Matthew Tierney double not enough as Derry and Galway play out epic draw in All-Ireland SFC thriller
In truth, the Tribesmen got out of jail and were staring a second straight defeat until Matthew Tierney's second goal of the afternoon in the 69th minute threatened to snatch the spoils and crown a stirring second half fightback.
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Matthew Tierney of Galway shoots to score his side's third goal during clash against Derry
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The sides played out a thrilling draw in the Senior Football Championship clash
Cue Conor Doherty's intervention with a last-gasp point to ensure some semblance of justice for the Oak Leafers and leave both counties very much alive in the Group of Death.
Along with Dublin, they are in the hunt for the two available preliminary quarter-final places after Armagh wrapped up top spot.
Mixed emotions for both camps afterwards, certainly. But a win that was left behind by the hosts in Paddy Tally's view.
"The thoughts are we should have won that game,' said the Derry boss.
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"I'd be happy with the way the attitude is good and a lot of really good football. You play yourself into a position, you're an eight points better team.
'Galway got two goals in the first half but apart from that, we were a better team. So, when we pushed out in the second half, we really were on top here.
"But to concede those scores - okay, they had a few boys come off the bench that made a difference - it's just disappointing they didn't close it out.'
Padraic Joyce's perspective?
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'Relieved to get out of there with a point with the way we played," said the Galway manager.
"We showed good character to stick at it. A bit of Hail Mary stuff but delighted to still be involved in it and take a point. It gives us something to play for in the last game with Armagh.
Tipperary GAA star 'had to do live apology on RTE' the day after cursing during All-Ireland interview -
"When we went eight points down, it was looking very bleak for us, there's no doubt about that.
"We clawed it back and went a point up. Just like the Dublin game, we didn't learn and left them in for a soft score to level the game.'
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Derry edged a full-blooded first half by 1-11 to 2-6 after playing with wind advantage.
A string of two-pointers from Brendan Rogers, Paul Cassidy and Shane McGuigan were central to it along with a palmed goal by Conor Glass.
Rob Finnerty and Shane Walsh netted in reply for Galway, while impressive newcomer Matthew Thompson pointed twice to leave the visitors well in touch with the advantage of the elements to come.
It was Derry who retained the initiative however, outscoring their opponents by 1-6 to three points after the restart to lead 2-17 to 2-9 on 55 minutes.
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Sub Lachlan Murray fed Niall Loughlin to turn home their second goal and with superb points coming from Murray, Loughlin, Cassidy and the outstanding Glass, they looked primed to end their long wait for a victory.
It was 2-18 to 2-12 by the 62nd minute when Tierney and Galway struck for the first of two late goals.
And the gap was cut to just two when the influential Céin D'Arcy pointed two minutes later.
Crucially, Galway lost their composure in front of the posts and Rogers sent over a settling Derry score for a 2-19 to 3-13 advantage.
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The returning Damien Comer converted a mark in reply and when Tierney plundered his second green flag, Galway looked set to escape to victory.
Derry and Doherty would have the final say though, earning a deserved share of the spoils.
Joyce said: "We're very disappointed with a lot of it,"
'It's something we'd work on, our efficiency, it was a big thing for us. We'd 33 shots at goal and scored 4-14.
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"Big score at the same time. A lot of crazy shots as well like left foot, left side of the pitch; right foot, right side. Just crazy, crazy stuff from us.
"We seemed to lose our composure which is not like us, to be honest. We need to go and look at that and get the guys on the pitch who are able to keep cool heads at the time.
"Fair play to Derry, they were up for the game and brought a lot of fight all day long. That's what a proper championship game looks like."
"They were really, really good. They haven't won a game in a long time and with a home game here, they were going to target it and come at us really hard.
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"I'd say for a neutral, it was probably a great game to watch, but for us on the line, heart-stopping stuff.
"It's a tough, tough group. No doubt about that. Any team in the group is capable of beating any team, so we've to go out now and get ourselves ready.
"The ball is on our own court at this stage which is good, so we're not relying on other results. We need to go and make sure we get a result against Armagh."
Derry's closing assignment in Group 4 is a clash with Dublin on neutral territory, one that Tally believes his side can go into with confidence.
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'That's how Derry can play when they're on their game. You look forward to playing like that again.
'We showed in the last ten minutes against Armagh what we can do. Today, we went from the start of that. And that's the template now for the way we want to play the rest of the season.'
DERRY 2-20
GALWAY 4-14
Derry: B McKinless, D Baker, E McEvoy, P McGurk; C Doherty 0-1, B Rogers 0-3 1tp, P McGrogan; D Higgins, C Glass 1-3 145; E Doherty, P Cassidy 0-3 1tp, C McFaul 0-1; S McGuigan 0-4 1tpf 1f, N Loughlin 1-2, N Toner 0-1 f. Subs: L Murray 0-2 for E Doherty inj 44, R Forbes for McGurk 56, A Tohill for Loughlin 59, E Doherty for Toner, 63.
Galway: C Gleeson, J McGrath, S Mulkerrin, J Glynn; D McHugh, S Kelly 0-1, L Silke; P Conroy 0-1, J Maher 0-1; M Thompson 0-2, C McDaid, S O'Neill 0-1; M Tierney 2-0, R Finnerty 1-3 (1f), S Walsh 1-1 (1f). Subs: C D'Arcy 0-1 for O'Neill 18, D Comer 0-1 m for McDaid 50, P Cooke 0-2 tp for Conroy 50, J Daly for Walsh 60, K Molloy for McHugh 64, J Heaney for Mulkerrin (temp) 66.
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Referee: N Cullen
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