By Michael McMullan

PADDY Tally’s initial thoughts were how it was a point lost as opposed to a point gained when Conor Doherty earned Derry a draw with the last kick of Sunday’s enthralling draw with Galway at Celtic Park.

Derry were eight points ahead after Niall Loughlin palmed home a goal made my lively substitute Lachlan Murray but two Matthew Tierney goals pulled Galway back into a winning position before a team moved was finished by Doherty’s equaliser.

“The thoughts are immediately that we should have won that game,” Tally said. “We were eight points up, in a really good position and didn’t close it out. That’s disappointing.”

The draw, after losing to Armagh in the first game, means Derry need to beat Dublin to ensure they make the All-Ireland knock-out stages.

From trailing by 13 points at a stage last weekend against Armagh, there was more structure and desire in Derry’s performance and Padraic Joyce’s side can also breathe a sigh of relief for getting something from the game.

“I’d be happy with the way the attitude was good and a lot of really good football,” Tally said. “You play yourself into a position, you’re an eight points better team. Galway got two goals in the first half but apart from that, we were a better team.

“So, when we pushed out in the second half, we really are on top here. But to concede those scores, okay, they had a few boys come off the bench, made a difference to them. But it’s just disappointing they didn’t close it out.”

There was a key turning point in the second half when Galway got a questionable sideline ball when Conor Glass was adjudged to have flicked Connor Gleeson’s kick-out over the sideline. From the decision, Galway constructed the move that led to Matthew Tierney’s first goal to leave just three points between the sides. The Derry boss felt it was a key moment.

“It looked as if it was our line ball, I think that was a bad call,” Tally said. “If the referee wasn’t sure, hop the ball, but don’t give a decision you’re not sure of. They got the goal off that, which is really disappointing.”

Disaster struck hen Tierney capitalised on a defensive error that led to Galway’s fourth goal and Galway going a point but with seconds left to play, but the Derry boss was happy with composure to work the equaliser, a move that began with a McKinless kick-out to Diarmuid Baker and patient play until Doherty kicked the equaliser. A contrast to the same situation in the league defeat to Kerry.

“I think that last goal we worked to get a drive, it was brilliant,” Tally said. “They had hit the goal; they were a point up. And then to create a score from a short kick out in the corner under serious pressure, says a lot about the team as well. I thought it was very good.”

Not it’s a case of preparing for Dublin in the final group game needing win to cement a place in the knock-out stages.

“If we had won today, you’re going to the last game for the win anyway,” Tally said. “If we had come out with a result, it didn’t matter. If you had lost the game today, you’re probably going to try and beat Dublin to see who you come through in third place.

“So, it’s all up to play for the last match. It’s great to be there. It’s great to have an opportunity now that we can go at it. If we had lost that game today, it would have been very hard to pick those boys up after playing so well. But now we have two weeks to get ready for Dublin. We look forward to that.”