In the end it was Murphy's law. In the past, teams have played league finals with pressing championship commitments beckoning, even a week afterwards - Donegal five years ago for instance. But to draw a league final in those circumstances hasn't happened in recent times.

Derry managed it yesterday. Leading by a point, they were pulled back by a Trevor Giles free in injury-time. They now face Cavan next Sunday in the Ulster championship and Meath in the NFL replay six days later. Manager Eamonn Coleman at least had the consolation of being able to float the favourite line of inter-county managers.

"I'd say Cavan has to be favourites for next week," he said. "Derry is going to be a tired team. Cavan aren't a bad team. . . " - he broke off sensing the credulity of the media snapping - "people are laughing but I saw them in the McKenna Cup final and any team that scores 118 isn't a bad team."

Paternal instincts didn't divert him from isolating the turning point as Ollie Murphy's goal in the 28th minute after Gary Coleman had fumbled the ball. "The goal was not down to any fantastic brilliance on Murphy's part. Gary had the ball and dropped it. The goal came at a crucial time because we were five points up and probably would have gone on to win it."

Coleman's Meath counterpart Sean Boylan seemed conscious of a let-off. "In the end we had to be satisfied with small mercies," he said of the late reprieve. "It was a pressure kick for Trevor Giles."

He was less serene about the sending-off incident which earned Graham Geraghty a red card in the second half for a foul on Kieran McKeever. "I have to say when I saw it, I didn't think it was a sending-off. I mean I saw an incident with Trevor Giles afterwards and he got a punch straight in the face."

Geraghty definitely misses the replay but will probably be back for the championship opener against Offaly in four weeks. The replay will be on Saturday week at a venue to be announced. Given the difficulty of preparing Croke Park for a match, it has to be on the cards that the replay will go to a provincial venue with Clones perhaps the favourite.

On the undercard Louth surprised Offaly by coming from behind in the second half to take the NFL Division Two title. A goal from Simon Gerard turned the match and Paddy Clarke's team had the last laugh winning 1-13 to 0-13.

The Birr controversy in Offaly moved on with the Saturday night decision to appeal the club's expulsion from the county championship for non-fulfillment of a fixture on Easter Monday.