Derry and Galway share spoils in Celtic Park thriller
Conor Doherty's last minute point means Derry and Galway lived to fight another day after a thrilling 2-20 to 4-14 All Ireland Series Group 4 encounter at a rainswept Celtic Park.
Matthew Tierney's 69th minute goal - Galway's fourth of an absorbing game - looked to have completed a magnificent comeback from Padraic Joyce's team who trailed by six points in the opening half and seven after the break.
The draw leaves both counties on one point ahead of the a final round of fixtures that see Derry meet Dublin and Galway take on All Ireland champions Armagh, both on neutral territory.
From the team named midweek, Tally made two changes Dan Higgins and Niall Loughlin brought in to replace Anton Tohill and Ruairi Forbes, while Padraic Joyce brought Damien Comer back for a place on the bench and started with Sam O'Neill in place of Cein Darcy, a changed that was reversed within 18 minutes of throw-in as Derry forged into a six point lead.
And with so much on the line, it was proper championship fare with big hits on and off the ball five players saw yellow before the break.
Backed by the breeze, Derry recovered from O'Neill's early score to lead through a superb Brenda Rogers two pointer four minutes in only for Paul Conroy to cancelled the lead out within seconds.
Shane McGuigan and Conor Glass handed Derry a two point lead before two goals in 60 seconds lit the touch paper of a half that was always simmering close to boiling point. First an O'Neill shot came off the Derry post for Roberty Finnerty to punch the rebound home via the inside of the Celtic Park upright but any Galway euphoria the visitors felt was short lived.
From the resultant restart, a superb surging run from Diarmuid Baker punch a hole straight through the Tribesmen's defence and drew the Galway cover. Baker fed the ball left to Loughlin who managed to move it on just in time for Glass to punch to the net for 1-04 to 1-02 with 13 minutes on the clock.
That goal was the cue for Derry best passage of the half as Paul Cassidy tagged on a lovely two pointer before McGuigan did likewise from a free to move the Oak Leafers six clear.
With Darcy now on, Galway stemmed the ide through a Finnerty score but it was Walsh's goal, after turning away brilliantly form Eoin McEvoy, that brought the Tribe right back into the game, Walsh showing al his class with classy low finish into the far corner.
Further points from Finnerty and Matthew Thompson tied up proceedings but a late Derry rally, with points from McGuigan (f), Ciaran McFaul and Loughlin, handed Tally men a slender two point half-time advantage at 1-11 to 2-06.
A point apiece from Conroy and Niall Toner on the restart maintained Derry's two point lead but it could have been even better when Rogers' hand pass put Paul Cassidy through the middle. Cassidy shot was true and destined for the top corner but Connor Gleeson's save was even better, diving full stretch to turn the ball away for a '45 which Conor Glass sent between the posts for 1-14 to 2-07.
Another Glass point had Derry's lead out to five but better was to follow in the 49th as McGuigan sent substitute Lachlan Murray away on a great run along the left, Murray getting his head up just in time to pick out Niall Loughlin who punched the pass into the back of the Galway net for 2-15 to 2-07.
Galway response was the introduce Damien Comer and Peter Cooke for Conroy and McDaid with Cooke grabbing the Tribesmen's first score for 11 minutes within seconds of his arrival with an excellent two point effort.
That score was the catalyst for three further Galway scores from Sean Kelly, Walsh and Finnerty which brought Galway back within five. A Lachlan Murray score halted the Galway drive but only but only temporarily as as a controversial sideline call sent Galway down the right with the being squared for Tierney to blast to the net for 2-18 to 3-12.
Cue chaos as Galway threw the kitchen sink at Derry who were hanging on and still in front with one minute left when disaster struck. Kieran Molloy's shot was meant for a point but it dropped short and Derry panicked, Matthew Tierney the beneficiary of the breaking ball for a fourth Galway goal that put them one up and looked to have won it.
However Derry secured possession on their final kickout and worked a score, Conor Doherty firing over an equaliser as both teams lived to fight another day.
Derry: Ben McKinless, Diarmuid Baker, Eoin McEvoy, Patrick McGurk, Conor Doherty (0-01), Padraig McGrogan, Dan Higgins, Conor Glass (1-03, 1 '45), Brendan Rogers (0-03, 1tp), Ethan Doherty, Paul Cassidy (0-03, 1tp), Ciaran McFaul (0-01), Shane McGuigan (0-04, 1tpf, 1f), Niall Loughlin (1-02), Niall Toner (0-01, 1f).
Subs: Lachlan Murray (0-02) for E Doherty (43); Ruairi Forbes for McGurk (56); Anton Tohill for Loughlin (59); Ethan Doherty for Toner (62).
Galway: Connor Gleeson, Johnny McGratrh, Sean Mulkerrin, Jack Glynn, Dylan McHugh, Sean Kelly (0-01), Liam Silke, Paul Conroy (0-01), John Maher (0-01), Matthew Thompson (0-02), Cillian McDaid, Sam O'Neill (0-01), Matthew Tierney (2-00), Robert Finnerty (1-03, 1f), Shane Walsh (1-01, 1f).
Subs: Cein Darcy (0-01) for O'Neill (18); Damien Comer (0-01, 1m) for McDaid (49); Peter Cooke (0-02, 1tp) for Conroy (49); John Daly for S Walsh (59); Kieran Molloy for McHugh (64); Johnny Heaney for Mulkerrin (66).
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