Daniel Duffy: Glen can break Glass ceiling, Cross back on the big stage and new dawn for Donegal

They say a good team wins a championship but a great team retains it.

There's no doubt the Glen side that got their hands on the John McLaughlin Cup for a second year on the spin is a great side.

Malachy O'Rourke's men swept their neighbours and rivals Slaughtneil aside at Celtic Park with relative ease.

When they were five points ahead after 22 minutes it felt like the writing was on the wall for Slaughtneil, it was hardly an unassailable lead and we saw Cargin overturn an eight point deficit in the Antrim final but you knew Glen weren't going to throw it away.

Last year was special, it was the first senior county title for the Watty Graham's club, this year just as special, but there is a steely focus looking at the Ulster Club series where they will face the winners of Carrickmore and Errigal Ciaran in the Tyrone final.

They will no doubt be motivated by their exploits in Ulster last year when they were defeated by Kilcoo in the Ulster Club semi-final after extra-time. The Magpies went on to win the All-Ireland, and there is no doubt Glen have the classy operators to compete at the top table.

None more so than Conor Glass, the engine room in the Glen side and importantly a leader.

Glass returned to these shores in 2020 after a stint in the AFL in Australia and everything he has touched has turned to gold, two Ulster clubs medals along with an Ulster Championship medal with Derry in his back pocket.

He opened a cafe in Maghera last Monday, days prior to the county final, could be a few sore heads in that eatery this week.

Ongoings elsewhere

If we thought it was straight forward for Glen in Derry it was just as easy for Crossmaglen Rangers in Armagh as they got comprehensively beat Granemore.

When talking about Armagh football, Rian O'Neill's name is usually mentioned. He picked up 0-4 at the Athletic Grounds.

Even at his tender years at senior level, he's the man to go to, as he proved for Armagh against Galway in the All-Ireland quarter final in the Summer.

He wasn't to be outdone by his cousin Cian McConville though who chipped in with eight scores and picked up the player of the match award.

They will face Ballybay of Monaghan in the Ulster Club series.

The Fermanagh Football final was due to take place on Saturday but due to the dreadful weather over the last few days, the Brewster Park surface was unable to hold up, so Enniskillen Gaels and Erne Gaels will have to slog it out next Saturday night.

New era for Donegal

The wait is over, after a long drawn out process of over three months, Donegal finally have a senior football manager, in fact they have two.

Many names were linked with position to replace Declan Bonner including former boss Jim McGuinness, Martin McHugh and Rory Kavanagh who ruled himself out of the running last week following St Eunan's county final defeat to Naomh Conaill.

On Monday night Paddy Carr was appointed as manager while 2002 Armagh All-Ireland winner Aidan O'Rourke will take up the head coach position.

It's 20 years since Carr was in charge of the senior county side in Louth but he did lead Kilmacrud Crokes to All-Ireland club success in 2009 while O'Rourke managed Louth betweeen 2012 and 2014.

They say night is darkest just before the dawn, and the defeats against Armagh in the All-Ireland qualifiers and the Ulster Championship loss to Derry were major disappointments for Tír Conaill, a county over the last decade which should have produced better on the All-Ireland front.

A big appointment was needed and time will tell whether it is the right one.

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