{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2021}} {{Use Hiberno-English|date=February 2021}} {{Infobox football match | title = 1997 Ulster Senior Football Championship final | image = | event = [[1997 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship#Ulster Senior Football Championship|1997 Ulster Senior Championship]] | team1 = [[Cavan GAA|Cavan]] | team1association = [[File:Laois colours.PNG|40px]] | team1score = 1-14 | team2 = [[Derry GAA|Derry]] | team2association = [[File:Derry colours.PNG|40px]] | team2score = 0-16 | details = | date = 20 July 1997 | stadium = [[St Tiernach's Park]] | city = [[Clones, County Monaghan|Clones]] | man_of_the_match1a = [[Dermot McCabe]] | referee = [[Pat McEnaney]] ([[Monaghan GAA|Monaghan]]) | attendance = 34,349 | weather = | previous = 1996 | next = 1998 }} The '''1997 Ulster Senior Football Championship final''' was played at [[St Tiernach's Park]] in [[Clones, County Monaghan|Clones]] on 20 July 1997. It was contested by [[Cavan GAA|Cavan]] and [[Derry GAA|Derry]].
Cavan were looking for their first title since 1969, while Derry hadn't won since 1993.
Cavan entered the game as underdogs, but bridged a 28-year gap to win a record 39th Ulster title.<ref>{{cite web|url = https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/cavan-end-wilderness-years-1.90644 |title = Cavan end wilderness years |date = 21 July 1997 |work = Irish Times |accessdate = 13 April 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url = https://www.irishnews.com/sport/gaafootball/2017/07/20/news/cavan-footballers-end-28-year-wait-for-ulster-title-1088689/ |title = Back in the day: The Irish News July 20 1997: Cavan footballers end 28-year wait for Ulster title |date = 20 July 2017 |work = Irish News |accessdate = 13 April 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url = https://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-games/gaelic-football/i-never-witnessed-scenes-like-it-in-my-life-the-donegal-legend-who-led-cavan-to-ulster-glory-38236394.html |title = 'I never witnessed scenes like it in my life' - The Donegal legend who led Cavan to Ulster glory |date = 20 June 2019 |work = Independent |accessdate = 13 April 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url = https://www.the42.ie/cavan-mickey-graham-ulster-final-1997-4690947-Jun2019/ |title = 'I turned around and I think I was hit by a herd of buffalo, I never seen a pitch fill up as quick' |date = 22 June 2019 |work = The42 |accessdate = 13 April 2019}}</ref> Substitute [[Jason O'Reilly]] got the decisive goal,<ref>{{cite web|url = https://www.the42.ie/cavan-win-ulster-final-1997-4691252-Jun2019/ |title = Soccer celebrations, carrying sandbags over hills, and ending a 28-year wait for Ulster glory |date = 23 June 2019 |work = The42 |accessdate = 13 April 2019}}</ref> while [[Ronan Carolan]] was top scorer with 6 points. [[Dermot McCabe]] was selected as man of the match while [[Stephen King (Gaelic footballer)|Stephen King]] had the honour of lifting the Anglo-Celt Cup as captain.<ref>{{cite web|url = https://www.gaa.ie/football/news/flashback-1997-ulster-sfc-final-cavan-v-derry/ |title = Flashback: 1997 Ulster SFC Final - Cavan v Derry |date = 10 April 2020 |work = GAA.ie |accessdate = 13 April 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url = https://www.anglocelt.ie/sport/roundup/articles/2020/04/08/4188339-it-was-everything-i-thought-it-would-be/ |title = 'It was everything I thought it would be' |date = 8 April 2020 |work = Anglo Celt |accessdate = 13 April 2019}}</ref>
