AIB Ulster Club SFC Quarter-Final

Glen 0-11 Cargin 0-7

By David Mohan at Celtic Park

Defending champions, Glen, moved into the semi-finals of the Ulster Club Senior Football Championship as they fended off Cargin's challenge.

The Derry side led from virtually start to finish and were worthy of their victory over the Antrim champions, who would lose Tomás McCann to a red card in the opening half and Sean O'Neill to a black card in the dying embers.

While they managed the game quite well with a solid defensive performance that saw Cargin score just twice from play, they still couldn't fully shrug off their challengers who dug in and remained in the hunt, much like last year when they met at the semi-final stage when Glen notched a late goal to put five between them.

Four was the margin this time around and it felt about right as the Oak Leaf outfit just had that bit more about them in attack although will be disappointed with nine wides over the hour that saw 10 cards flashed overall with Cargin picking up five yellows on top of the red and black compared to Glen's three.

Glen came flying out of the blocks and Jack Doherty thumped them into the lead within the opening 10 seconds.

He would have the final say of the half from play, in-between times the Derry champions landing another three points from frees - two from Danny Tallon and one by Emmett Bradley.

The defending Ulster champions were off-target with five wides in the opening half, while Paul McCann made a vital block on Eunan Mulholland, but that's not to say Cargin weren't in it.

Pat Shivers got them on the board after seven minutes from a free after Tallon kicked his first and after Tallon replied, Cargin's sole score from play in the opening period came when goalkeeper John McNabb, linking up around the middle, put Paul McCann in for a 14th-minute point.

The sides would trade further frees in what was a well-contested opening half before a big moment in the 27th minute when McCann was sent off.

Doherty would kick that point from play in stoppage time in-between to Cargin frees that failed to hit the target as the Derry side went in at the break with a 0-5 to 0-3 advantage.

Cargin had a real task on their hands now and while they enjoyed a spell of possession after the restart, they couldn't penetrate the Glen defence as the Derry men absorbed the pressure and broke well to set up a score for Ciaran McFaul.

Alex Doherty's first touch when introduced saw his shot come back off the post and break back his way, but John McNabb made a fine stop.

Emmett Bradley did extend the advantage with a free, only for Shivers to hit back in kind and Michael McCann with another to leave two between them once more entering the final quarter.

Glen appeared to have put proper daylight between the teams with Michael Warnock riding a challenge to point and Bradley kicking another two frees, but there was no quit in Cargin with Kieran Close slinging over with his first touch when introduced and McCann landing a free to leave a goal in it late on.

But Ethan Doherty would kick the insurance score straight after as Cargin chased a late goal to make it a grandstand finish, but it wasn't forthcoming as Glen bolted the back door to march into the last four.

Scorers for Glen: Emmett Bradley 0-4 (4fs), Jack Doherty 0-2, Danny Tallon 0-2 (both frees), Ciaran McFaul 0-1, Michael Warnock 0-1, Ethan Doherty 0-1

Scorers for Cargin: Pat Shivers 0-3 (3fs), Michael McCann 0-2 (both frees), Paul McCann 0-1, Kieran Close 0-1

Glen: Conlan Bradley; Michael Warnock, Ryan Dougan, Connor Carville; Eunan Mulholland, Ciaran McFaul, Cathal Mulholland; Conor Glass, Emmett Bradley; Ethan Doherty, Jack Doherty, Conor Convery; Danny McDermott, Danny Tallon, Conleth McGuckian.

Subs: Alex Doherty for C Convery (36), Tiaran Flanagan for C Mulholland (49), Stevie O'Hara for D Tallon (57), Tiernan Higgins for J Doherty (60+5).

Cargin: John McNabb; Justin Crizier, Kevin McShane, Kevin O'Boyle; James Laverty, Paul McCann, Sean O'Neill; John Carron, Gerard McCann; Mark Kelly, Tomás McCann, Ronan Gribbin; Pat Shivers, Michael McCann, Conhuir Johnston.

Subs: David Johnston for M Kelly (44), Benen Kelly for G McCann (44), Kieran Close for P Shivers (53), Paudie McLaughlin for J Crozier (53), Cahir Donnelly for P McCann (60+1).

Referee: Conor Doureen (Cavan).