By Michael McMullan

GLEN’S Jack Doherty is the latest player to have withdrawn from the Derry senior football panel.

It follows Ciaran McFaul’s recent departure as Rory Gallagher prepares the Oakleafers for next month’s championship opener.

Having made 21 appearances since Damian Barton gave him his league debut against Clare in 2017, all seven of Doherty’s outings under Gallagher’s watch have come from the bench.

An Ulster minor winner in 2015, his last game was an appearance in Derry’s win over Down earlier this season.

‘JD’ played an important role as Glen won their first senior championship last year and they came close to ousting Kilcoo in the Ulster semi-final.

Conleth McShane and Magherafelt duo – Michael McEvoy and Shane Heavron – had also opted out of the Oakleafers’ panel during the season.

Derry will play the winners of Saturday’s Tyrone v Fermanagh preliminary round clash and seek a first Ulster SFC win since 2015.

They will be without the injured Oisin McWilliams following his broken jaw in the league defeat to Galway, but Enda Downey’s return in the recent u-20 championship will be a plus to Derry’s attacking options.