THERE is only one topic on the tips of every tongue this week in Maghera and the shadows of nearby Carntogher – Sunday’s match.
Scratch that. It’s the story of Derry and beyond.
Glen, trying to get both hands on the John McLaughlin Cup for the first time, versus the champions and near neighbours Slaughtneil.
“It is a bit of relief,” said Conor Glass after Sunday’s landslide semi-final win over Loup.
“Malachy (O’Rourke) said after the game, we had to put that result to bed and are fully focus on Slaughtneil.”
Standing in the Owenbeg tunnel, calmness coats every well-chosen word.
A 23-point win needs taken with a dollop of realism, as the acid test awaits.
“We set out at the start of the year to get to the final," added Glass.
"We are there next week and I’m looking forward to the opportunity of playing in Celtic Park again.”
As his mind wavered over a return from Australia, the hope of lifting the most prized piece of Derry club silver was in the same sentence as donning the red and white of the Oak Leaf county.
It’s a fourth meeting of the sides in five seasons and it will be a first for Glass, who is very definitely on the inside this time.
In the week before Glen’s 2017 quarter-final defeat, debate raged about Glass’s return from Oz to bolster Enda Gormley’s side.
One local barber’s phone was hopping with questions by journos fishing for any sighting of Glen’s unmissable giant.
In an interview, Gormley wasn’t drawn on any appearance. A neighbouring butcher had Glass superimposed on their security footage and circulated on social media to add to the chatter.
Fast forward two years and Glen’s devastating running game tore Slaughtneil to shreds in a semi-final to book their place in a first ever final.
Within days, Glen cranked up the narrative again when Glass had his photo and bio listed among the club’s pre-final pen pics. He took part on the warm-up at Celtic Park. The Watty Graham's lost to Magherafelt that day.
Glass missed last year’s defeat to Slaughtneil as he cleared out his locker at Hawthorn and made his way home.
A 2015 back-door defeat at the hands of Banagher was his only senior championship appearance until this season.
Sunday will be his seventh in total. His presence is another kick-out option for new goalkeeper Connlan Bradley. His natural instinct to cover the defensive pocket has allowed Ciaran McFaul to comfortably play at number six.
What of Slaughtneil? Between inter-county and MacRory football, Glass has shared a dressing room with 10 of the Emmet’s possible starting team on Sunday.
Like his manager, he watched the live stream from the comfort of home as they arm-wrestled their way past Lavey on Saturday night.
“It looked like difficult conditions,” Glass said.
“But Slaughtneil’s experience and character showed through near the end.
“I guess they were frustrated that it had to go to extra-time, but they have that experience and got the job done anyway.”
Looking ahead to the hour of club football Glass has craved most, he feels the previous experience will have served them well.
He speaks as his team-mates file out of the dressing room behind him. No hollering. No swagger. Nothing. Just a realism that 2019 had a hollow ending.
“I guess we probably learned from two years ago when we got beat by Magherafelt, we probably got caught up in the occasion too much of having the opportunity of winning our first one,” he said.
“To have the experience and heartbreak of two years ago, we’ll be fully focussed this week. Slaughtneil have been the best senior team in the last five or six years, so we are going against the best and we’re doing it on the big stage, so we are looking forward to the challenge.”
The rest of Derry will get ready to fasten their seatbelts.
