The sound of Roscommon whistler Paddy Neilan's final whistle on Saturday night was music to the Derry ears.
Sitting just in front of the Breffni Park press box was Oak Leaf legend Tony Scullion; his immediate reaction and sheer raw emotion painted a thousand words.
There was no silverware handed out but the manner of their one point win appeared to quench an underlying thirst for digging out results. Hard earned wins are always much more satisfying.
Leading by the bare minimum, Derry had their backs well and truly put to the wall; but with the clock ticking towards the thirty sixth minute the visitors were a point ahead but a rampant Cavan smelt blood and were going for the Derry jugular.
Derry didn't fold and epitomised by a warrior like performance from Dungiven's Mark Craig they repelled the danger. In a frantic last minute, a point would have been ample but Cavan's lack of composure saw them insist on trying to beat Eoin McNicholl for a dramatic winning goal.
The ball never troubled the Glenullin netminder as Craig was simply throwing himself in where many people wouldn't put their foot, making block after block. At the end of the pinball session in the Derry goalmouth, captain Chrissy McKaigue threw himself in the path of another shot – danger averted.
Sitting in the stand was Cailean O'Boyle who had been replaced after sustaining a 'bad bang on the head' and after the Mayo debacle last week Derry doctor Paul John McCormack was taking no chances.
The big Lavey man was central not only in creating Derry's goal but when James Kielt squared it back across 'keeper Galligan it was O'Boyle who palmed the ball home.
All the evenings spent kicking goals into the bus shelter in the middle of Gulladuff are paying off. He is a natural finisher but O'Boyle's main sense of satisfaction came from Derry's ability to 'dig deep' and he heaped the praise on his team mates.
"Fair play to the boys; they really put their shoulder to the wheel, showed a lot of passion and we came out on the right side of the result for a change." The last three words are significant.
His post game assessment included the word 'shocked' as well; these are the type of games Derry are renowned for losing.
Standing in the Breffni Park tunnel another statement from O'Boyle gives an insight into his manager Damian Barton and the high standards he sets.
He was quizzed about the need for full forwards to trackback. His response backs up the work ethic that is demanded.
"There was another few years I would have got away without doing it[tracking back] but this year the mentality from Damian is; you're in charge of your own man - end of story, and if I do find myself back there a lot I have no problem with it."
A team is very much the reflection of it's manager and in Saturday night's 'dogfight', that couldn't have truer. The broad smile on Barton's face is evident when talking about the character shown and was full of praise for his players.
"This was a fantastic performance from the team. I'm really delighted for them, they showed the togetherness whenever we needed it. They [Derry players] have got to respect each other, believe in each other and fight for each other."
Obviously nothing has been won but the manner of the win was oh so important. There appears to be a togetherness that only comes playing in tight games and it helps when men are throwing their bodies on the line.
O'Boyle was similarly impressed. "Throwing the body on the line is the perfect expression there, that's what they did, maybe four or five blocks there in the last two minutes of play and a big shoulder at the end by Ciaran McFaul."
Cavan fans were incensed at the decision not to award their team a critical free right at the end. It would have been harsh on Derry as Ciaran McFaul's shoulder charge was a text book challenge.
O'Boyle was relieved that Paddy Neilan had the mental strength to wave play on. "Fair play to the ref, other times the ref would maybe give a free there for an uneven shoulder or whatever."
After the Sigerson break Derry face a home game against Galway. It's early days, but a realistic promotion challenge is on the cards. In contrast Terry Hyland will need to pick through the pieces of two 'morale victories' and get his side back on the road against Meath in Navan.
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