By Michael McMullan

SHANE McGrogan’s winning goal booked Newbridge’s place in a first county final in 33 years and ended two years of hurt.

When Conor Doherty’s point attempt dropped shot, McGrogan flicked to the net to sink Magherafelt in Saturday’s drab semi-final.

It was a third semi-final in as many seasons for Newbridge. They scored a meagre four points against Glen in 2022 and managed just half in a similar collapse 12 month ago against Magherafelt after failing to score in the first half.

“It’s absolutely deadly,” a delighted McGrogan told Gaelic Life after Saturday’s emotional finish.

“You couldn’t write it. After last year, the hurt…even the last two years. Last year was a complete embarrassment.

“That was in our heads from last year. We knew today, it was going to be our day and we needed to hang in there and we’d go for it.”

A goal from Ryan Ferris had Magherafelt 1-1 to 0-3 ahead but Conleth McGrogan’s point on the cusp of half-time settled the ‘Bridge.

With goalkeeper James Gribbin playing as the overlapping player to great effect, Newbridge were level going into the final moments.

After failing to edge their noses in front until McGrogan flicked Conor Doherty’s kick to the net.

“In that last attack, we knew CD (Doherty) was coming,” McGrogan said of an attack that saw older brother Conor’s diagonal run by a yard so space.

“We cleared the space for him. CD is a deadly player and once I saw the ball come in, I had to go for it.”

It changed everything on a day when Newbridge were chasing the game. Despite getting away more shots, they lacked the composure to make it count.

“We were sloppy,” said goalscoring McGrogan. “That was probably the worst we played all year I’d say…in the first half anyway.

“We know, coming down this last 10 minutes, we have the legs of most teams. We’re a fit young team, so we just had to keep on going for it.

“After last year, we had to do something. We knew we were in a bad place with plenty of bad thoughts going through our head, but we did the work and now look where we’re at…in a county final, it’s unreal.

“It was terrible,” McGrogan said of last year. “It was a lonely place. We didn’t want to be like that again this year. It was a long winter and it’s paying off so far.

“We know we have the ability. It’s just about showing up on the big day. We didn’t actually play that well today but we still got there.”

Newbridge had navigate their journey to next Sunday’s Celtic Park showdown without his oldest brother, Paudi, who is in recovery mode from a cruciate ligament operation.

With Eoin McEvoy man marking Conor Doherty, it was up to others to stand up in the Newbridge cause.

“We know how big a miss Padraig is,” Shane said. “It’s obviously not good that he is missing but (in a way) it’s probably helped us.

“Everyone else had to step up. We were probably too reliant on Padraig and CD the last couple of years. Everyone else had to step up and take control.”

Check out this week’s Gaelic Lives for a look back at last weekend’s club championship action across Ulster.