O'Connor to draw level at 17-17.

And the same player - with the conversion from the touchline - robbed Armagh of what would have been a deserved victory on their performance over the previous 84 minutes of the AIB Junior Cup Final.

The last minute of injury time saw Derry carry the ball from their own line to score at the other end of the pitch, to prove that fortune favors the brave. Derry were pinned in their own 22 metre area for the previous five minutes and tried to no avail to run from their own line and turned over possession twice to the opposition.

Then came the minute in time in which this current City of Derry team created history for themselves and their club by winning an All Ireland Cup for the first time.

Following overnight frost the early morning pitch inspection at Dubarry Park, Athlone confirmed that the massive support from Derry and Armagh would not be disappointed with a postponement. The atmosphere pre-game was electric with the expectation from previous encounters between these two great rivals that it would be an encounter to savour.

Derry's first foray to the Armagh 22 metre line saw Richard McCarter release O'Connor who almost got clear to score, Armagh came offside at the breakdown and from the resultant penalty; while everybody else slept, a quick tap by Andrew Semple allowed him score a try in the corner to put Derry five points up.

Armagh were playing a percentage kicking game and two mistakes from Derry allowed Adam Gowring to put Armagh a point in front with two converted penalties on 17 and 26 minutes.

The game produced a major play on the half hour when Richard McCarter charged down his opposite number Gowring to collect and sprint 50 metres to score under the posts with O'Connor converting for a 7 pointer. Derry did not control the kick off and after sustained Armagh pressure a penalty allowed Gowring to bring the half time score to 12 points to 9 points - a slender lead for City of Derry.

The tension mounted after half time, Armagh had a penalty miss on five minutes and after sustained Derry pressure and strong scrimmaging O'Connor also missed a difficult kick at goal.

David Witherow was obstructed when hacking the ball forward; Derry missed another penalty from 30 metres in front of the posts.

There was a defining point in the game on 15 minutes when David Houston was sin binned mistakenly when a team mate foot tripped Gowing after chipping the ball forward.

Armagh took play to the Derry line and once winger Eddie Irwin, who could find space in a crowded telephone box, got a sniff on the blind side his was in for a great try despite the valiant efforts of Sam McCauley.

Armagh put themselves into a five point lead on 29 minutes thanks to a Gowring penalty.

The Derry coach Bevan Lynch went to the bench on 30 minutes and replaced Bob McKillop and Sam McAuley with Philip Brady and Jason Mitchell. Derry got to the Armagh 22 metre line with a just five minutes on the clock and won a penalty and decided to go for broke and kick for touch to try and level the game.

Derry caught and drove but were stopped short and went to the backs but Armagh cleared to the other end.

The game entered injury time and Derry eventually got to the half way line only to turn over possession once more to Armagh and when loose ball fell to Eddie Irwin, above all people, with a free run to the line the game was likely to be sealed with a winning try.

The Derry full back Peter Henderson had four yards to make up but he had Irwin in his sights and nailed him deep inside the 22 metre line. The Derry cavalry arrived to secure possession and so start their march to victory.

The forwards drove on for a couple of phases and Andrew Semple found O'Connor who carried the ball to the half way line where he was stopped but hacked the ball forward, Stephen Corr won a 50/50 ball on the ground supported by Mitchell and Brady - then enter the 'Golden Boy' from Drumsurn.

Richard McCarter got possession to release O'Connor to run 25 metres to score a try in the corner for Derry that will be remembered for ever and a day by everyone who was there to witness it.

The sides were now level and then with the last kick of the game O'Connor nailed the conversion from the touch line for a two point victory for Derry. The referee blew the final whistle as the players and supporters went wild with excitement and the celebrations began.

The President of the IRFU John Callaghan an Armagh man presented the All Ireland Cup to the Derry captain Bob McKillop.

City of Derry: Peter Henderson, Rudi Moore, David Funston, Jarred Bennett, Mark O'Connor, Richard McCarter, Andrew Semple, David Witherow, Sam McCauley, Sam Duffy, David Houston, Bob McKillop, Karl Gemmell, Mark Walker, Stephen Corr. Replacements: Jason Mitchell, Chris Shields, Stephen Ferguson, Stephen Simms, Adam Bratton, Simon Logue.