GAA: Mallon's kick-outs hold the key to Loup picking through Banagher

  Loup v Banagher Friday 8pm - Owenbeg Ref: Barry Cassidy By Michael McMullan WHEN Shane McGuigan sprung above the Loup defence 12 minutes into last year’s county final to swat the ball to the back of Thomas Mallon’s net, Loup’s title bid lay in tatters.  The showpiece event of the season was over before it really sprung into life and Slaughtneil sealed their three-in-a-row. Manager Johnny McBride exited stage left and the prolonged saga to replace him was ended by the unveiling of a Brian Lavery/Gary Coleman partnership. The duo’s new season didn’t start well with Greenlough grabbing a shock win on their first outing.  Piece by piece, week by week Loup’s form returned and on Friday evening they face Banagher as the championship comes to town. The road to Celtic Park is a bumpy one and Loup are back at square one.  Banagher endured a tough season in the relegation zone and the Feeny club are into their third management team.  After an indifferent start the club parted with Paddy Downey, replacing him with Moortown duo Niall Conlan and Conal Lavery. The Tyrone men lasted a matter of weeks before stepping down to be replaced by former manager and player Eamon Lynch who had previously taken Banagher to the brink of a county final. Last season Banagher’s refreshing running game, typified by young Ryan McGillion, tore Kilrea open in the first round before coming up short against Ballinderry in the last eight. Lynch’s return to the bainisteoir bib saw Michéal Anderson and Paul Cartin commit again to the cause.  There has been an injection of youth with Conor Feeney and Tiernan Moore supporting the attack. The foundation stone of any team is their goalkeeper and Daryll McDermott ticks the box, in both hurling and football for Banagher.  McDermott picked up an injury in their win over Bellaghy and it he doesn't recover then young pretender Conor Campbell will get the nod. In defence the McCloskey brothers Oisin, Darragh and Ruairi McCloskey form the spine.  Seán McCullagh brings further experience, with Peter Hagan, Anderson and McGillion adding a dynamic factor to supplement the attack. McGillion has featured at midfield and with Loup having Paddy Coney in that department, Eamon Lynch could opt to match like for like. Brian Óg McGilligan, Steafan McCloskey and Mark Lynch are other names to have played at midfield this season.  As in previous seasons, Paul Cartin has the ability to play a central role, drifting up and down the park as required. Lynch and Peter Hagan may weigh in with a share of scores from frees, something Loup’s defence need to address.  In their 2009 championship success, John Brennan concentrated on Loup’s discipline in the tackle and limiting their free concession.  They recognised their low scoring rate and concentrated on a mean defence – it paid off with John McLaughlin making a return to the Ballyneill Road. Since last year Banagher lost Eugene O’Kane to Limavady but Moore (5-16), Feeney (1-13) and Steafan McCloskey (0-13) have added to their scoring return.  Gavin O’Neill will have benefitted from his county appearances.  A rib injury sustained against Mayo forced him out of a number of games but O’Neill is back in business now. If McDermott ticks the goalkeeping box, then so too does Thomas Mallon.  Aidan McAlynn and Terence O’Brien have been the main targets for Mallon’s kick-outs to get Loup on the attack.  But with O’Brien in the USA and McAlynn suspended, Loup have needed, to muster up an alternative pairing. Joe O’Kane, currently living in Banbridge, attempted a comeback but was unable to shake off a string of niggly injuries.  His brother Roddy and Paddy Coney are likely to start in Loup’s engine room.  The energy of Jason Rocks is another option for Lavery and Coleman to consider. Loup’s full back division has been a settled one in recent seasons.  The twin McVeys – Dominic and Collie were central to Brennan’s plans back in 2009 and despite Dominic’s niggly injury, the pair are expected to pair up once again. Conall McGinley has joined the ranks and had an impressive season in 2016, playing in a role following the withdrawn attacker.  In this case it will be Paul Cartin, but Loup may not ask McGinley to police Cartin all the way – it will leave them open. If McVey isn’t passed fit then Gary Doyle, who has played recent weeks, will step into the defence.  Thomas McVey is out with a cruciate injury and attacker Paul McVey is on his travels again. Former attacking axis Paul Young has been reinvented at centre back, with Jason Rocks going the other way.  Rocks is often deployed in attack and often pushed right up to utilise his pace as an inside forward.  Caolan Devlin, just out of minors, has joined his brother Ciaran in an attack where Declan McVey, has amassed 3-22.  McVey picked up an ankle injury recently but it expected to win his fitness battle. Last season one of Loup’s strengths was their spread of scorers thought the team leaving them less predictable.  Their attacking ability from wing-back was another launchpad but Meehaul McGrath and Shane McGuigan hammered the hammer in the final and limited Loup’s threat.   Loup will face a tough task at midfield but Thomas Mallon’s kicking into space will help them secure possession.  If they can play through the congested middle third and get enough possession to Jason Rocks, the Devlins and the McVeys, they have the winning of the game. VERDICT: Loup POSSIBLE TEAMS Loup: Thomas Mallon, Collie McVey (capt), Dominic McVey, Conall McGinley, Brian Doyle, Paul Young, Karl Gallagher, Roddy O'Kane, Paddy Coney, Anthony O'Neill, Jason Rocks, Sean Rocks, Caolan Devlin, Ciaran Devlin, Declan McVey. Banagher: Darryl McDermott, Darragh McCloskey, Oisin McCloskey, Seán McCullagh, Micheál Anderson, Ruairi McCloskey, Peter Hagan, Ryan McGillion, Brian Óg McGilligan, Conor Feeney, Gavin O'Neill, Steafan McCloskey, Tiarnan Moore, Mark Lynch (capt), Paul Cartin.