Ulster holders Kilcoo dispatched of Cavan champions Ramor United with ease after conceding a goal in the sixth minute.

The Down side pulled into the lead and never looked back after Ramor found the net, scoring three goals themselves as they won by 11 points.

The next day, Derry champions Glen took down Scotstown of Monaghan to ensure that they will face Kilcoo in the semi-finals.

Head Coach Malachy O’Rourke outwitted Scotstown’s system and their long kickouts – the former Monaghan boss nurtured Beggan throughout his time with The Farney Army and helped him to become the player he is today.

Being able to take away his former goalkeeper’s strengths with bodies in midfield led Glen deeper into the Ulster Championship as they posted a nine-point victory over the four-time Ulster victors.

The upcoming matchup between Kilcoo and Glen could be one of the games of the year as two sides in red-hot form will fight for their right to be in the Ulster final.

On the other side of the draw, the Fermanagh and Armagh champions will go head-to-head for the other spot in the provincial final.

Fermanagh’s Derrygonnelly Harps beat Tyrone’s Dromore with 14 men after extra time to seal their spot in the final four of the competition.

Conall Jones scored a late equaliser in normal time to send them into extra time and helped them pull away from the Red Hand’s finest team of 2021 before picking up a second yellow.

Stephen McGullion confirmed the win when he punched home the only goal of the game, after Dromore had also been reduced to 14 men.

Armagh champions Clann Éireann also went to extra time in their quarter-final against Kickham’s Creggan.

The Clann came back from a seven-point deficit in the second half to achieve a three-point victory over the Antrim men.

Late scores sent the game to extra-time and the Armagh side pulled away in the last period of the game, with Daniel Magee’s goal sealing their progression in Ulster.

Both semi-finals are scheduled to take place on Sunday, December 19, with the final set to be played on Sunday, January 16, 2022.

The post Kilcoo and Glen shine as Ulster semi-finalists are confirmed appeared first on SportsNewsIreland.

The first-time county champions were held at bay by Rory Kavanagh’s defensively sound Donegal outfit for the majority of the game but a mistake at the back was what brought them down, as Glen forward Danny Tallon kicked an easy free to win it in the dying moments.

Eunan’s were the better side for most of the game in what was initially a dour affair but a late penalty save from Shaun Patton and the even later winning free added excitement to the first game of this year’s Ulster Championship.

Watty Graham’s had the lion’s share of the possession throughout the game but Eunan’s goal after the first water break led to a period where both sides traded blows.

Tallon put the ball over the bar twice in the highest-scoring period of the game after the sole goal, coming close to replying to the Donegal side with a goal of his own.

However, the second half followed the same pattern of failing to excite as Eunan’s maintained their lead of two points until late.

Glen half-back Ciaran McFaul reduced the lead to one and the side went on the attack soon after in search of another score.

The uniform defence of the Donegal champions was burst open and Stevie O’Hara was one-on-one with Donegal number one Patton before being brought down.

Patton saved the resulting penalty but the defence was rattled and the Derry champions took advantage of this.

Michael Warnock knocked over the equaliser after being allowed a free shot by the nervous Eunan’s backline and a back pass after the following kick out allowed Danny Tallon to do what he does best, sealing the first-ever win for his club in the Ulster Senior Football Championship.

Tallon and co. will now progress to face Monaghan champions Scotstown in the quarter-final in two weeks time.

The post Glen earn first-ever Ulster SFC win to progress to quarter-finals appeared first on SportsNewsIreland.

Defending champions Slaughtneil emerged victorious from their mammoth clash with Lavey after extra time, a team that had beaten them in the group stage of the competition.

The Loup proved to be no match for Glen as they were blown away at Owenbeg in a 23-point defeat.

Slaughtneil survived their biggest test of the Derry county championship on Saturday, October 30 when they dispatched of Lavey, who had finished the group stage ahead of the champions.

Shane McGuigan and Christopher Bradley were on hand throughout the game to get some important scores for their side – the pair combined for 1-12 of their team’s 1-13.

The pacey and young Lavey side had the lead early on courtesy of a Hugh McGurk strike that found the back of the net.

Patsy Bradley was black-carded, like in the group clash but the fixture turned out differently for the holders.

McGuigan got a goal for his side with a penalty and put his side in firm control of the tie after the side outscored their opponents by 1-5 to 0-2 following McGurk’s goal.

However, Lavey fought back and got three scores that crescendoed in an Eamon McGill equaliser that hit the net just moments from time to force the extra 20 minutes.

Yet, they could not keep up with Slaughtneil, who showed why they’re champions against a side who finished the game with 14 players under 24.

Elsewhere at Owenbeg on Sunday, Glen’s audition for a spot in the final was more than enough as they took down The Loup with ease.

Their well-drilled system kept a high-scoring Loup side to a low score as Malachy O’Rourke’s men made their semi-final look easy.

The winners of Group A had been firing on all cylinders in attack but leaking scores at the back heading into this game and O’Rourke and co. made them pay for it.

Glen now head into the Derry county final with an outrageous +81 point difference (130 points for, 49 against) after six games and their momentum could carry them even further.

The post Slaughtneil and Glen set for Derry senior football showdown appeared first on SportsNewsIreland.

Slaughtneil will face fellow Group C graduates Lavey in the first scheduled semi-final on Saturday, October 30 at 6:45 pm.

The Loup and Glen, winners of Group A and D respectively, will battle it out for the second spot in the final on Halloween – Sunday, October 31 at 2:45 pm.

Both matches will be held at Owenbeg.

Slaughtneil v Lavey

Defending champions Slaughtneil are attempting to win their second John McLaughlin Cup in a row and achieve such a feat for the second time since 2017.

Standing in their way of a second successive appearance in the final is Lavey, who topped their group previous to the start of the knockout phase and put two goals past The Robbies in a three-point win back in September.

Cailean O’Boyle and the Downeys, Enda, Shea, Matthew and Callum, have been effective in attack for the challengers as the young side bring the most momentum into the tie.

Slaughtneil, however, bring the champions mentality into the game and, with the nature of the match taken into account, it can be expected that they will aim to right the wrongs of September and take down possibly their biggest threat to a seventh Derry SFC title.

Shane McGuigan has led the side in attack with his free-taking but their defence has allowed a goal in every game since their loss to Lavey.

Lavey, on the other hand, have only conceded two goals in the championship thus far but both sides have conceded less than 45 points – Lavey have conceded 41 while the champions have allowed 42.

The Loup v Glen

The only survivors of Group A and D have made it to the semi-final stage and will face each other for a spot in the county final.

The winners of Group A, The Loup, have been firing on all cylinders in attack but leaking scores at the back.

The work of the likes of Anthony O’Neill, as well as Ciaran and Cormac Devlin has countered the defence that has allowed five goals in five games, leading to high-scoring matches throughout the Derry Championship.

Glen have a much more impressive defence that has kept opposition scores below ten in all games they have played bar one – Kilrea put 3-8 past the Glen defence but lost in a group game in September.

The side have conceded only 44 points after five games, with 17 of those coming from one game.

Impeccable attacking performances from the likes of Paul Gunning and Danny Tallon have given the side a potent attack that has scored 107 points in just five games – the strongest in Derry.

However, The Loup are only a point behind in their overall attacking output, making this an exciting matchup of the two best attacking sides in the Oak-Leaf County.

Where To Watch

The two semi-finals will be available to watch on live streams, which can be accessed through 247.tv for a fee.

The post Derry SFC semi-finals – Previews, Where To Watch appeared first on SportsNewsIreland.