Derry And Armagh Hoping For Better Provincial Fortune Ahead Of Their Ulster Quarter-Final Clash
Derry v Armagh
By Daire Walsh
In the past few years, the Ulster Senior Football Championship has proven to be something of a struggle for both Derry and Armagh.
Since edging out Down in a 2015 quarter-final encounter, Derry have suffered five successive defeats in the northern province – three of them coming at the hands of arch rivals Tyrone. Their last appearance in an Ulster final was back in 2011 when Donegal – in their first year under Jim McGuinness – had six points to spare (1-11 to 0-8) at St Tiernach’s Park, Clones.
The last major piece of silverware accrued by the Oak Leaf men was the National Football League Division One title back in 2008, but their spring time form had also been a cause for concern in modern times.
Following a heavy reversal to Dublin in the 2014 league decider, Derry were relegated three times in the space of four years. Their luck finally turned last year when they were crowned Division Four champions with a final victory against Leitrim and this was followed up by a productive campaign in the third-tier of this season’s NFL.
Four wins and one draw from seven games handed them a respectable third place finish in the final standings, just behind promoted side Down on head-to-head. After more than seven months out of action, they ended their truncated league campaign with wins over Longford and Offaly.
Shane McGuigan was in fine form against the latter at O’Connor Park, Tullamore last weekend, kicking five points in a 1-12 to 1-10 success. This puts Rory Gallagher’s charges in a positive frame of mind as they welcome Armagh to Celtic Park this Sunday afternoon for a intriguing Ulster SFC quarter-final clash (throw-in 4pm).
Kieran McGeeney’s Orchard county arrive in Derry city on the back of earning promotion from Division Two of the NFL. While the previous week’s reversal to Roscommon briefly halted their march, a 1-18 to 1-13 triumph over Clare in Ennis last Saturday sealed a return to the top-flight for the first time since 2012.
Under McGeeney’s watch, Armagh have been crowned Division Three league champions on two separate occasions (2015 and 2018). The man commonly known as ‘Geezer’ has also turned them into a formidable outfit in the All-Ireland qualifiers, guiding them to four back door victories in 2017 alone.
However of his 10 championship wins thus far with his native county, only one of them has been in the Ulster series. That came last year in the form of an extra-time triumph at the expense of Down, following four consecutive years of early provincial exits.
They subsequently drew with Cavan in a nail-biting semi-final, before losing out to the Breffni men on the replay.
While he fared better in Leinster during his six-year stint with Kildare, it was once again through the qualifiers that he enjoyed the greatest fortune.
Whereas the Lilywhites recorded just seven wins in the east with him at the helm, they amassed 16 victories in the All-Ireland series – 15 qualifiers and one quarter-final against Meath in 2010.
Of course, his side entered each of these Leinster and Ulster contests knowing it wasn’t the end of the road if the result didn’t fall their way. In the most unique of championship seasons, this won’t be the case for Armagh or their opponents on Sunday.
Surprisingly, it is a full nine years since the sides last faced off in the Ulster championship. On that occasion, Eoin Bradley and Conleth Gilligan registered 1-5 apiece to propel Derry towards a convincing 3-14 to 1-11 semi-final victory.
Interestingly, Armagh and Derry were the last counties to feature in a straight knockout football game in the north – the 2000 Ulster showpiece. McGeeney ended that season as an All-Star centre-back for the second year running and helped his side to retain the Anglo-Celt Cup with a single point to spare (1-12 to 1-11).
Neither side enter the 2020 series as favourites to win this coveted piece of silverware, with the likes of defending champions Donegal, 2018 All-Ireland finalists Tyrone and the ever-competitive Monaghan viewed as more viable candidates. Nevertheless, there is plenty of intrigue surrounding their renewal of acquaintances.
Long viewed as one of the most gifted footballers in the country, Jamie Clarke is on board for Armagh’s latest championship odyssey.
Though the Crossmaglen Rangers ace was held to a solitary point in last Saturday’s win over Clare, McGeeney can take great encouragement from the fact that 10 players forced their way onto the scoresheet. Rian O’Neill (0-6), Rory Grugan and Oisin O’Neill (0-3 each) were in fine shooting form, matching their combined tally of 0-12 against Roscommon in the previous round.
The likes of Aidan Forker, Paddy Burns and James Morgan provide plenty of steel in defence and will hope their experience of playing at a higher league grade will be enough to see them through.
Derry are beginning to make strides, however, and the return of Conor Glass after a four-year spell with Aussie Rules outfit Hawthorns significantly boosts their prospects. The 23-year-old started at midfield in the recent win against Offaly and Gallagher will be hoping he can give his side a strong platform around the middle-third.
In addition to the aforementioned McGuigan, Enda Lynn and Danny Tallon will offer up an attacking threat to the Armagh rearguard. Further back the field, Slaughtneil duo Brendan Rogers and Chrissy McKaigue are expected to man the key defensive positions.
The prize on offer for the winner of this game will be a semi-final date with Donegal or Tyrone, whose mouthwatering encounter in Ballybofey will already have ended by the time the action gets underway in Celtic.
Given both sides have recorded just one win each in their last five Ulster campaigns – and the absence of a second chance – this could be a tentative affair. Yet with so many high-scoring games spread across both football and hurling since the resumption of the inter-county code, it would be foolhardy to rule out a potential shootout on the Lone Moor Road.