Desertmartin hoping to end their losing finals sequence

FOR Desertmartin getting to county intermediate finals was an achievement for a small club but winning

them has proved to be a problem.

They have lost all five that they have contested.

Greenlough had their first success in 1976 and followed up in 2008, 2015 and 2020. Desertmartin have

the remarkable record of winning the senior title in 1953 following up winning the junior the previous

year.

This year’s championship has been high quality with these two teams emerging where others like Eoghan

Rua, Limavady, Craigbane, Castledawwson, Foreglen would have been seen as contenders.

In the last five years three of the Derry intermediate champions Steelstown, Ballinderry and Glenullin

have gone all the way to the All Ireland finals with Steelstown successful.

Both were in handy enough groups for the qualifiers. Greenlough were paired with Drumsurn and

Castledawson and Desertmartin with Ballymaguigan and Foreglen.

Both won their matches comfortably. In two high quality semi finals Desertmartin hit three goals on their

way to victory over Craigbane. Greenlough scored a deserved narrow win over a fancied Eoghan Rua

team.

Each has a central figure in their line out. For Greenlough Derry forward Niall Loughlin plays at midfield

while for the St. Martin’s the powerful Lachlan Murray is full forward but has come back from injury and

his best may not have been seen yet.

Both feature players who have won All Ireland medal winners with Derry and Murray is included in that

group.

Sean Brady is in his second year as Desertmartin manager and they have shown a major improvement this

term. After a slow start in the league they finished strongly and in the championship their direct style has

been hard to counteract.

Eunan McElhennon can open up defences with his searing pace while Ryan McEldowney has been solid

at midfield. The defence, anchored by full back Dylan Ormsby and centre half Conor Shiels, can close

down opposing attacks quickly and set up the counters.

Lachlan Murray is the man to watch at full forward but his two flankers Joe Connery and Rory O’Hagan

have been getting good scores.

Greenlough have some promising footballers coming through from the under age ranks like Luke Grant,

Caomhan McNally, Shea Birt and Seoirse Lagan and they have been making an impact under Niall

Loughlin’s leadership.

It has all the ingredients to be a brilliant game but the result could well be defined on how Greenlough

stop the goal scoring potential of Lachlan Murray.