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Peter Canavan Feels Armagh Will Have One Big Regret From Ulster Final Loss

Peter Canavan Feels Armagh Will Have One Big Regret From Ulster Final Loss
Gary Connaughton
By Gary Connaughton
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Derry have won a second consecutive provincial title in the most dramatic of fashions, defeating Armagh in a penalty shootout in the Ulster final this evening.

It was a hard fought contest between two very talented teams, one that could have went either way.

Derry would have been more pleased with the flow of the opening half, taking a one point lead into the interval on the back of this goal from Brendan Rogers.

Armagh were a bit too conservative in their approach in the opening 35 minutes, allowing their opponents to have the ball for long spells unchallenged.

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The second half was a more open affair, with both sides trading scores throughout.

Things were still in the balance in the final moments.

Armagh would score the final two points of regulation time to ensure we would be playing an extra 20 minutes.

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The game would ultimately go to penalties.

In the shootout, Derry goalkeeper Odhran Lynch proved to be the difference maker. He saved three of the four penalties he faced to lead his side to victory.

Having gone over two decades with a provincial title, this is now Derry's second consecutive Ulster championship triumph.

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Peter Canavan on Armagh regret from Derry loss

Armagh will come away from the game with some regrets, having missed an opportunity to win their first Ulster title since 2008. The penalty shootout loss was unfortunate, although they might well feel the game should not have gotten to that point.

The opening period of extra-time in particular was a missed opportunity.

Derry midfielder Brendan Rogers had been given a black card in the closing minutes of regulation time, meaning his team were forced to play the first seven or eight minutes of extra-time with only 14 men. Despite having a one-man advantage, Armagh would score only one point during this period.

Speaking on RTÉ after the game, both Peter Canavan and Ciaran Whelan said that they might well end up regretting their approach during that period of the game.

Canavan: It was very small margins, but in that first period of extra-time where they had the extra man and the breeze, they sat off.

They allowed Derry to hold possession, they passed it about. I think when they reflect on the game, they will see that.

They were too conservative.

Whelan: I wonder will they look at the first 20 minutes of the game as well. They were nervy, edgy, and conservative in that first 20 or 25 minutes. Derry controlled it, they have 70 per cent possession int he first half.

They will look at that and ask should they have backed themselves a little bit more.

Canavan: I think they could have went after it a bit more...

Armagh did a lot of things right today. They asked serious questions of Derry.

Armagh will still fancy their chances of performing well in the All-Ireland series, with Kieran McGeeney's men one of the favourites to lift the Sam Maguire later this summer.

Despite that, this loss will likely sting for some time.

SEE ALSO: Brolly's '98 Derry Team Were Planning Boycott Over Gallagher Allegations

Joe Brolly '98 team boycott planned

 

 

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