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2000 Ulster Senior Football Championship Final

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2000 Ulster SFC Final
Event2000 Ulster Senior Football Championship
Date16 July 2000
VenueSt Tiernach's Park, Clones
RefereeMick Curley (Galway)
Attendance33,253

The 2000 Ulster Senior Football Championship Final was the showpiece game of that year's Ulster Championship, contested by Armagh and Derry and played at St Tiernach's Park, Clones on 16 July 2000. Armagh were the defending champions, having beaten Down at the same stage the previous year. [1]

Armagh won the game by 1–12 to 1–11, qualifying for the All-Ireland Semi Final against Munster Champions Kerry. [2]


The match

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Armagh’s tactical approach created significant problems for Derry from the outset. The Ulster champions deployed a two-man full-forward line of Oisín McConville and Steven McDonnell, pulling additional players into the middle third. This move neutralised Derry’s midfield pairing of Anthony Tohill and Dermot Heaney and disrupted Derry’s defensive structure.[3]

Repeated attacks down the left wing exposed Derry’s vulnerabilities, particularly the absence of Gary Coleman in the half-back line as he was drawn into marking duties. Armagh capitalised on these opportunities to build a lead.

Despite Armagh’s dominance, their scoring efficiency faltered in the second half. A barren spell between the 49th and 67th minutes allowed Derry to gain some control. However, Derry’s own attacking inefficiencies and missed opportunities, including frees, prevented them from taking the lead.

With the sides level in the 67th minute, a free given in controversial circumstances[4] from Armagh forward Oisín McConville pushed Armagh into the lead. At the other end, Derry captain Anthonhy Tohill had the chance to level things again with a 55-yard free but hit wide, and referee Michael Curley blew the final whistle.[5]

Derry boss Eamon Coleman resigned after the game.[6]

Details

[edit]
Final
Armagh1-12 - 1-11Derry
S McDonnell 1-1, C O'Rourke 0-4, O McConville 0-3, J McNulty 0-1, J McEntee 0-1, P McGrane 0-1, B O'Hagan 0-1. J McBride 1-3, A Tohill 0-4, E. Muldoon 0-2, D Dougan 0-1, J Cassidy 0-1.
Attendance: 33,253
Referee: M Curley (Galway)
Armagh
Derry
1 Brendan Tierney
2 Enda McNulty
3 Ger Reid
4 Justin McNulty
5 Kieran Hughes
6 Kieran McGeeney (c)
7 Andrew McCann
8 John McEntee
9 Paul McGrane
10 Cathal O'Rourke
11 Barry O'Hagan downward-facing red arrow 69'
12 Paddy McKeever downward-facing red arrow 63'
13 Stephen McDonnell
14 Tony McEntee
15 Oisín McConville
Substitutes:
Alan O'Neill upward-facing green arrow 63'
James Byrne upward-facing green arrow 69'

Manager:
Brian McAlinden and Brian Canavan
1 Eoin McCloskey
2 Sean Martin Lockhart
3 Kieran McKeever
4 Gary Coleman
5 Paul McFlynn
6 Henry Downey
7 Niall McCusker
8 Anthony Tohill (c)
9 Dermot Heaney
10 Eamonn Burns downward-facing red arrow HT'
11 Dermot Dougan downward-facing red arrow 51'
12 Joe Cassidy downward-facing red arrow 64'
13 Patrick Bradley downward-facing red arrow HT'
14 Enda Muldoon
15 Johnny McBride
Substitutes:
Joe Brolly upward-facing green arrow HT'
Ronan Rocks upward-facing green arrow HT'
Seamus Downey upward-facing green arrow 51'
Fergal McCusker upward-facing green arrow 64'

Manager:
Eamon Coleman

Man of the Match:
Ger Reid (Armagh )[7]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Irish Independent - Monday 02 August 1999 Page 33
  2. ^ https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/gaelic-games/54742199
  3. ^ Eamon McGee - Orchard Bloomsday Irish Independent - Monday 17 July 2000 - Page 25
  4. ^ Armagh's Ulster win over Derry in 2000 was deemed controversial due to a scuffle between Derry's Henry Downey and Armagh's Paddy McKeever, which earned the Orchard County their winning free, despite many believing it wasn't a foul https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/gaelic-games/54742199
  5. ^ Martin Breheny - The Derry captain had a chance to bring his side level and into a replay when he faced up to a 55-yard free two minutes into injury time. There was no lack of power or conviction in his right foot drive, but it sailed wide of the posts and referee Michael Curley blew the full time whistle almost immediately. Irish Independent - Monday 17 July 2000 - Page 29
  6. ^ Coleman resigns Irish Independent - Monday 17 July 2000 Page 29
  7. ^ G Reid - Armagh - Man of the Match Irish Independent - Monday 17 July 2000