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Scottish Sun
5 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
I went to same school as Celtic hero James Forrest, I used his poster on the wall as inspiration for my football career
Exclusive FORR REAL I went to same school as Celtic hero James Forrest, I used his poster on the wall as inspiration for my football career The youngster made his debut at Celtic Park but is now looking for a new club
Irish Times
17 hours ago
- General
- Irish Times
Conor McManus: Despite the late sucker punch, Derry look to have turned a corner and will fancy a crack at Dublin
In Celtic Park on Sunday, as Matthew Tierney gets the vital touch for Galway's fourth goal to put them a point ahead, you can see this fellah just behind the goal. He ends up head in hands, bent at the waist and jumping in the air. I didn't recognise him, but chances are he was part of the Derry back-room team in some form or capacity. His reaction was probably widespread. Tierney scores with 68:50 on the clock and gives his team a lead, which they didn't particularly deserve, and there's a minute left. It also probably highlights what Derry had been talking about and had been preparing for all week, putting themselves in this position and closing it out. So, now they need a score to salvage something. They went short, and Galway are probably disappointed that they allowed it at that stage of the game. You'd be hoping to get pressure on the kick-out, force it long, 50-50, and try to have a say on where the ball goes or at least break it. READ MORE In the final moments of games, everything becomes so frantic, and it's just trying to keep cool heads. Galway would have been much better served just looking to force that ball out long. That last minute is still a crisis for Derry. Their season hasn't gone well, relegated in the league and without a win in the championship, but they have been better than their results suggest or at least unlucky in some of the league matches. Their Achilles heel has been not closing out games. There were days where they've had themselves in really good positions throughout the league and championship, but they haven't just managed to close it out. Supporters at Sunday's SFC round-two game between Derry and Galway at Celtic Park. Photograph: Lorcan Doherty/INPHO Against Kerry in the league they conceded two goals in the last 90 seconds to lose a match they were leading by three. Donegal was another obvious example. Eight points up, they conceded 1-6 in the last 10 minutes. On Sunday they were again eight points up midway through the second half and six ahead coming down the stretch. They'll be disappointed with that element of it, but they're putting themselves in positions where they can go and win games. They look to me as if they have turned a corner, though. Conor Glass has been exceptional for them, leading by example and trying to drag them through challenging circumstances, but they've gradually got players back from injury and back into form, which last weekend demonstrated. They were really aggressive, and it's the first time we've seen that from Derry in quite a while in terms of their contact, their tackling and their turnovers. Glass was central to a lot of what they have done, but you could see others like Ethan Doherty, Paul Cassidy, Pádraig McGrogan and Conor Doherty as if they had decided 'we aren't accepting this any more, we're going to turn this around'. That's how they played. Anyway, 35 seconds left and Diarmuid Baker gets the short kick-out and they build patiently from the back, keeping the ball, moving it and isolating Glass with a nice backdoor cut. Derry's Pádraig McGrogan and Conor Glass celebrate a score in the game at Celtic Park. Photograph: Lorcan Doherty/INPHO In a bit of space, he finds Conor Doherty and it's an easy score. Of course, there were more than 35 seconds left and Derry were able to complete the play after the hooter had sounded so that equaliser was the last action of the day. This is something that teams are very conscious of and there's obviously work being done on training grounds throughout the country in terms of the last play of a game: this is where we need to control the play, slow it down, don't worry about time, don't worry about the clock, don't get distracted by the hooter. Just make sure that we are in possession and have men moving to work a decent scoring chance. You're seeing the last three and four minutes of games, for instance the Ulster final between Donegal and Armagh , where the teams are starting to play to the clock depending on the scenario. If you're three or four points up you're starting to hold possession, keep playing and wind the clock down. It's something that we're not particularly familiar with or used to in the game because you never really knew when the final whistle was coming. Derry's Conor Glass scores a point as Galway's Céin Darcy challenges. Photograph: Lorcan Doherty/INPHO The precision of these possession plays has been made possible by the countdown clock and the hooter. Now there's no element of uncertainty as to exactly when the game is about to end and it's allowing for these types of finishes. There's no option for the referee to run it on a bit. That discretion is gone. Hold the ball and wait for the hooter. Then you can, in effect, blow the whistle yourself. Galway aren't firing on all cylinders out there around the middle of the minute. They have big performers out there who aren't clicking at the moment. On paper you're thinking they're very well equipped to win primary possession out around the middle, but in the last two games they've struggled to do that and as a result of that we've seen Connor Gleeson a couple of times trying the tapped, short kick-out that he's run with a couple of times recently. He tried it in the first half on Sunday, but Derry ended up turning it over and getting a shot away. Galway's John Maher reacts at the final whistle on Sunday. Photograph: Lorcan Doherty/INPHO With 10 minutes to go, Paul Conroy, the current Footballer of the Year, is sitting looking on, Cillian McDaid is sitting looking on and, on top of that, Shane Walsh is sitting looking on. That's a fair few key men to be called ashore before the end. Galway are going to have to find something different for Armagh. These were the two best teams in the country last year with hardly anything between them, but at this stage the gap looks to have widened in favour of the All-Ireland champions. The world in general has turned a bit at this stage and Derry will fancy a cut off Dublin , who really struggled against Armagh and will be desperate to get Con O'Callaghan back for the last match. On form, and at a neutral venue, Glass and his team have every chance.
