Ulster Club Senior Football Championship quarter-final: Glen 3-10 Errigal Ciaran 1-12
Glen turned in an impressive second half showing to overturn Errigal Ciaran to set up a semi-final meeting with Antrim champions Cargin later this month.
The Derry champions were four points down at half-time, but won by that margin after out-scoring the Dunmoyle men 1-9 to 0-4 after the break.
Derry All Star Conor Glass turned in a Man-of-the-Match performance after freeing himself from the shackles of Joe Oguz as Malachy O’Rourke got the better of his own club side.
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The Fermanagh native played for and managed Errigal and he still lives in the parish and he admitted that facing the Tyrone champions in the Ulster Club Championship was far from ideal.
“It was a tough game for me personally in that Errigal is my home club,” O’Rourke told TG4 after the game.
“It wasn’t nice going against them, but I’ve been in with Glen for two years.
“You’ve a job to do and you’ve to put all the emotions out of the way and try and do your best.
“Errigal might put up a mighty battle there. Several times we were up against it. At half-time, it wasn’t a great position.
“In fairness, the boys dug it out in the second half and it was a good result in the end.”
The game provided plenty of talking points, not least the opening score which saw Conor Convery score a goal after just four minutes.
Conor Glass hit a high ball in and Errigal goalkeeper Darragh McAnenly spilled the ball into the net after being challenged by Convery. Despite Errigal Ciaran’s protests, the goal was awarded by Paul Faloon.
While Darragh and Ruairi Canavan were clipping over points, their cousin Tommy scored a goal on 12 minutes.
Glen replied in kind via the Dohertys as Ethan played Alex through on goal, but Errigal finished the half on top to lead by four.
Yet, just as they had done during their wins over Dromore and Carrickmore in the Tyrone Championship, Errigal struggled to secure possession around the middle third in the second half as Glass inspired a Glen fightback.
When Ethan Doherty struck for their third goal, the writing was on the wall for Errigal.
To add insult to injury, the Tyrone champions had a late goal from Eoin Kelly disallowed for a square ball infringement.
Glen substitute Stevie O’Hara capped off a fine cameo with two classy points as the Maghera side sealed a semi-final berth, with O’Rourke relieved to get over the line.
“The first half was more goals than points for a lot of it,” reflected O’Rourke.
“There was a lot of great play among the mayhem. In games like that, you just have to keep a cool head, believe that your chances will come and take them.
“Both teams were guilty of giving the ball away. We turned the ball over a lot and Errigal were able to go down and score at the other end. We had to be better going forward in the second half.
“Overall, we did enough in the end.”
Glen scorers: Alex Doherty 1-1, Conor Convery 1-0, Ethan Doherty 1-0, Stevie O’Hara 0-2, Emmett Bradley 0-2, Conor Carville 0-1, Danny Tallon 0-1 (0-1f), Conor Glass 0-1 (0-1 45), Conleth McGuckian 0-1, Jack Doherty 0-1.
Errigal Ciaran scorers: Tommy Canavan 1-3 (0-3fs), Darragh Canavan 0-3 (0-1f), Ruairi Canavan 0-2, Peter Óg McCartan 0-2, Padraig McGirr 0-1, Mark Kavanagh 0-1.
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