O’Rourke – It’ll be a race against time for McFaul

GLEN manager Malachy O’Rourke says Ciaran McFaul faces a race against time ahead of Sunday’s Derry semi-final showdown with Sleacht Néill.

McFaul picked up a knock in the closing stages of Glen’s win over Bellaghy. He was in action for next games but didn’t feature in their final group game against Kilrea.

With “niggly injuries” in recent weeks, he was a doubt going into Saturday’s quarter-final win over Lavey.

After taking part in the warmup, McFaul was getting prepared to go in against Lavey but didn’t part in the game and had his calf strapped up.

“We were thinking of putting him in,” O’Rourke said after the game. “There’s nothing too serious in that we were toying with the idea of putting him in at one stage.

“We just felt it could do more damage and if he didn’t get through the game, it could put him out for the next one.

“We’ll just have to assess him now after and until he gets on but look at it, it’s probably going to be a race against time but we’ll see how he is.”

O’Rourke praised his players for coming through after the game was level 10 times until Conleth McGuckian’s injury time winner.

Ryan Mulholland and Ryan McGill hit vital scores for Lavey before Danny McDermott and McGuckin landed the final two Glen points.

There was also a point from Emmett Bradley just before injury time to cap off a storming individual performance.

“Time and time again, when the boys’ backs are to the wall they showed great character and that’s what they needed tonight so it’s a mix of character and just quality as well,” said O’Rourke, now in his fourth season as the Watties’ manager.

It was quick thinking from goalkeeper Connlan Bradley to find Ethan Doherty before Conor Glass picked out Emmett Bradley for his aforementioned fourth point of the game when Lavey have nosed in front for the first time since the first half.

“That’s the one thing you want is that nobody hides,” O’Rourke said. “No matter how bad things are nobody hides, everybody wants the ball, everybody wants to get on the ball and I thought that was a great example.

“The younger lads who came in were keen to be on the end of moves and keen to be involved and get on the ball and make something happen.

“The more experienced lads that you’ve seen doing that time and time again, they showed great leadership and we needed the whole combination tonight.

“It was a really tough battle and many times it looked as if it was going away from us but it was a matter of keeping the heads, keeping the discipline and just playing until the final whistle but using the ball well when he had it and we were lucky enough to be able to do that.”

Speaking ahead of knowing their semi-final opponents, the Glen boss felt the intensity of the Lavey victory would benefit the group.

“Everyone’s just looking to get into the semi-final, that’s all we’ve done so we’ll just wait and see what the draw throws up,” he said.

“It’s a completely different challenge but we’re just delighted to be through. There were times that it looked as if we were under pressure but the boys just keep going.

“The boys showed tremendous character to pull it out of the fire and we’re just delighted to be in the semi-final.”