AIB Ulster Club IFC Final: Gritty Glenullin triumph

AIB Ulster Club IFC Final

Glenullin 3-15 Cuchulainns 0-19

By Michael Wilson at St Tiernach's Park

Derry champions Glenullin celebrated their 100th anniversary year by being crowned Ulster Intermediate Football champions after a thrilling victory over Cavan's Cuchulainns at Clones on Sunday.

The Oak Leaf club - inspired by Ryan and Neil McNicholl - recovered from a slow start to dominate a second half which saw former Derry county star Eoin Bradley emerge off the bench to hit 1-3 in a match winning cameo.

The final had turned on Derry U20 star Ryan McNicholl's goal midway through the opening half, a goal which arrived with the Glenullin trailing 0-5 to 0-1 and Cuchulainns full value for their lead. Indeed the Cavan team did little wrong in a high quality final played in difficult underfoot conditions, but they had no answer to the finishing power of the two McNicholls and Bradley who contributed 3-10 between them.

Adam O'Reilly hit 0-7 from play for the Cavan team who were always in the game, but Glenullin had the match winners to build on the work being done further out the field by the likes of Chrissy Dempsey and Cathal Hasson.

Glenullin outscored Cuchulainns 1-6 to 0-2 over the second quarter and it was the winning of the game. Turning around with a 1-7 to 0-7 lead, 'Skinner' Bradley hit 1-1 with his first two touches, the second of which was a rasping drive to the net after Ryan McNicholl had won a Cuchulainns kick-out.

That left Glenullin 2-9 to 0-8 ahead and from the they managed the game brilliantly with substitute Willie John Bradley winning the break from which Ryan McNicholl was able to tee up Neil to put the icing on the cake with a third goal.

The opening half once again illustrated the Glenullin's remarkable mental resolve.

The early exchanges were dominated by the Cavan men whose attacking width was causing Glenullin all sort of trouble and creating space for an inside line only too happy to oblige. Adam O'Reilly in particular caught three with three of his team's first four point which landed on the scoreboard before the Derry champions had registered on.

It started as early as 16 seconds in when, from throw-in, Evan Dohghty and Mark Gilesan combined to tee up O'Reilly and from there Cuchulainns were off and running at pace.

Niall Magee showed O'Reilly wasn't the only Cavan danger with a nice score inside two minutes and with O'Reilly adding two more Cuchulainns were four up after nine minutes.

Glenullin needed settling, but if we've learned one thing, it's to never write Michael O'Kane's men off. A Conrad Mullan free on 11 minutes got them moving and despite Evan Doughty restoring Cuchulainns four point lead, Glenullin were finding their feet.

They still needed a spark and it was Ryan McNicholl, who provided it with the 15th minute goal that changed the complexion of the final completely. Taking a pass from Cillian Bradley, the Derry U20 star looked to have lost control before bundling over a low shot that Cuchulainn's Cian Donoghue could only help over the line.

Glenullin had lift off and within two minutes the scenario was considerably brighter as the outstanding Neil McNicholl sent over points off each foot to put them ahead for the first time at 1-3 to 0-5.

Ryan Magee levelled and Evan Doughty had the Cavan club back in front but the pendulum had swung and Glenullin's closing push would prove crucial as a Donal O'Kane free preceded more Neil McNicholl magic, the midfielder finishing with a single before sending over a sublime two pointer that handed Glenullin a 1-7 to 0-7 half-time lead.

The lead allowed Glenullin to drop John O'Kane into a sweeper role for the second half and that limited the impact of Cuchulains dangerman Bryan Magee. Indeed, the more the Cavan club pushed forward to chase Glenullin's lead, the more space it left and in the two McNicholls and Bradley, Glenullin had the perfect trio to secure a first provincial title in the club's history.

Scorers for Glenullin: Neil McNicholl 1-5 (1tp), Ryan McNicholl 1-2, Eoin Bradley 1-3 (2f), Conrad Mullan 0-1 (1f), Donal O'Kane 0-2 (2f), Fearghal Close 0-1, Chrissy Dempsey 0-1,

Scorers for Cuchulainns: Adam O'Reilly 0-7 (2tp), Bryan Magee 0-3 (1tpf), Niall Magee 0-2, Evan Doughty 0-3, Mark Gilsenan 0-1, Niall Carolan 0-1, Turlough Farrelly 0-1, Raytn Tobin 0-1,

Glenullin: Niall O'Kane; Eunan Boylan, Daniel O’Kane, Eunan O’Kane; Conor Rafferty, John O’Kane, Diarmuid McNicholl; Traglach Bradley, Neil McNicholl; Cathal Hasson, Chrissy Dempsey, Cillian Bradley; Conrad Mullan, Dónal O’Kane, Ryan McNicholl.

Subs: Eoin Bradley for C Mullan, 35mins; Fearghal Close for C Hasson, 39mins; Cormac Hasson for D O'Kane, 50mins; Willie John Bradley for C Bradley, 59mins.

Cuchulainns: Ryan Lennon; Cian Doughty, Cian Donoghue, Ruairi O’Connell; Oisin Carolan, Niall Carolan, Robin Tobin; Philip Smyth, Adrian Taite; Turlough Farrelly, Evan Doughty, Mark Gilsenan; Niall Magee, Bryan Magee, Adam O’Reilly.

Subs: Oisin Donoghue for A Taite, 44mins; Glenn McCann for M Gilsenan, 50mins; Sean Kenny for O Carolan, 59mins.

Referee: Enda McFeely (Donegal).