Mallon faces final fitness battle

AIB ULSTER CLUB SFC FINAL
Venue: Pairc Esler, Newry Date: 29 November Throw-in: 1430 GMT
Coverage: Live coverage on BBC Radio Ulster MW's Sunday Sportsound and the BBC Sport website

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John Brennan is something of a legendary figure in Ulster GAA circles

Loup's Gavin Mallon faces a battle to be fit for Sunday's Ulster club football final against St Gall's.

Mallon missed the semi-final win over Kilcoo because of an injury sustained in the quarter-final match against Derrygonnelly and faces a fitness test.

Sean Michael O'Neill, Ciaran Devlin, Enda McQuillan and Brian Lavery are all in the mix for a starting place.

Kevin McGourty believes St Gall's task is made all the harder because John Brennan is in charge of Loup.

McGourty has huge respect for Loup manager Brennan who has won county titles in Tyrone, Antrim and Derry.

"He's a man who has been around the block several times," said McGourty.

"Generally matches are won on Sunday but this is a guy who wins games the previous Monday afternoon because of his tactical know-how."

Brennan's haul of county titles includes triumphs with Carrickmore, Cargin and Slaughtneil.

He also helped guide Lavey to Ulster and All-Ireland titles in the 1980s and '90s.

Some have been surprised that Loup have made the decider, but not Brennan.

"You don't get to the Ulster final through luck - you get there by hard work and talent," he said.

"I enjoy being involved with the Loup. There have great characters and good footballers and people are coming through who haven't been heard of before.

"We've won seven championship games and there's been a lot of hard work."

While Brennan's force of personality is Loup's greatest strength, the current St Gall's team is about a collection of talented players that have been there or thereabouts at Ulster level for most of the current decade.

"(One of our former managers) James McCartan said in an interview in Gaelic Life last week that with the St Gall's squad, it's all about the players," added McGourty.

"All the managers that we've had in the last few years have brought things to the party but the key drivers have been the players."