BBC News
2 days ago
- General
- BBC News
Galway draw a win 'that got away' for Derry
Derry boss Paddy Tally said their thrilling 2-20 to 4-14 draw with Galway on Sunday in their All-Ireland round-robin meeting in Celtic Park was "one that got away" for his Oakleafers let the game slip away after leading by eight points on two occasions as their search for a first win in 2025 goes Tierney scored a last-minute goal to put Galway one ahead heading into the final play of the match before Conor Doherty kicked an equalising point for Derry after the hooter to salvage a draw."It was a rollercoaster. I'm happy with the way the players played, I can't complain about that, but there will be that feeling that this was one that got away," Tally told BBC Sport NI."A lot of the game depended on kickouts and who controlled the midfield. We were very good in midfield in the first half and gave ourselves a good platform."Galway got the run on us for 10-15 minutes and had us on the backfoot, but we got ourselves in a really good position and didn't close the game out which is really disappointing."Despite two defeats in their first two games in Group Four, it is still all to play for heading into the final round of games in the group in a fortnight's take on All-Ireland champions Armagh, who are already through to the quarter-finals after their win at Croke Park while Derry meet three remaining sides are all still harbouring ambitions of progressing alongside the Orchard County and Tally knows the game against the Dubs is a must-win."The Dublin game is one we have to get something out of, and we have a fortnight to get ready."
Irish Times
2 days ago
- General
- Irish Times
Conor Doherty's last-gasp point earns Derry a draw in thriller against Galway
All-Ireland SFC: Derry 2-20 Galway 4-14 A last kick of the game by Derry's Conor Doherty, pointing to level a pulsating contest at Celtic Park, left both Galway and Derry with skin still in this season's All-Ireland Championship . Doherty's equaliser came seconds after a dramatic late Matthew Tierney goal which appeared to have snatched victory from the jaws of defeat for Padraic Joyce's side, who had trailed for most of a relentlessly end-to-end game that Derry, marginally, threatened a surprise win. The lack of jeopardy argument, with only four teams ultimately discarded after the group stages, was clearly undermined in the anxious run up to yet another key 'group of death' clash at Celtic Park. The confidence and swagger of winning a fourth Connacht title in a row was quickly followed by that sobering defeat at Pearse Stadium at the hands of a rejuvenated Dublin side. READ MORE Derry, and they are probably sick to the teeth of hearing this, haven't won a league or championship game in 70 minutes since defeating Westmeath in June 2024. Defeat last time out at the hands of All-Ireland champions Armagh had left the Oakleafers, like opponents Galway, with precariously little room for error. Recent championship history against the Tribesmen, of course, does not read kindly for Derry supporters. Galway's last four All-Ireland appearances have come off the back of wins over the Ulster side en route to Croke Park finals. All of which brought us to Celtic Park with two sides hovering ominously over the trapdoor. Backed by a breeze wafting in from the Brandywell end of the pitch, Derry ran in two to the good at the break. In fairness to Paddy Tally's beleaguered team, they more than played their part in a tightly contested, physical and, at times, breathtaking first half. Sam O'Neill, a late change to the Galway line-up, opened the afternoon's scoring as the sunny spells and bursts of rain left the pitch and ball slippery and treacherous. A trademark Brendan Rogers two pointer accounted for the home side's opening points before further white flags from go-to men Shane McGuigan and Conor Glass handed the home side a 0-4 to 0-2 lead after 11 minutes. A scrappy Rob Finnerty goal dramatically swung the pendulum in Galway's favour before Derry regained the initiative when Glass palmed home Derry's goal, courtesy of a 40-yard Diarmuid Baker run. Supporters brave the wet weather at Celtic Park. Photograph: Lorcan Doherty/Inpho Back to back two pointers from first Paul Cassidy, and then McGuigan, further underlined Derry's early dominance as they moved into a 1-8 to 1-2 lead. Galway responded in fine