Gaelic Games

Emmet Bradley’s late winner secures Glen’s spot in Ulster club final

Malachy O’Rourke’s team were narrow winners over Naomh Conaill thanks to the last kick of the match

Glen’s Ciaran McFaul runs to congratulate Emmett Bradley’s on his match winning score. Photograph: Lorcan Doherty/Inpho
Glen’s Ciaran McFaul runs to congratulate Emmett Bradley’s on his match winning score. Photograph: Lorcan Doherty/Inpho
Steven Doherty
Sat Nov 25 2023 - 22:41
Ulster club SFC semi-final: Glen (Derry) 0-10 Naomh Conaill (Donegal) 1-6

Emmett Bradley was the hero for Glen on Saturday evening, swinging over the match winning point with the last kick of the game in their one-point win over Naomh Conaill.

The Ulster champions led by two at the break only for Glenties to take the lead with a second-half penalty. The pendulum of the contest swung one way and then another with AJ Gallagher looking like taking the game to extra time with a 63rd-minute fisted point. But Derry midfielder Bradley would have the last word when he landed a monster score in the death throes of the match.

“It’s brilliant,” said Glen boss Malachy O’Rourke, whose side face a December 9th decider against Scotstown who also enjoyed a tight win over Trillick.

“The boys showed tremendous courage and tremendous character at the end,” he continued, “and that ability to execute when the pressure’s at its greatest.”

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A late Ciaran McFaul point, where he tapped over after a rapid fire Glen counter, handed the Watty’s a 0-5 to 0-3 half-time lead. The two-point advantage was no more than the Derry men deserved, having chiselled out a 0-4 to no score lead after 22 minutes of a contest that never quite caught fire. The ubiquitous Conleth McGuckian scored three of the first four points of the contest with a delicious Cathal Mulholland effort from a difficult angle accounting for Glen’s fourth.

Outside of a few unlikely pot shots, Naomh Conaill rarely threatened until their best player Ciaran Thompson finally opened their account in the 24th minute. But a beautiful outside of the boot effort from Ethan O’Donnell and a second from Thompson left the Donegal champions just one adrift at 0-4 to 0-3.

McFaul’s point on the cusp of the break edged Glen two ahead.

John O’Malley converted a penalty early in the second half which handed the lead to Glenties for the first time in the match. Both sides would go point-for-point right up until the hour mark before those last-gasp fireworks.

AJ Gallagher fisted over to pull the scores level at 0-9 to 1-6, before Bradley’s point brought a winning finale for the Watty’s.

“I thought we played some good football but again,” explained O’Rourke, “like the last day against Cargin we just didn’t convert all the chances we had. In games like this, we’re just delighted to be creating those chances.”

O’Rourke acknowledged his side’s high wide count. “We do plenty of shooting practice and the boys are well able to do it,” he continued. “When you win tough championship games, you learn a lot from them the next time you’re in that situation – you probably do things a wee bit better.”

GLEN: C Bradley, M Warnock, R Dougan, C Carville, E Mulholland, C McFaul (0-1), C Mulholland (0-2), C Glass, E Bradley (0-3, 2f), E Doherty, D McDermott, T Flanagan, A Doherty, D Tallon, C McGuckian (0-3). Subs: J McDermott for D McDermott (23 mins), S O’Hara (0-1) for A Doherty (53 mins).

NAOMH CONAILL: S McGrath, E Waide, AJ Gallagher (0-1), U Doherty, K McGettigan, A Thompson, E O’Donnell (0-1), L McLoone, C Thompson (0-3), B McDyer (0-1), O Doherty, E Doherty, J MacCeallbhui, C McGuinness, J O’Malley (1-0). Subs: K McGill for J O’Malley (52).

Referee: Sean Hurson (Tyrone).