BEFORE WE START the interview, Brendan Rogers levels with the press corps around him and makes the point that he won’t be answering any questions about the absence of their manager, Rory Gallagher, after he took a ‘step back’ according to his statement on Friday from the Derry team following allegations of domestic abuse from his estranged wife, Nicola.
In his absence, came Tyrone man Ciaran Meenagh, who now joins a select band of managers who have taken over mid-season and won silverware on the line.
During the match, Meenagh consulted with many figures in the backroom team including Enda Muldoon, Ronan Gallagher, Peter Hughes and Hugh Gallagher.
He will answer what it was like to have Meenagh – who has been with Derry since 2019, first coming in as a coach under Damian McErlain – on the sideline and leading them.
“We train with the philosophy that you become adaptable with your style of play. To any style of play,” he begins.
“So the way we train is, you are giving yourself the opportunity to be malleable as to the way the game is played.
“The messages we were receiving from Ciaran is no different to what we were receiving from Ciaran all year. It’s no different, it’s a team, it’s a backroom team. Everybody has their own thing. Enda is forward-orientated but he also can give defenders tips as to what forwards don’t like.”
He continues, “So there are a lot of messages that go on. The instructions we had, we done a lot of detail on Armagh the week prior, so this week it was a bit of down week to give ourselves a bit of energy so we were all very clear as to what we were doing as a team.
“We stuck together as a team and that’s what we deliver. We don’t have any noise outside of the camp. We like to train privately and we are comfortable to talk things through together. We do that regularly.”
In last year’s final, Rogers was sensational having been pushed to midfield for the meeting with Donegal. He hit three points from play and was the dominant figure in extra-time, setting Conor Glass up for the final point of the game.
He did the same here, getting Derry off to a big start with a fisted goal after nine minutes and adding two points from play. Not bad for a converted full-back.
However, he jokes that he was disappointed that he wasn’t selected to take one of the penalty kicks that eventually seen a brave Armagh challenge held off.
“I said to those fellas, that we are backing them 100%. Pick what way you want to go, take your shot. Whatever happens, happens. But we back you 100%. That’s the way we approach our gameplay, we are in it together,” Rogers said.
“It’s a lonely place, but they have the comfort of knowing that their team mates are behind them regardless of what happens. I am every bit as proud of Paul Cassidy for taking a penalty as I am of (Odhran, goalkeeper) Lynchy for saving them. That’s the nature of it. You win together and you lose together.”
Derry’s grip on the Anglo-Celt looked to be loosening in the closing stages of normal time. They had possession and were a point up with just two minutes remaining.
But Padraig Cassidy’s handpass was intercepted coming out of defence by Jarlath Óg Burns and Rogers dragged him to the ground. Referee David Gough awarded a black card. Rian O’Neill levelled things up on the scoreboard. Rory Grugan had a late chance to win it with a mark, but it fell short, much to Rogers’ relief.
“It’s frustrating in many ways,” explains Rogers.
“Maybe it was a bit of a blessing. I took a bit of cramp when I was coming off so I was able to refresh myself before I came back on.
“It’s not something you want to be in. I felt absolutely disappointed that I had let my team down and they had that shot to win it and it dropped short.
“Still nervy when we were one or two points down in injury time. But it excited me that I had the opportunity to get back and help my team mates again.
“I am not saying I was involved in an unbelievable amount of things, but just knowing that you are back to 15 men again. It gives you that little bit of energy. I was delighted to be back in that position.”
Rogers worked manically when he came back on in open play and with the help of Shane McGuigan, Derry held off a late charge from Armagh and could have actually won in open play only for O’Neill to once again bring the game to another phase by equalising after a foul on Stefan Campbell.
After winning on penalties, Derry were crowned champions again, the first time they have done back-to-back titles since 1975 and 1976.
And he recognises that they realise the significance of what they are doing. Especially coming from where they came from just a few years back.
“We did know. It is very important,” he insists.
“I was about when Derry was unsuccessful there very recently and it is an unbelievably lonely place. No one is even talking about the game but now you see kids coming about.
“I had something like 18 kids call to my door yesterday asking me about the game; how’s Derry football going? Will you come out and play with us in the park? All those kind of things.
“That’s what this is doing for kids in the area. It’s getting them out, getting them off social media, getting them off the Xbox.”
He continues, “It sounds so small but what that does in the lifestyle of the people in your county, your community, it is unreal. And it is happy days that is gets back to the supporters who follow it. That is special.
“Doing back-to-back titles is obviously very difficult in Ulster given the calibre of the teams in it, there are a lot of division 1 and 2 teams in it, so it is highly competitive.
“Yes, we are aware it is special and maybe it is me showing my age – I’m 29 boys – you’re totally aware but it only happens the more we stay focused. It only happens if train well, it only happens if we work hard so we have to keep our end of the bargain to get that support out all the time.
“If you start losing or getting into bad rucks or bad habits, it just doesn’t happen, you don’t get the support and we love it.”
