Champions Newbridge blitz Loup to make Derry Senior quarter-finals

Newbridge 1-25, Loup 1-04

Reigning county champions Newbridge hit 1-25 without reply - keeping Loup scoreless for a remarkable 51 minutes – as they marched ominously into the last eight of the O'Neill's Derry Senior Football Championship at Owenbeg.

Ten minutes into this qualifier at Owenbeg, Loup were leading by 1-04 to no score, yet by the time referee Barry Cassidy sounded his full-time whistle on 71 minutes, the St. Patrick's tally hadn't changed while the Sean O'Leary's had long since disappeared over the championship horizon. How much of that was Loup losing their focus and how much was Newbridge rediscovering their 2024 championship form will be discovered over the remaining rounds but this was breathtaking stuff from Gary Hetherington and Kevin Brady's team.

After defeat to Dungiven questions were being asked, questions that were only partly answered by the bounce-back victory over Swatragh last time out. Those same questions were being posed once more around 4.55pm at Owenbeg on Saturday after Damien McVey's Loup got off to a superb start, capped by Ciaran Devlin's goal only four minutes into the game.

Aaron McAlynn had already got The Loup up and running with a lovely two point effort from play by the time the unfortunate Mark McGrogan slipped as he tried to cut out a long ball forward. The slip left Devlin in the clear and the Loup full forward showed all the composure in the world to side-step Newbridge keeper Nathan Rocks and roll into an empty net before tagging on a point seconds later just for good measure.

And when Adam Canavan scored another point 10 minutes in to take Loup's tally to 1-04, minds were wandering toward a possible upset and the end of Newbridge's title defence.

But if a week can be a long time in football, the next 50 minutes felt like a lifetime as Newbridge flicked a switch, went threw the gears and simply blew Loup away.

Inspired by Sean Young, who can expect a call for Ciaran Meenagh if he keeps putting in performances like this, the O'Leary's were unforgiving in their relentlessness once Young had opened their account on 12 minutes.

Young's movement and ability go past defenders was pulling Loup all over the place and his performance became infectious among team-mates, all of whom were sporting the club’s changed white jerseys to avoid a clash with Loup's own green shirts.

Oisin and Mark Doherty got themselves in on the action, as did Sean's younger brother, Eamon, and Conor McAteer, with all of the above being conducted by a sublime display by county man Padraig McGrogan at No. 6 who gave a wonderful display of exactly how to control a championship tie.

All were on the scoresheet as Newbridge hit 0-10 in those final 18 minutes of the opening half to turn around the game, Eamon Young also unlucky with one good goal chance which he sent inches wide of the near post.

It all added up to a 0-10 to 1-04 interval lead which had looked unlikely in those opening minutes but if you thought that was impressive from Newbridge, we'd seen nothing yet as the second half unfolded on a scoreline of 1-15 to no score.

And that was probably the most impressive thing. Even when the game was long since won, there was no loosening of the grip, no early pats on the backs. Instead Newbridge played like a team who had learned a lesson against Dungiven; one coming to the boil nicely as the championship reaches squeaky bum time.

Within one minute of the restart Paudie McGrogan was stroking over a brilliant two-pointer and two minutes later Oisin Doherty was trying likewise form a free only for Loup keeper Thomas Mallon's touch to ensure it would only count as one.

Undeterred, Conor Doherty got himself on the scoresheet before Sean Young turned creator with a fantastic run and pass to pick out Oisin Doherty who stepped inside and gave the move the finish it deserved by firing home a lovely goal for 1-14 to 1-04.

Another 11 points would pass though the Loup posts over the remaining 20 odd minutes but the game had already gone as a contest and Loup, who never stopped chasing or working, knew it. Newbridge had simply too many threats to cover once they had found their top gear.

Oisin Doherty would finish with 1-07 but top billing went to Sean Young, whom Newbridge had the luxury of taking off 45 minutes in with bigger battles now looming large on the championship horizon.

Newbridge scorers: Oisin Doherty 1-7 (1tp, 4f), Sean Young 0-4, Mark Doherty 0-3, Conor McAteer 0-3, Eamon Young 0-3 (1f), Padraig McGrogan 0-2 (1tp), Conor Doherty 0-3 (1tp).

Loup scorers: Ciaran Devlin 1-1, Aaron McAlynn 0-2 (1tpf), Adam Canavan 0-1.

Newbridge: Nathan Rocks, Shea McAteer, Killian Burke, Mark McGrogan, Shane McGrogan, Padraig McGrogan, Conor McGrogan, Conor Doherty, Conleth McGrogan, Eamon Young, Mark Doherty, Conor McAteer, Patrick McMullan, Sean Young, Oisin Doherty. (Subs) Cathir McBride for E Young, 42mins; Odhran McGlone for S Young, 45mins; James Gribben for N Rocks, 53mins.

Loup: Thomas Mallon, Tiernan Canavan, Matthew Rocks, Aaron Rocks, Dara Joe Martin, Adam Hunter, Padraig McAlynn, Callum Lagan, Jason Rocks, Adam Canavan, Anthony O'Neill, Dylan Rocks, Aaron McAlynn, Ciaran Devlin, Caolan Devlin. (Subs) James Gallagher for A Rocks, 39mins; Peter Coleman for P McAlynn, 42mins; Padhraic McCorry for C Lagan, 42mins; Karl Gallagher for A McAlynn, 47mins; Shea Gallagher for D Rocks, 54mins.

Referee: Barry Cassidy