Glen book quarter-final spot after defeating Bellaghy

Watty Graham’s Glen romped home to a resounding 3-20 to 0-11 victory to book their place in the quarter-finals in the final game of Round 2 of the O’Neill’s Derry Senior Football Championship at Owenbeg on Sunday evening.

Watty Graham’s showed their class playing into the breeze in the opening quarter, racing into a 0-7 to 0-0 lead by the sixteenth minute as Bellaghy struggled to get their hands on any ball whatsoever. However, Wolfe Tones roared back into the contest to cut the gap to two at the interval, but a rampant second half saw Glen power home for a one-sided victory.

Alex Doherty was a constant menace in the Watty Graham’s full-forward line and ended the day with a hat-trick of goals.

Ethan, Jack and Alex Doherty all registered early points for Glen before Danny Tallon and Jody McDermott pointed as the 2024 All-Ireland champions showed the dominance they are more than capable of producing.

It was not until six minutes before half-time that Wolfe Tones finally registered their first score, and it was seemingly all they needed to get going. Damon Gallagher landed a two-pointer from a free and followed that up with another placed ball moments later. Luke Diamond added another two-pointer to suddenly make it 0-7 to 0-5 in a huge three-minute swing.

However, Alex Doherty steadied the Glen ship emphatically, smashing his shot into the top corner in the twenty-eighth minute.

Bellaghy were far from phased, though, as Charlie Diamond responded with another two-pointer, while Dara Doherty landed the final score of the half, leaving just two between the sides as Watty Graham’s took a 1-7 to 0-8 advantage into the break.

Having faded out of their opening-round victory over Banagher, there was to be no such repeat this time out, as Watty Graham’s seized complete control after the restart, outscoring Wolfe Tones 2-12 to 0-3 in the second period and kicking 1-5 unanswered in the closing minutes.

Dara McGill and Dara Doherty traded scores before Conleth McGuckin and Ciaran McFaul pushed Glen 1-10 to 0-9 in front. Declan Cassidy cut the gap to a goal as the game entered its final quarter, but that was when Watty Graham’s upped the gears and swept aside the Bellaghy challenge.

Points from Ethan and Alex Doherty and a deflected goalbound effort from Johnny McGuckian preceded another emphatic Alex Doherty goal, as Glen suddenly found themselves 2-12 to 0-11 in front by the forty-seventh minute.

Doherty followed up his goal with a two-pointer, with the only response from Wolfe Tones coming from another Damon Gallagher free.

In the closing minutes, it was all Watty Graham’s as Doherty completed his hat-trick 10 minutes from time after superb work from Conleth McGuckian set him up.

Ethan Doherty, Conor Glass, Odhran Molloy and a Danny Tallon two-pointer rounded off a handsome shooting display, as Glen firmly re-established themselves as serious contenders for the John McLaughlin Cup.

Bellaghy will now drop into the quarter-final playoffs, where they will face one of the victorious teams from Round 2B but will have plenty to work on during the three intervening weeks. Watty Graham’s, meanwhile, can look forward to a quarter-final in a few weeks’ time, having sent out a powerful reminder of their credentials with a dominant second-half display.

Bellaghy: Peter Stuart; Lee Brady, James Donnelly, James Diamond; Karl McCallion, Kealan Friel, Declan Cassidy; Matthew Diamond, Peter Cassidy; Charlie Diamond, Paul Cassidy, Luke Diamond; Eoghan Brown, Damon Gallagher, Dara Doherty.

Substitutes: Ciaran Chambers for E Browne (HT).

Scorers: Damon Gallagher 0-4 (12P, 2f), Luke Diamond 0-2 (1 2P), Charlie Diamond 0-2 (1 2P), Dara Doherty 0-2, Declan Cassidy 0-2 (1 2P)

Glen: Sé Molloy; Eunan Mulholland, Jody McDermott, Conor Carville; Michael Warnock, Conor Convery, Dara McGill; Conor Glass, Ciaran McFaul; Emmett Bradley, Danny Tallon, Johnny McGuckian; Jack Doherty, Alex Doherty, Ethan Doherty.

Substitutes: Conleth McGuckian for C Convery (37 mins), Sean Turner for D Cassidy (50 mins), Paul Gunning for J Doherty (52 mins), Odhran Molloy for M Warnock (58 mins).

Scorers: Alex Doherty 3-6 (2f, 1 2P), Ethan Doherty 0-3, Danny Tallon 0-3 (1 2P), Johnny McGuckian 0-1, Jack Doherty 0-1, Conor Glass 0-1, Odhran Molloy 0-1, Dara McGill 0-1, Conleth McGuckian 0-1, Ciaran McFaul 0-1, Jody McDermott 0-1

Referee: Brendan Quinn.