By Niall Gartland

A SERIAL winner. Or at least he was, but Conor Glass is back on the winning trail after a thoroughly forgettable 48 months.

Let’s recall the years 2021 through to early 2024 (and for sake of expediency, we’ll not delve into his remarkable success at underage level).

In 2021, his club Glen won a first ever Derry Senior Championship title. Glass was their beating heart.

In 2022, they followed that up with a historic Ulster Senior Championship. Earlier that year, Derry bridged a gap of 24 years in the provincial series at intercounty level. Late points deep into extra-time from Glass and Brendan Rodgers proved the crucial scores.

Somehow, 2023 feeding through to 2024 was even better. Glass, who was Derry skipper at this stage, held aloft the Anglo Celt title as they successfully retained their crown. And Glen went all the way to the All-Ireland title, Glass producing a Herculean display as they produced a stunning comeback victory over St Brigid’s of Roscommon in January 2024.

Then, the lull. Okay, Glen made it back to yet another Derry decider in late 2024 but fell short against Newbridge, who were then the new kids on the block. Derry was another story altogether – they unraveled completely after winning the Division One title in 2024, and 2025 was even worse as they failed to win a single game in league or championship.

Ancient history now? Maybe – they’re tipping along nicely in their first year under the watchful eye of Ciarán Meenagh, even though promotion from Division Two ultimately proved beyond them. And big things are expected of their looming Ulster Championship campaign, which gets underway at Celtic Park this Saturday evening against Antrim. And if they win, Conor Glass will be delighted, even if it’s ‘just’ a provincial championship opener against perennial underdogs Antrim.

“When I was underage there was underage and school’s success. I suppose I was used to winning so to have that period without success was tough.

“You do cherish wins more but at the same time, when you’re playing you’re in a bubble. You’re going from week-to-week, from competition-to-competition. You don’t really have that wider perspective but I still cherish wins more so than I did a few years ago.”

The buzz is back as well. For a period it was all doom and gloom but the vibrancy has returned to Derry football at senior level.

The Magera man said: “When you’re walking down the town, you can see young children wearing Derry tops. After games, they’re coming on and getting photos and signatures. We know we’re there to perform on the day whatever about the circumstances, but it definitely brings energy within the group.”

Antrim is the first hurdle on the road to Clones. Derry’s back-to-back Ulster Championship wins in 2022 and 2023 will be forever remembered by Glass – two hugely dramatic victories over Donegal and Armagh respectively, the second going all the way to a penalty shoot-out (for the record – Glass converted his spot-kick).

Speaking at the Ulster Championship launch which was also attended by his manager Ciarán Meenagh, involved in those two triumphs, Glass commented: “I was chatting to Ciarán there, reminiscing on the bus ride into Clones, the colour coming up the hill, and the euphoria at the final whistle – they’re the best days of your life.

“It’s something you want to relive every day, and hopefully we get a chance to do that. We’ll just focus on Antrim for now and see how we get on.”

Among Meenagh’s backroom are two former Derry teammates, Chrissy McKaigue and Benny Heron. The dynamic isn’t too different – they were always two massive leaders on the panel.

“We knew we were doing everything right within the county, and then you bring in fellas like Ciarán, Chrissy and Benny, who know the standards we need to get to.

“Chrissy is retired a year or two but even in his playing days, he was coaching, so it’s nothing too different in that respect. We still listen to their point of view, and they listen to our point of view as well, so it’s a good dynamic to have.”

Five wins from seven league games provides the backdrop to their upcoming championship campaign. After their first day out, a defeat to Meath, they embarked on an impressive run and were unlucky to finish outside of the promotion spots.

“Things were always going to turn and though we didn’t win our first league game [against Meath at Croke Park] we knew things were going to get better. it was about getting that first win and pushing on from there – it’s disappointing we didn’t get promotion but things are still going well.”

A former underage star in his own right, Glass keeps a close eye on the county’s fortunes at all levels and he’s glad to see youngsters stepping up to the senior panel.

“My minor team in 2015 was the first Derry team to win Ulster in I don’t know how many years, and it took time for us to come through. Derry isn’t lacking in terms of underage success—you only have to look at our u-20 team.

“They’re a star-studded group who won the All-Ireland Minor a few years ago. Bringing a few of those boys through will only benefit Derry, and some of them are in this year. It brings a bit of energy and atmosphere having a few young lads in the panel as well.”