All-Ireland title ‘massive’ for Derry after Croke Park success

Derry’s historic first All-Ireland U-20 B hurling title is “massive” in every way for the county said manager Ryan O’Neill after watching his team secure an historic victory at Croke Park on Saturday afternoon. 

It’s something that can never be taken away, etched in time, and he hopes it’s only the beginning for a group of players he wants to see “pushing on” in their careers. 

“All-Ireland champions…it’s massive to be able to say that for Derry hurling, it is massive for the county board and it is massive for these players,” he said. 

“You saw what it meant to the families. We had great support there today and all the families were there,” added O’Neill, flanked in the Cusack Stand dressing room corridor with sons Seán and Ruairí. 

“We are All-Ireland champions; nobody will ever take it away from those lads. Not now, not in 15 years, not in 20 years’ time.  

“You’ll be able to look back and remember the day we went to Croke Park and played Roscommon in an All-Ireland final. It’s surreal…for me, it’s an outer body experience for me at the minute.” 

After five seasons involved at minor and u-20 level, O’Neill is clear on the next step. Four of the panel are already on board with the county seniors and he wants more to follow in their footsteps. 

“All we want is what is best for these men, to be pushing on to the senior hurling ranks, getting on and to be playing well for their clubs. 

“We’ll keep tinkering away with what we are at, getting players through and try to win the odd competition here and there. 

“It is nice to say that the first All-Ireland for 2023 has gone to the Oakleaf County, it is over to everybody else now.” 

Impressive 

Derry eased their way to a first ever All-Ireland U-20 B title with plenty to spare.

After losing finals to Kerry (2018) and Meath (2021), a slick Oakleafers’ side were much better in most departments. If they’d have even converted half of their 22 wides over the hour, Ryan O’Neill’s side would’ve been well out the gap before Seán Canning consolation goal.

The success was five years in the making, coming after three Celtic Challenge titles at minor level that elevated 14 players into the current senior squad.

Since then, Derry have been close without earning any U-20 silver. Down were one-point winners in a semi-final and Meath had two goals to spare in the 2021 decider.

Last year, it was agonisingly close. Derry had to watch Down collect the silverware after falling to the Mourne County after penalties in the semi-final.

Saturday’s final was a game a wasteful Derry had to win on three occasions after failing to put the Rossies to the sword.

From the throw-in, James Friel got Derry off to the perfect start when he converted a long-range free. There was hunger on the Rossies’ puck-out only for Doherty to pull his shot wide.

Then came the real settler – Melaugh’s goal. Jack Cassidy’s sideline cut sailed over the run of Eamon Cassidy at the corner of the penalty area. James Dillon and Micheál Hussey didn’t read the danger. The farm was sold. Melaugh was in and he made no mistake, scooping up the leather before lashing to the roof of the net.

Cassidy had a half goal chance that was scooped away by ‘keeper Ryan and Friel drilled between the posts from the 65 as Derry pushed 1-3 to 0-0 ahead after seven minutes.

Derry were completely on top. It was total dominance. Anywhere goalkeeper Ryan directed his puck-outs, Eunan Boylan, Ó Mianáin or Callum O’Kane were sniffing the danger, but the Oakleaf squandermania kept the Rossies in the game.

There were no sweepers in the Derry defence. It was man on man and trust in the marking alignments. Derry defended manfully, but soon Roscommon were level.

After three points without reply, Finn Killion’s goal found Liam Coyle over the top and he made to mistake to lash the ball to the corner of the net.

Fallon edged them ahead before Derry changed gear again with three points from Henry as they began to find more harmony in attack. That said, it was Roscommon who replied three points for their interval lead.

Keelan Doherty and Eamon Cassidy had the ball over the bar early in the second half before misses from Melaugh and Jack Cassidy saw Derry enter the choppy waters of uncertainty again.

Three points from Patrick Fallon had Roscommon 1-12 to 1-10 ahead in a game that resembled an afternoon on Wimbledon’s Centre Court. End to End. Tit for Tat. You score, we score.

Then Ruairí Ó Mianáin grasped the game by the throat. A long Friel ball from defence, a hallmark of Derry’s second half, played Ó Mianáin into the corner before he worked the play from the shadow of Hill 16 to land a score off his left side.

Ó Mianáin tagged on two monster points from midfield to push Derry 1-12 to 1-11 ahead after 38 minutes. It was a lead they’d never lose.

Derry needed a smart McElhinney save from Seán Canning to keep their noses ahead. It would’ve been tough love had it gone in after DJ Hession appeared to throw the sliotar in the build-up.

Niall McGonigle’s long ball gave Melaugh a half chance for a Derry goal at the other end that resulted in another Friel ’65’ and Derry had the storm weathered.

Excellent defending turned over the ball and Jack Cassidy shot Derry four clear with a long-range point before his handpass to Keelan Doherty saw him lash a fortunate and game-clinching second Derry goal.

With the game in stoppage time, Derry turned on the style with the score of the game. First, it was a Keelan Doherty leap and catch from a Roscommon puck-out. He fed Jack Cassidy who pass the ball on to Ó Mianáin and he did the rest. He was in the clear and…bang…he slammed an unstoppable shot across the goalkeeper to the net.

Canning did reply with a consolation goal to put respectability on the scoreboard but there was no stopping Derry making history for their first title on a memorable Saturday in Croker.

Derry: Cathan McElhinney; John McAllister, Mark McEldowney, Aimon Duffin; Niall McGonagle, James Friel (0-5, 3f, 2 65), Callum O’Kane; Ruairí Ó Mianáin (1-5), Eunan Boylan; Jack Cassidy (0-2), Segdae Melaugh (1-0), Odhrán McElhinney; Ryan Henry (0-3), Eamon Cassidy (0-1), Keelan Doherty (1-1)

Subs: Conor Murtagh for O McElhinney (37), Conan Bradley for S Melaugh (64), Rónán McNamee for R Henry (64)

Roscommon: Jack Ryan; Thomas Fleming, James Dillon, Tomás Tiernan; Tommy Morris, Mikey Lohan, Micheál Hussey; Keelan Ryan, Ryan Conlon (0-1); Cormac Mulry, Finn Killion, Chulainn Dowd (0-2); Liam Coyle (1-1), Patrick Fallon (0-9, 7f), Seán Canning (1-1)

Subs: Ben Kelly for M Hussey (18), DJ Hession for C Mulry (HT), Conor Kavanagh for K Ryan (59), Aidan Hoare for C Dowd (59), James Mannion for T Tiernan (62)

Yellow card: DJ Hession (56)

Referee: Niall Malone (Clare)