Derry beat Armagh to win back-to-back All-Ireland minor titles

Minor captain James Sargent lifted the Tom Markham Cup for Derry

Derry came with a strong final quarter spurt to defend their All-Ireland minor football title in a 2-7 to 0-10 victory over Armagh in Healy Park.

Cody Rocks' palmed goal 10 minutes from the end was the key score as Derry wrestled momentum away from Armagh, who had taken the lead for the first time after half time.

James Sargent's penalty gave Derry an early cushion but the sides went in level 1-3 to 0-6 at the break.

Armagh outscored Derry 0-6 to 0-1 either side of half time after the penalty as they chased a first All-Ireland at this grade since 2009.

However Derry came from two points behind and scored 1-3 without reply with points from Sargent, Luke Grant and Eamon Young to continue the county's impressive underage record.

This is Derry's seventh All-Ireland at this grade and a third in five years.

Derry's All-Ireland minor football championship winners celebrate with the Tom Markham Cup

Third time unlucky for Armagh

There was a lot disappointment that this fixture was not played in Croke Park, with the All-Ireland senior camogie quarter-finals instead being the curtain-raisers to the All-Ireland hurling semi-finals this weekend.

As the GAA pushes towards full integration with the camogie and ladies football associations, it could signal the direction of travel in the future but regardless, the minor football teams served up a treat for the approximate attendance of 6,000 or so in Omagh.

This was the third time these teams had met this year, with Derry beating Armagh by 17 points in the group stages of the Ulster championship and then by just two points in the Ulster final.

Going up against familiar opponents again could have been a burden for this young Derry side to carry, but it certainly wasn't a factor early on as they raced into an early 0-3 to 0-1 lead.

Armagh levelled before the first key moment when Luke Grant was fouled in the square and skipper James Sargent dispatched the penalty brilliantly after 23 minutes.

However Armagh responded well to the setback and scored six of the next seven points either side of half time.

The sides were level, 1-3 to 0-6, at half time and 'keeper Michael Finnegan nailed two '45's for Armagh who went ahead for the first time just after the interval.

Sub Aaron Garvey's superb point pushed Armagh's lead out to two 10 minutes into the second half and having been unbeaten for so long in championship football, suddenly the favourites tag looked to be a heavy burden for Derry to carry.

Superb Sargent leads Derry to glory

Any self-doubts Derry were feeling at that point were quickly dispelled by their impressive number eight and man of the match James Sargent.

The Derry skipper was dominant in the air and kicked a lovely point off his left foot to stop Armagh's run of scores. It was Derry's first point from play since the fourth minute of the game, 39 minutes earlier.

Sargent's strong run then set up Luke Grant for the equaliser before Eamon Young landed another point.

The trio were key in turning the momentum back in Derry's favour in the second half.

The final 10 minutes were exciting as Armagh pushed up looking for a goal and both sides went close before Loup brothers Dylan and Cody Rocks combined for the latter to palm home the decisive goal nine minutes from time.

Diarmaid O'Rourke converted a free to reduce the gap to three points with five minutes to go but Armagh were unable to land any more blows on a Derry side that became the first Ulster side since Tyrone in 1947 and 1948 to win back-to-back All-Ireland minor football titles.