Oisin McConville believes Sunday’s Ulster Club Final between Kilcoo and Glen could turn into an old style midfield battle in which Conor Glass’ effectiveness is the decisive factor.

“I do believe there will be a serious squeeze on both keepers’ kickouts,” said the BBC Sport NI GAA pundits.

“Midfield is where the winning and the losing of this game is.”

To that end, McConville feels Glass’ performance will prove pivotal to Glen’s chance of claiming a first Ulster Club title against the defending All-Ireland champions.

“Glen are very reliant on Conor Glass to win their own ball,” added the 2002 Armagh All-Ireland hero and now Wicklow manager.

“He probably needs to do what he did against Monaghan for Derry in this year’s championship in that he needs to be dominating the other kickout as well. If he does that, it’s some springboard for Glen to try to win the game.

“Who is able to win clean possession and who is able to pick up the breaks.

“A lot of people will say that’s the way most games are won and lost but I think it’s the case with this one in particular because the squeeze will be serious on both teams’ kickouts.”

McConville believes the first half could be a very cagey affair with wily Glen boss Malachy O’Rourke setting his side up to try and contain Kilcoo’s marauding band of runners from deep.

“Glen have a tendency when they come up against a team like that, to sit in a bit more and try and keep it as tight as they possibly can,” adds the BBC Sport NI pundit.

But McConville believes the game could then open up into a thrilling contest between two sides who went to extra-time in their Ulster semi-final last year before Kilcoo edged a 1-11 to 0-11 victory.

“Tactically you could make a case that it could turn out to be a bit of bore but I just think the two teams are too good to let that happen.

“Anybody interested in the tactical side of things will be enthralled by the different shape of the two teams.

“Glen will be focusing on dealing with Kilcoo’s top five or six players.

“Especially the runners, Ryan Johnston, Jerome Johnston inside, Conor Laverty, Dylan Ward, Darryl Branagan at number six but who bombs forward so much and Miceal Rooney as well.

“Glen will try and match up with those individuals and there is nobody better at those match ups than Malachy O’Rourke.”

To that end, McConville does expect Glen full-back Ryan Dougan to mark Jerome Johnston, “a man who can seem completely out of a game only to pop up with the all-important goal”, after doing an impressive shackling on Cargin’s key forward Pat Shivers in the provincial semi-final.

Johnston hit the decisive extra-time time goal in last year’s semi-final meeting after Paul Devlin had intercepted a short kickout from Glen keeper Conlann Bradley.

At the other end of the field, the Armagh great says Kilcoo “will understand how good Danny Tallon and Ethan Doherty are” in the Glen forward line, adding that the the All-Ireland champions will also be mindful of Alex Doherty’s ability as an impact sub.

“They’ll look to nullify Glass. It’s a bit of an interesting tug of war because you’re going to see Conor Glass maybe detailed to pick somebody up but somebody different from Kilcoo may be detailed to pick Glass up.

‘The winner has great chance to win All-Ireland’

“In that scenario, it almost becomes a battle of wills.

“Glen will be very comfortable matching up against Kilcoo because Scotstown play in a similar fashion and Glen blew them way last year.

“But they are coming up against a well-oiled Kilcoo team and one that seems to be improving at the right time.

“There were a couple of times during the Down Championship where they looked to be gone but Kilcoo look like a completely different team now.

“And if Kilcoo were to win this, they would have even more freedom when they play in Croke Park.

“But I don’t there’s a massive amount between these two teams and I think the key thing for me is Glass in the middle of the field and Emmett Bradley coming up against their two opponents and seeing who comes out on top.

“The winner then has a great chance to win an All-Ireland because I don’t think there’s anything of any great note coming from the other provinces.”