They’re the undisputed champions of Derry having won back-to-back titles and last month Glen won the Ulster Club title for the first time in their history.
That gutsy victory over 2022 All-Ireland champions Kilcoo at the Athletic Grounds convinced Derry ace Brendan Rogers that Watty Graham's have the potential to emulate Kilcoo’s achievements.
Slaughtneil have suffered as much as any club as a result of Glen’s rise, losing last year’s Derry SFC final by nine points and this season’s by eight.
Read more: Dungiven seal second Ulster Minor Football Tournament title at St Paul's
Malachy O’Rourke’s men now face Galway and Connacht champions Moycullen in next Sunday’s All-Ireland Club SFC semi-final at Croke Park and Rogers believes they’ll be hard to stop.
“They certainly have the attributes to go all the way,” stated Rogers.
“It’s like anything at those levels, you need to be at your best every day you go out.
"The way Glen are playing the way they are at the minute, they’re a very good pressing team, very fit, very fast and give them any chance of a goal they’ll take it.
“They have a nice balance of youth and experience there as well, so they definitely have all the tools, they just need to keep doing it and keep getting over the line.
“It’ll be very exciting for them. Some of those guys, when they get to Croke Park seem to get to another level, so it’ll be very, very exciting for them.”
Sunday’s tie at Croke Park will be played as part of a double-header with last season’s beaten finalists Kilmacud Crokes taking on Kerins O’Rahilly’s in the first game.
The second semi-final brings together the champions of Derry and Galway and the Oak Leaf contingent on the Glen team will be keen to get one over on a Moycullen side featuring Galway captain Sean Kelly.
Rogers knows a lot of expectation will fall on Conor Class to continue his fine form and his county colleague feels he is capable of handling the pressure of the big occasion.
“There’s quite an expectation on Conor Glass to be the standout player every day which is not that easy, but he doesn’t have an ego to go out and play as an individual,” added Rogers.
“He’s quite a team-focused player, does his job for the team, does whatever he can. Whether that be not having the game that everybody thinks he should have, it doesn’t matter to him.
“It’s about winning and that’s the kind of guy you’d want in the trenches with you, that’s why he’s making those blocks, that’s why he’s doing what he does and that’s why he’s been so successful so far.
“Not as many players would be as humble as he is in terms of taking that role, but that’s just the measure of who he is.”
Read next:
Derry relishing Dublin date with promotion again on the agenda insists Brendan Rogers
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Down have the potential to flourish in 2023 says selector Declan Morgan
Antrim squad taking shape as Andy McEntee makes a number of new additions
- Stars of the Ulster Club series who could make a big impact for their counties in 2023
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