RORY GALLAGHER INSISTED it never crossed his mind to leave out Glen duo Conor Glass and Ethan Doherty from Derry’s Division 2 win over Limerick yesterday.

The Oak-leaf County boss refused to be drawn any further on the ongoing controversy surrounding the fallout from last weekend’s All-Ireland Club Senior Football Championship final, which ended in defeat for Glen against Kilmacud Crokes, with it emerging that the Dublin side having 16 players on the pitch for the final action of the game.

Instead, Gallagher was at pains to point out the resilience of Glass and Doherty, hailing their ability to put the distraction of the last seven days behind them.

“Nobody expected the outcome or what’s been spoken about since,” Gallagher told BBC Northern Ireland.

“We have well defined breaks, well established breaks, for the boys and we hadn’t even have a discussion about it [whether they'd play or not] in the last few weeks.

“They have great mental strength. I know their mentality and they love playing football for Glen and for Derry. Conor was outstanding given he hasn’t even trained with us.

“We all expected Glen to be finished last week but the boys are available for Derry now and that’s it.”

“I would sympathise with them [Glass and Doherty] that there is this distraction,” Gallagher continued.

“Your natural reaction for two players you’ve an awful friendship and bond with is that, when they don’t win, you are emotionally upset for them.”