Derry and Tyrone Football tussles round off series of county finals in Ulster

Ethan Doherty (right) will be hoping to help Derry holders Glen beat Magherafelt at Celtic Park while Cormac Quinn (left) will be in action for Errigal Ciaran in the Tyrone Final against Trillick at Healy Park

Glen and Errigal Ciaran will aim to retain their Derry and Tyrone titles in the two remaining senior club football finals in Ulster on Sunday.

The Maghera outfit face a Magherafelt outfit that pipped them 0-12 to 0-11 in the 2019 Derry decider.

However Glen avenged that defeat in last year's semi-finals and the beaten All-Ireland Club finalists from last season will go in as favourites.

Errigal Ciaran will also be fancied to overcome Trillick in the Tyrone final.

With the Canavan brothers Darragh and Ruairi outstanding in attack on the way to the decider, the Ballygawley club have racked up some big scores but the Jody Gormley-managed Trillick, even though they will be without injured Tyrone star Mattie Donnelly, are invariably doughty opponents.

Indeed, the St Macartan's outfit won the last Tyrone Final meeting between the clubs in 2019 on a 0-12 to 2-4 scoreline, when Darragh Canavan was unable to start for Errigal Ciaran because of injury although he was introduced 10 minutes into the second half.

Errigal Ciaran outclassed Ardboe

Canavan produced a man-of-the-match display as the holders outclassed Ardboe 2-19 to 0-7 in the semi-final two weeks ago.

Errigal Ciaran's semi-final total included 2-14 from play with the younger Canavan brother Ruairi setting up a host of scores even though he wasn't on target himself.

In addition to the two Canavan boys, Peter Harte remains an influential performer for the Ballygawley men along other county men Cormac Quinn, Joe Oguz and Ben McDonnell.

Oguz notched Errigal Ciaran's opening goal in the semi-final win with their second major coming from former Tyrone defender Aidan McCrory.

The semi-final victory continued Errigal's run of dominant wins in this series after their 0-18 to 0-8 first-round win over Killyclogher and 2-8 to 0-6 quarter-final triumph over Moortown.

Trillick defeated Errigal Ciaran in their last Tyrone Final meeting in 2019 but the Ballygawley side will go in as clear favourites on Sunday at Healy Park

In contrast, Trillick needed a penalty shootout before edging out Loughmacrory in their opener and only overcame Edendork by a point before seeing off Dungannon Clarkes 2-11 to 1-9 in the semi-finals.

That semi-finals victory avenged their penalty shootout defeat by the Clarkes in the 2020 county decider.

Given Mattie Donnelly's importance to Trillick, they were not particularly fancied at the start of the championship but with his brother Richie producing an outstanding autumn and the two Brennan brothers Rory and Lee as effective as ever for the Macartan's, they were able to plot their way methodically to the decider.

Rory Brennan did an impressive marking job on Dungannon dangerman Paul Donaghy in the semi-final and will doubtless be tasked with attempting to curb one of the Canavan brothers at Healy Park.

Trillick will also hope that Ciaran Daly, Seanie O'Donnell and James Garrity can repeat their impressive displays of recent games.

Glen survive Slaughtneil arm wrestle

Glen stayed on course for a third successive Derry title by coming through an almighty arm wrestle against their parish neighbours Slaughtneil on a 1-5 to 0-6 scoreline in the semi-final as the margin between the sides was considerably less than the 2021 and 2022 county deciders when the Watty Grahams outfit recorded 1-13 to 0-7 and 1-12 to 0-7 triumphs.

Whether anything can be read into that remains to be seen.

For their part, Magherafelt, who were edged out 1-14 by 0-11 by the champions at the semi-finals stage 12 months ago, restricted their last-four opponents Newbridge to a paltry two points as Shane Heavron's 0-5 and Cormac Murphy's 0-3 helped them accumulate 0-12.

In terms of Derry county personnel, Glen hold a slight edge with Ethan Doherty, Conor Glass, and Ciaran McFaul having started in the heartbreaking All-Ireland semi-final defeat by Kerry in July when Magherafelt duo Eoin McEvoy and Conor McCluskey were part of the Oak Leafers' defence.

One assumes the speedy McCluskey and McEvoy will be detailed important roles to curb the likes of Doherty, Glass and Emmett Bradley who remains a high influential player for the Maghera side despite having opted out of the Derry county set-up.

Glen, after winning their first John McLaughlin Cup in 2021, now have a chance to secure a three-in-row after seeing neighbours Slaughtneil win four straight titles between 2014 and 2017, while the O'Donovan Rossa outfit will be aiming for their seventh Oak Leaf crown.

SUNDAY'S COUNTY FOOTBALL FINALS

Derry SFC

Glen v Magherafelt, Celtic Park, 15:30 GMT

Tyrone SFC

Errigal Ciaran v Trillick, Healy Park, 15:30 GMT