style, notching the next four scores without reply, including a brace of points from Finnerty and a classy Shane Walsh goal in the 21st minute. But once again, and with the scores now level, Derry fought back. Two points from Ciarán McFaul and one from Niall Loughlin handed the home side a three-point cushion before Matthew Thompson's second point of the half left the Tribesmen trailing 1-11 to 2-6 at half-time. John Maher's point opened up the second-half scoring before Derry took complete control of the third quarter, nailing an unanswered 1-4. Glass's 45 was the highlight of their points before Loughlin palmed home Derry's second goal in the 49th minute to give his side a 2-15 to 2-7 lead. A fine two pointer from impact sub Peter Cooke represented Galway's swift response before points from Paul Cassidy and the lively Lachlan Murray stretched the Derry lead to eight points in the 55th minute. But with the gun to their heads, Galway took control at kick-out time and gradually began to reduce the deficit. Tierney's 61st-minute goal, Galway's third, left the Connacht side trailing to 2-18 to 3-12 with eight minutes to go. A rusty Damien Comer, who had been introduced in the 50th minute, converted a 68th-minute free as Galway refused to bend And trailing by two with less than a minute to go until hooter time, Tierney's second goal appeared to have handed his side a back from the dead victory, as they took the lead, 4-14 to 2-19. But Derry would have the last say, working their way back up the pitch to see Conor Doherty restore parity on the scoreboard and bring a fine game to a fitting conclusion. DERRY: B McKinless; D Baker, E McEvoy, P McGurk; C Doherty (0-0-1), P McGrogan, D Higgins; C Glass (1-0-3, 1f), B Rogers (0-1-1); E Doherty, P Cassidy (0-1-1), C McFaul (0-0-1); S McGuigan (0-1-2, 1f), N Loughlin (1-0-2), N Toner (0-0-1, f). Subs: L Murray (0-0-2) for E Doherty (43 mins); R Forbes for P McGurk (56); A Tohill for N Loughlin (59); E Doherty for N Toner (62). GALWAY: C Gleeson; Johnny McGrath, S Mulkerrin, J Glynn; D McHugh, S Kelly (0-0-1), L Silke; P Conroy (0-0-1), J Maher (0-0-1); M Thompson (0-0-2), C McDaid, S O'Neill (0-0-1); M Tierney (2-0-0), R Finnerty (1-0-3, 1f), S Walsh (1-0-1, 1f). Subs: C Darcy (0-0-1) for S O'Neill (18 mins); P Cooke (0-1-0) for P Conroy, D Comer (0-0-1, f) for C McDaid (both 49); J Daly for S Walsh (59); K Molloy for D McHugh (64); J Heaney for S Mulkerrin (66). Referee: N Cullen (Fermanagh).
BBC News
3 days ago
- General
- BBC News
'No excuses' as Derry face crucial Galway test
Derry boss Paddy Tally has urged his players to rise to the challenge of facing a fired-up Galway in Sunday's crucial All-Ireland Group Four game at Celtic Park (14:00 BST). With Dublin to come in a fortnight, the Oak Leafers must beat last year's All-Ireland finalists to keep alive their hopes of reaching the knockout stages. Derry are winless in 2025, having struggled to cope with injuries to key players, but Tally says there will be no excuses when they host a Tribesmen outfit who lost to Dublin last time out. "Galway are one of the top teams in the country," Tally told BBC Sport NI after his side's defeat by Armagh in round one. "They got their shock against Dublin. You'll not see that Galway team again. You'll see a much more motivated and focused Galway. "But we have them at home. It's on us to make sure we perform. There is no other way of looking at it. There will be no excuses so the performance is key and let's hope we can get a result."Tally insisted Derry must improve their kick-outs after being dominated by Armagh in the middle third at the Athletic Grounds. His hand may be strengthened, however, by the return of goalkeeper Odhran Lynch, who has been named on the bench for the Galway game. "Armagh looked good, at times they were cutting us open and getting scores," added former Tyrone and Kerry coach Tally. "We were loose defensively at times, which wasn't good enough. We struggled on kick-outs. Armagh are strong around the middle and it's something we have to work on. "You can see at times where our players were coming into it. I do think it comes down to not playing for a while but that will not be an excuse against Galway."Derry rallied from nine points to draw against Galway at Celtic Park in Division One earlier this year, but lost 2-14 to 0-15 in last year's All-Ireland round-robin tie.