==Match details== {{footballbox |date = 20 July 1997 |team1 = [[Cavan GAA|Cavan]] |score = 1-14 – 0-16 |report = |team2 = [[Derry GAA|Derry]] |goals1 = R. Carolan 0-6 <br /> J. O'Reilly 1-0 <br /> P. Reilly 0-3 <br /> L. Reilly 0-2 <br /> D. McCabe 0-1 <br /> R. Cunningham 0-1 <br /> F. Cahill 0-1 |goals2 = A. Tohill 0-4 <br /> J. Brolly 0-3 <br /> G. McGill 0-2 <br /> G. Coleman 0-2 <br /> J. Cassidy 0-1 <br /> F. McCusker 0-1 <br /> D. Dougan 0-1 <br /> J. McBride 0-1 <br /> K. McKeever 0-1 |stadium = [[St Tiernach's Park]], [[Clones, County Monaghan|Clones]] | referee = [[Pat McEnaney]] ([[Monaghan GAA|Monaghan]])}}
{| width=92% | |- |{{Football kit |pattern_la = _white_hoops |pattern_b = _whitecollarplain |pattern_ra = _white_hoops |pattern_sh = |pattern_so = _whitetop |leftarm = 0000FF |body = 0000FF |rightarm = 0000FF |shorts = FFFFFF |socks = 0000FF |title = Cavan }} |{{Football kit |pattern_la = |pattern_b = _redhorizontal |pattern_ra = |pattern_sh = |pattern_so = _2 white stripes |leftarm = FF0000 |body = FFFFFF |rightarm = FF0000 |shorts = FF0000 |socks = FF0000 |title = Derry }} |}
{| style="width:75%;" |- | style="vertical-align:top; width:50%;"| {| style="font-size: 90%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" |- !width=25| |- |'''1''' || Paul O'Dowd |- |'''2''' || Philip Kermath |- |'''3''' || Ciarán Brady |- |'''4''' || Terry Farrelly |- |'''5''' || Gerry Sheridan |- |'''6''' || Bernard Morris |- |'''7''' || Patrick Sheils |- |'''8''' || [[Stephen King (Gaelic footballer)|Stephen King]] ([[Captain (sports)|c]]) |- |'''9''' || [[Dermot McCabe]] |- |'''10'''|| Peter Reilly |- |'''11'''|| [[Ronan Carolan]] |- |'''12'''|| Raymond Cunningham |- |'''13'''|| [[Larry Reilly]] |- |'''14'''|| Fintan Cahill |- |'''15'''|| [[Damien O'Reilly]] |- |colspan=3|'''Substitutes:''' |- |'''17'''|| [[Mickey Graham]] for L. Reilly |- |'''18'''|| Philip Smith for King |- |'''20'''|| [[Jason O'Reilly]] for Cahill |- |colspan=3|<br>'''Manager:''' |- |colspan="4"|[[Martin McHugh (Gaelic footballer)|Martin McHugh]] |} |style="vertical-align:top; width:50%"| {| style="font-size: 90%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align=center |- !width="25"| |- |'''1''' || [[Damien McCusker]] |- |'''2''' || [[Kieran McKeever]] ([[Captain (sports)|c]]) |- |'''3''' || David O'Neill |- |'''4''' || [[Gary Coleman (Gaelic footballer)|Gary Coleman]] |- |'''5''' || [[Seán Marty Lockhart]] |- |'''6''' || [[Henry Downey]] |- |'''7''' || [[Johnny McBride]] |- |'''8''' || [[Anthony Tohill]] |- |'''9''' || [[Dermot Heaney]] |- |'''10'''|| Gary McGill |- |'''11'''|| Dermot Dougan |- |'''12'''|| [[Fergal McCusker]] |- |'''13'''|| [[Joe Brolly]] |- |'''14'''|| [[Seamus Downey]] |- |'''15'''|| [[Joe Cassidy (Gaelic footballer)|Joe Cassidy]] |- |colspan=3|'''Substitutes:''' |- |'''17'''|| Karl Diamond for Dougan |- |'''19'''|| Gary Doyle for McGill |- |<br /> |- |colspan=3|<br>'''Manager:''' |- |colspan="4"|[[Brian Mullins]] |} |}
{| style="width:100%; font-size:90%;" | '''Man of the Match:''' <br />[[Dermot McCabe]] |}
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{Ulster Senior Football Championship}}
[[Category:1997 in Gaelic football|Ulster Football Final]] [[Category:1997 in Northern Ireland sport|Ulster GAA Football Final]] [[Category:Cavan county football team matches]] [[Category:Derry county football team matches]] [[Category:Ulster Senior Football Championship finals]] [[Category:July 1997 sports events in Europe]] [[Category:Gaelic football competitions in County Monaghan]] [[Category:Clones, County Monaghan]]