Cargin 0-08 v Glen 1-10
Derry champions, Glen, booked a meeting with Kilcoo in the Ulster club senior final, but they were made to work for it by Antrim's Cargin at a sunny O'Neills Healy Park on Sunday.
The winning margin of five points was certainly a little harsh on Cargin with the final gloss secured from a Danny Tallon penalty goal with the last kick of the ball.
Up until then, Cargin had been right in contention, but tellingly, could never draw level in the second period despite having a few opportunities that went wide as Watty Graham's always managed to grab a score to keep their noses in front after the early exchanges.
With wind advantage, Glen were quickly on the front foot but after a pair of miscues, Danny Tallon kicked them into the lead.
Cargin were struggling to get any penetration going forward as they got so far up the field before being forced to recycle and start all over again, but there were signs they were beginning to settle a little as Michael McCann won a free that was converted by brother, Tomás.
The Derry champions responded immediately from the kick-out with Conor Glass bursting clear to kick from a tight ankle and Tallon then converted a mark, but the 0-03 to 0-01 lead as the opening half moved past the midway stage could have been greater, but they had converted just three of seven chances.
John McNabb landed a long free for Cargin, but a Michael Warnock point was the Glen response and they had a huge goal chance on 24 minutes when Ryan Dougan was in on the right, but McNabb saved low.
At the other end, Tomás McCann's delicate ball into Gerard McCann just evaded him, while another Glass point extended the Glen lead.
However, Cargin were growing in confidence and seemed happy to retain possession in order to drain the clock with the wind in their faces. Converted frees from McCann and Pat Shivers left them just 0-05 to 0-04 adrift at the break, a position they would have been quite happy with given they had the elements in their favour for the second period.
It was almost a role reversal as Glen owned the ball in the early stages after the restart but only had a pointed free from Tallon to show for their efforts as another glorious goal chance came and went when Alex Doherty missed the target from point-blank range.
Shivers and Tallon traded points before Cargin substitute Ciaran Bradley got his side's first of the afternoon from play seconds after his introduction.
Doherty and Kevin O'Boyle then exchanged points with the margin just one heading into the final stages, but Glen got a little bit of breathing space with a pair of converted frees from Emmett Bradley.
Paul McCann pulled one back in stoppage time to narrow the gap to two, but the Erin's Own men were not able to engineer one more charge to try and snatch a winning goal with the net at the other end finally rippled from Tallon's penalty after McNabb had clattered into Stevie O'Hara with Glen advancing into the decider.
Glen: Conlann Bradley; Cathal Mulholland, Ryan Dougan, Conor Carville; Tiarnán Flannagan, Michael Warnock (0-01), Eunan Mulholland; Conor Glass (0-02), Emmett Bradley (0-02 frees); Ethan Doherty, Jack Doherty, Conor Convery; Alex Doherty (0-01), Danny Tallon (1-04, 1-00 pen, 0-02 frees, 0-01 mark), Conleth McGuckian.
Subs: Adam McGonigle for E Mulholland (10), Stevie O'Hara for C Convery (34), Cathair McCabe for A McGonigle (49)
Cargin: John McNabb (0-01 free); Kevin O'Boyle (0-01), Justin Crozier, Cahir Donnelly; Paul McCann (0-01), James Laverty, Sean O'Neill; Kevin McShane, Gerard McCann; John Carron, Jamie Gribbin, Mark Kelly; Michael McCann, Pat Shivers (0-02, 1 free, 1 mark), Tomás McCann (0-02 frees).
Subs: Ciaran Bradley (0-01) for G McCann (47), Ronan Gribbin for J Crozier (56), Kieran Close for J Gribbin (56), Eunan Quinn for P McCann (60+1).
Referee: Kieran Eannetta (Tyrone)
