Derry City 2 - 2 Crusaders (Crues win 5-4 on penos)

Crusaders overcame Derry City after a dramatic penalty shoot-out and in doing so claimed their first Setanta Cup at The Oval on Saturday afternoon.

The north Belfast team became the first Irish League winners, since Linfield claimed the crown in the competition’s inaugural season in 2005, and on the balance of play ran out worthy winners as Derry failed to justify their favourites tag going into the game.

The game finished a goal apiece after 90 minutes as a bullet Colin Coates header cancelled out a well taken Rory Patterson finish. The same two players again swapped goals in extra-time when Patterson’s penalty crept in following another dominant Coates header that looked to have given Crusaders victory.

The victory was all the more remarkable given that the Irish League team played the entire extra-time period with ten men when Stephen McBride was given a red card for a rash challenge on Simon Madden in the dying moments of normal time.

Most bookies had the Belfast side as rank 3/1 outsiders and those odds were looking very generous as the team that had accounted for Sligo Rovers and Bohemians sought to add another League of Ireland scalp to their collection.

Timmy Adamson came close to opening the scoring after only four minutes when he broke into the box but couldn’t quiet dig the ball out of his feet and Gerard Doherty made an easy save.

Crues came closer five minutes later when a delicious free-kick from Chris Morrow beat the wall but found the upright less forgiving.

Derry City had to wait until the 12^th minute for their first real attempt when David McDaid almost turned a Patrick McEleney corner into the net but shot wide. Crusaders were on top, however, with David Rainey and Declan Caddell having shots from distance that failed to trouble Doherty in the Derry goal.

The latter stages of the first half saw the Candystripes gradually assert some authority but all they had to show for their endeavours was a couple of corners and a tame Stephen McLaughlin shot that flew harmlessly wide of Sean O’Neill’s post.

David Rainey was proving a handful, as Crusaders seemed content to hit on the break, and the veteran forward done well to dispossess Shane McEleney on the touch-line but his shot was woefully misjudged, especially with Declan Caddell unmarked and screaming  in front of goal.

The second half began with a flurry of chances as Rory Patterson’s looping header struck the crossbar and then the Crusaders strikers combined in the best move of the game so far  that ended with Chris Morrow drawing a fine save from Doherty. The rebound fell to Caddell who dragged his shot wide.

Crues fans were beside themselves as they watched their team squander chance after chance that recalled echoes of their Irish Cup final defeat to Linfield a week before when they failed to capitalise on opportunities created and paid the ultimate price in a 4-1 defeat.

It didn’t get any easier for them as Timmy Adamson’s header hit the bar and the excellent Rainey was ruled off-side with only the goalkeeper to beat.

The deadlock was finally broken in the 80^th minute when Owen Morrison did well to control Dermot McCafferty’s cross and lay it off to Rory Patterson. The former Linfield striker needs no invitation from seven yards out and passed it into the net with cool precision that gave Derry a scarcely warranted lead.

Declan Devine grew increasingly animated on the touchline as he beseeched his charges to maintain possession but his pleas fell on deaf ears as his team failed to show the requisite composure to see the game out.

They were punished, under controversial circumstances, when Doherty appeared to be impeded by Rainey as he attempted to claim a corner. Raymond Crangle and his assistants, however, saw no infringement and Colin Coates powered his header into an empty net.

David Rainey almost sealed victory in what would have capped an excellent performance but his shot went wide when he really should have scored. There was only time for the mists to descend on Stephen McBride before the final whistle blew.

It would have been expected that the Candystripes would start the extended period better, and this they did with Simon Madden prominent as he raided down the wing that McBride had vacated. Surprisingly it was the Hatchetmen who came closest to gaining the lead when Declan Caddell hesitated when through on goal and allowed Ryan McBride to scamper across and avert the danger.

The relief was only temporary as, from the resultant corner, Colin Coates rose majestically to thump a trademark header into the net with Doherty stranded.

Finally Derry roused themselves and equalised when Paul Leeman was adjudged to have stopped Patterson’s goal bound effort with his arm and Patterson, the competition’s top scorer, added to his tally despite a valiant effort from Sean O’Neill.

The second half of extra-time had the Belfast side out on their feet but with the memory of last week’s defeat still fresh they struggled manfully through as Derry couldn’t use their numerical superiority to their advantage.

Then came the lottery of penalties and suffice to say that the Irish League team scored more than their League of Ireland counterparts.

As the sun went down behind the famous Harland and Wolf cranes the Crusaders fans sang  that they were All Ireland champions, and no-one could disagree.

This tournament has its detractors but you won’t find any on the Shore Road.

Crusaders: Sean O’Neill; Stephen McBride, Paul Leeman, Colin Coates, David Magowan; Stuart Dallas, Chris Morrow, Declan Cadell (Ciaran Gargan 112), Aidan Watson; David Rainey (Matthew Snoddy 98), Timmy Adamson (Gareth Mckeown (91).

Subs Not Used:  Ryan McCann, Michael Halliday, David McMaster, David Gibson.

Derry City: Gerard Doherty; Simon Madden, Shane McEleney, Ryan McBride (Eddie McCallion 106), Dermot McCaffrey; Patrick McEleney, Barry Molloy, Ruairdhi Higgins, Stephen McLaughlin (Owen Morrison 63); David McDaid, Rory Patterson.

Subs Not Used: Matthew Crossan, Brian McGroary, Michael Barr, Ryan Curran, Eugene Ferry.

Referee: Raymond Crangle.

Attendance: 3,275

Extratime.ie Man of the Match: Colin Coates (Crusaders).