O’Kane will get every chance of making Croke Park showdown

GLENULLIN manager Michael O’Kane said he will give forward Donal O’Kane “every chance” to be available for Sunday’s All-Ireland Intermediate final against An Ghaeltacht.

O’Kane is level with Néill McNicholl on 4-21 as their third top championship scorer this season, but sustained a hamstring injury over Christmas.

“We’re working with him every day,” the Glenullin boss told Gaelic Life at the club’s press evening on Monday night.

“He wasn’t going to be available until the (semi-final) weekend. We knew that a week ago, so we planned accordingly.”

O’Kane’s place went to Eoin Bradley who made a first start of the season after some important cameos off the bench.

When the fat was in the fire against Strokstown, Glenullin’s substitutes amassed 2-3 to help them book a place at Croke Park on Sunday.

“We’ve given him every chance,” Michael said of Donal’s progress. “He’s doing everything he can, we’ll probably not make the call on until Thursday of this week and see how he trains.

“He was back training. He done the warm-up in the pitch with us on Saturday against Strokestown, he was out and togged out.

“It’s just how he trains this week, if he completes Tuesday night’s session and completes Thursday night’s session then he becomes a real live option for us again.”

Sunday will be Glenullin’s 11th championship match this season with momentum growing since they saw off Foreglen to land a third Derry title in four seasons.

They will aim for follow in the steps of Steelstown who brought the title to the Oakleaf County in 2022, and to go one better than Ballinderry who knocked Glenullin out last season before losing cruelly in the final seconds of last year’s final to Crossmolina.