(Derry win 3-1 on penalties)
FOR THE FIRST time ever, a provincial final was settled on penalties and Derry achieve back to back Ulster titles.
Their hero was Odhran Lynch, who made athletic saves from Rian O’Neill, Aidan Nugent and his opposite number, Ethan Rafferty.
Meanwhile, the man to clinch it for Derry was Ciaran McFaul. At the end of March, he returned home from Boston having been arraigned for charges following an assault.
Armagh went two points clear of Derry with three minutes remaining of extra-time, but a series of heroics by Shane McGuigan in nailing pressure kicks and kickouts dragged Derry back level, before Lachlan Murray put them ahead with 30 seconds left.
A strong run by Stefan Campbell drew a foul from Murray that Rian O’Neill converted to bring it to penalties at the Eastern Terrace End.
After that, it was the sickly and unfitting drama of penalties to decide one of the finest competitions in the GAA.
Derry, and their supporters will not care a jot on a day when they were managed by Ciaran Meenagh, the Tyrone man who stepped in after manager Rory Gallagher ‘stepped back’ on Friday following accusations of domestic abuse.
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