Letterkenny Gaels come back from the dead to defeat Derrynoose in classic

A  superb second half display from Letterkenny Gaels saw them come from seven points down at the break to record a memorable Ulster Junior quarter-final win over the Armagh champions Derrynoose in Crossmaglen on Sunday afternoon.

Derrynoose . . . 1-12
Letterkenny Gaels . . . 1-13

It was a win that seemed so unlikely as Gaels struggled to cope with their opponents for much of the first half during which the Armagh men showed so much quality in front of goal.

Derrynoose led by 1-7 to 0-3 at half-time and were full value for that comfortable lead.

But with a strong wind at their backs for the second half, Gaels were a different proposition after the break and three early unanswered scores from Conor McBrearty (2) and Shay Doherty got them up and running.

Significantly, Derrynoose were reduced to 14 men for a period after the 40th minute mark when they had half-forward Jack Fox black-carded.

After that, Gaels continued to enjoy the better of things and more points followed from McBrearty, Diarmuid Cahill and Ronan Frain.

Trailing 1-10 to 0-11, they then struck for their goal on 53 minutes when Frain did brilliantly to set up substitute Brendan O’Brien and he finished to the net.

It was the big moment of the match and Gaels held out to record a memorable win in front of a big travelling Gaels support.

The Donegal champions had made three changes from  their county final win over Carndonagh with Darren McBrearty in from the start at midfield and Shay Doherty and Liam McAlary named among the forwards.

Letterkenny started well and got on plenty of ball in the early stages but they were unable to make that possession count, kicking two early wides and seeing a Ronan Frain ‘45  come back off a post.

At the other end, Derrynoose were guilty of kicking a few early wides of their own, but significantly once they got the opening score on the board through Conor McNally, they soon found their range.

McNally, missing from much of Derrynoose’s county campaign because of injury, was a real handful in attack and he added a free along with a free from Patrick McGrane to help Derrynoose into a 0-3 to 0-0 lead at the end of the first quarter.

Letterkenny were struggling to impose themselves at this stage and but for a wonderful block from Niall Diver, Conor McNally would have found the net when presented with a great chance.

But the same player made no mistake when he found himself in on goal on 19 minutes, this time punishing some sloppy play by Gaels who lost possession inside their own ‘45 and when the ball was fed into McNally his shot just about crossed the line despite keeper Ryan Graham’s best efforts to keep it out.

McNally would kick 1-5 in the first half and by the break they were 1-7 to 0-3 to the good. In the end McNally finished with 1-9, but he still somehow finished on the losing side.

Gaels just about kept in touch with a well taken Brian Diver score in injury time at the end of the first half.

And that score would prove hugely important at the finish as Gaels managed to turn things around to win by just a single point in the end.

Their reward is an Ulster semi-final against the Tyrone champions Stewartstown and while that will be an even tougher challenge, Gaels will enjoy their quarter-final win before they concentrate their minds on the next stage of this magnificent journey.

Derrynoose scorers: Conor McNally 1-9 (6f), Patrick McGrane 0-1 (f), Conal McNally, Dylan Mone 0-1 each

Letterkenny Gaels scorers: Conor McBrearty 0-5 (3f); Brendan O’Brien (1-0), Shay Doherty 0-3; Ronan Frain 0-2; Diarmuid Ó Cathail (0-2), Brian Diver 0-1 

Derrynoose: Stephen McKinley; Paddy Quinn, Eddie McGurgan, Patrick Kelly; Pauric McNaughton, Patrick McGrane, Mark Lennon; Pearse Lennon, Sean McGuigan; Jack Fox, Davey McCreesh, Dylan Mone; Conall McNally, Shead Naughton, Conor McNally.

Subs: Aidan Murray for McNaughton (54), Conor McGrory for Mone (58). 

Letterkenny Gaels: Ryan Graham; Shaun Crossan, Niall Diver, Conor Browne; Sean McDonagh, Ray Quinn, Diarmuid Ó Cathail; Darren McBrearty, Paddy Doherty; Brian Diver, Darren Hunter, Shay Doherty; Ronan Frain, Conor McBrearty, Liam McAlary.

Subs: Conor Walker for Crossan (19), Brendan O’Brien for D McBrearty (half time)

Referee: Conor Curran (Down)