DERRY SFC: Loup defeat Glenullin to make last eight

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GOAL . . . Conal McGinley's late strike killed off any hopes of a Glenullin fightback at Owenbeg.GOAL . . . Conal McGinley's late strike killed off any hopes of a Glenullin fightback at Owenbeg.
GOAL . . . Conal McGinley's late strike killed off any hopes of a Glenullin fightback at Owenbeg.

Loup 1-14, Glenullin 1-08

Loup justified their favourite’s tag with this six point win over Glenullin at Owenbeg last Saturday evening before 1,361 fans, their reward a quarter-final meeting with Glen.

Mitchel’s manager Liam Bradley sprung quite a surprise at the throw when he did not start his sons, Paddy and Eoin, although they were named in the starting 15, the latter introduced in the 21st minute with Glenullin trailing 0-8 to 0-2, the former joining the fray four minutes onto the second half with Loup’s interval 0-9 to 0-3 lead cut to 0-9 to 1-4.

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There were just 14 seconds on the stopwatch in the second half when Christopher Dempsey fired the ball to the net, Brian Mullan then picking up a loose ball from an Eoin Bradley free to the goalmouth and slotting it over the bar.

Ruairi Bradley had not been named in the starting 15 but, along with Donal McNicholl, he was in the team that lined up and got the scoreboard moving with a 4th minute point.

Yet thereafter Loup utterly dominated the half, in control at midfield where Terence O’Brien reigned supreme, with Jason Rocks punching holes in the Glenullin rearguard as Ciaran Devlin levelled.

Anthony O’Neill from a free, Paul McVey, the outstanding Patrick Coney, Brian Doyle (free) and keeper Thomas Mallon from a ‘45’ were all on target as the Division One side led 0-6 to 0-1 by the 10th minute.

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Indeed the game might well have been put beyond Glenullin two minutes later but for a superb save by keeper Eoin McNicholl.

Coney and Devlin had points either side of one from Dermot O’Kane, Aidan McAlynn closing the half with a minor after O’Kane had landed 23rd minute point.

In the final minute of the half Glenullin’s centre-back John O’Kane was black carded, the Mitchel’s adding to their scoring burst at the start of the second half with a monster point from Eoin Bradley in the 47th minute and another from Brian Mullan two minutes later for 0-12 to 1-8.

Paul McVey halted Glenullin’s surge with a fine point but Loup’s hopes could have been dented when Thomas McVey was red carded after picking up a ‘black card’ to add to his first half yellow card.

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They overcame this blow however with a rousing finish that brought a third point by Coney in the 52nd minute and a stunning goal by corner back Conal McGinley six minutes from time which ended any hopes Glenullin had.

Loup scorers: Conal McGinley 1-00, Patrick Coney 0-03, Paul McVey 0-03, Brian Doyle 0-02, 0-01 free, Declan McVey 0-02, Anthony O’Neill, Thomas Mallon ‘45’, Ciaran Devlin and Aidan McAlynn 0-01 each

Glenullin scorers: Dermot O’Kane 0-04 frees, Chrissy Dempsey 1-00, Brian Mullan 0-02, Eoin Bradley and Ruairi Bradley 0-01 each

Loup: Thomas Mallon; Colm McVey, Dominic McVey, Conal McGinley; Patrick Coney, Thomas McVey, Jason Rocks; Terence O’Brien, Aidan McAlynn; Anthony O’Neill, Paul McVey, Brian Doyle; Ciaran Devlin, Paul Young, Declan McVey. (Subs) Gavan Mallon for D McVey 46 mins; Gary Doyle for C McGinley 58 mins.

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Glenullin: Eoin McNicholl; Eunan O’Kane, Fergal McIlvar, Mark O’Kane; John O’Kane, Caolan McNeill, Gerard O’Kane; Brian Mullan, Tarlach Bradley; Christopher Dempsey, Dermot O’Kane, Chrissy Dempsey; Niall O’Kane, Ruairi Bradley, Donal McNicholl. (Subs) Eoin Bradley for D McNicholl 22 mins; Stephen Mullan for J O’Kane (Black Card Replacement 31 mins); Paddy Bradley for C Dempsey 34 mins; Daniel O’Kane for C McNeill 45 mins; James McNicholl for Ruairi Bradley 58 mins

Referee: Cyril Hargan (Ardmore)