MATCH PREVIEW: Intermediate finalists aiming to break new ground

Glenullin v Cuchulainn’s

Sunday, Clones, 1pm

By Michael McMullan

A NEW name will be etched on the base of the Patrick McCully Cup after Sunday’s final spits out a 24th different winner.

Clontibret began the competition in 1998 with Liatroim crowned as champions. GAA President Sean Kelly then adopted it as one of their official competitions in 2004. It was the same with Cremartin’s junior version – the Paul Kerr Cup.

It will be new ground for Cuchulainn’s and Glenullin who have never won an Ulster Championship.

The ‘Glen have the Ulster Senior League three times and three senior titles in the Oakleaf County.

They are intermediate champions for the third time in four seasons with different instances of restructuring, voted on by the Derry clubs, keeping Glenullin from the top flight.

Cuchulainn’s are Cavan champions for the fourth time, having last taken the title in 2005 when current player Adrian Taite’s goal pushed them over the line against Drumgoon.

A peek into either community and you see the jewel that is their club team stretching the joy deep into the winter. As the Santa letters get posted and work dos are organised, the floodlights are still on.

There was an assortment of green and yellow balaclavas on view as the Glenullin Ultras trudged across Healy Park to salute their extra-time heroes after beating Carrickmacross in the semi-final.

As Cuchulainn’s fans swamped their team 24 hours earlier, celebrating their pending final, it was easier to count who wasn’t wearing a blue bucket hat. It was the gear of choice.

Both teams were well-tested. Glenullin came from seven points down to force extra-time. There was an element of luck that Ryan McNicholl’s generous number of steps wasn’t picked up in an otherwise brilliantly engineered equalising goal.

There was no luck about how Glenullin got to the position for Néill McNicholl’s goal to even be a factor. They hung tough and every one-percenter mattered.

Conor Rafferty was everywhere. Chrissy Dempsey, John O’Kane and Willie John Bradley hoovered up breaking ball like Christmas depended on it.

Donal O’Kane was an outlet with Fearghal Close and Eoin Bradley bringing punch from the bench. That’s before Niall O’Kane’s saves came to their rescue.

Glenullin will pore over the footage of goalkeeper Ryan Lennon’s varied kicking and the Cuchulainn’s movement that makes it a success.

They’ll also delve into how Philip Smyth and Adrian Taite poured water on a hot Clonoe middle third. With only Danny McNulty a factor, Clonoe’s attack lived on scraps.

The varied running of Evan Doughty, pulled Ryan Morrow – who had kept Pat Havern quiet against Saval – out of the defensive pocket enough times to make Bryan Magee a kicking outlet at full-forward.

The running power of Niall Carolan will need met with a hammer. He has pace, penetration and he made both goals.

On the other side of the coin, Cuchulainn’s will have their homework books out too. They will need enough fresh legs left in defence for when ‘Skinner’ Bradley and Fearghal Close enter the fray.

They stopped Clonoe’s key area – midfield. Can they do what nobody has been able to do to Glenullin? Can they keep Ryan McNicholl, Donal O’Kane and Conrad Mullan all quiet on the same day?

Ruairi O’Connell was the man who picked up Connor McAliskey, keeping him to a point from three shots from play, and will be more than likely assigned to Ryan McNicholl.

The ‘Glen have always had at least one of their inside line firing and sometimes two, but they’ve had Néill McNicholl adding scores regularly from midfield.

At the other end, Eunan O’Kane has played virtually every minute of any championship Glenullin have won during his career.

He could be given the job of shackling Bryan Magee. Captain Daniel O’Kane may well pick up Adam O’Reilly.

Of the three inside men, Niall Magee has the biggest licence to roam with Eunan Boylan suited in the following role he has done in all the games to date.

Cathal Hasson and Chrissy Dempsey have been important link men for Glenullin. Oisin Carolan and Ryan Tobin popped up all over the place for Cuchulainn’s in their semi-final. How busy they make each other will have a bearing on whose terms Sunday is played on

It all comes back to the same conundrum. Niall Carolan. Glenullin won’t have met anything like him. He’s a more attack-minded version of Carrickmacross captain Karl McMenamin.

Putting Diarmuid McNicholl or Conor Rafferty to centre forward to occupy him would be a step back, a step away from what has worked.

It could be a day for fighting fire with fire. It may tempt Glenullin into starting Eoin Bradley to suck Carolan closer to goal. His threat is real, especially when the stakes are high.

When Clonoe tossed a high ball into the square early, it was Carolan who touched it back to the safety of goalkeeper Lennon. When Bradley rang manager Michael O’Kane at the start of the season, he informed him he wasn’t for retiring.

“I’m going to win you a championship,” Bradley told his cousin down the phone.

For all the moving pieces, ‘Skinner’ and Niall Carolan could be the prize possessions on Sunday in Clones. Whoever shines brightest could etch their club’s name on the McCully Cup.

PATH TO THE FINAL

Glenullin
Glenullin 2-17 Moneyglass 0-6
Glenullin 4-16 Sarsfields 2-8
Glenullin 1-17 C’cross 2-13 AET

Cuchulainn’s
Cuchulainn’s 2-18 Irv’stown 1-18
Cuchulainn’s 2-11 Clonoe 1-13

TOP SCORERS

Glenullin: Ryan McNicholl 3-8 (1tp), Conrad Mullan 1-10 (4f, 1tp) and Donal O’Kane 1-9 (5f)

Cuchulainn’s: Bryan Magee 0-9 (3f), Niall Magee 1-3, Turlough Farrelly 0-5 and Evan Doughty 1-1 (1f)