WE MIST OUT..I HOPE GLEN DON’T
Crokes’ Rob admits better team won in murk and now wants Derrymen to triumph after 2023 final debacle
2-10 KARL O’KANE
REVENGE is a dish best served in the fog. And it was damn cold too.
BY
1-14
Very few in the Pairc Esler stands at this All-ireland semi knew what was happening for long spells due to the gloom that worsened as the afternoon grew darker.
But Glen won’t care. After the wobble of all wobbles they clung on to just about edge out Kilmacud Crokes in a repeat of last year’s controversial All-ireland final.
And they’re one step from national glory again with Roscommon’s St Brigid’s awaiting in a fortnight at Croke Park.
A year ago the decider finished in farce when Kilmacud had 16 players on the pitch as Glen went looking for a goal to turn around a two-point deficit.
“If we were to be beaten by someone I’m glad it was Glen after all the shenanigans,” said Kilmacud boss Robbie Brennan.
“They deserve their cut at it now. As a management, as a club, as a group of players they carried themselves brilliantly post it.
“You never heard anything really coming out, it’s testament to the type of club they are.
“I’ve nothing but respect for them and – no disrespect to Brigid’s – but I hope for Glen’s sake they can go on and win it.”
As for the conditions, Brennan said: “I’ve said to everybody, it is not an excuse because we were beaten all over the park but it was a bit of a joke that it was played.
“It wasn’t playable. You look at the other semi in Thurles and half the pitch is frozen, the other half is fine. It’s a calendar thing again. It should be finished in the calendar year. This game is even getting lost between O’byrne Cup and stuff like that.
“It’s ridiculous it’s on this time of the year. But I don’t want that to sound like an excuse, we were beaten by far the better team.”
A chaotic final few moments – built off the back of a frenetic, old school, man-to-man second half squeeze by reigning champions Kilmacud – almost brought the Maghera side to their knees.
A Hugh Kenny goal on 55 minutes after an outrageous Shane Walsh pass levelled the game.
But in the very next play Alex Doherty had the chance to goal for the Derry side but he blazed over the top when you felt they needed
a major, such was the pressure they were coming under.
Then it was the turn of Kilmacud goalkeeper David Higgins – pushed out the field for the second half – to drive forward and dramatically point on 58 minutes to level it up again.
Two minutes into stoppage time Eunan Mulholland foot passed up the line to Conleth Mcguckian who was fouled for Emmett Bradley to nail his second free – and third point in all.
Glen squeezed the kickout superbly and a mistake saw the ball spill to Ethan Doherty who rolled to an empty net for a four-point lead in the 63rd minute.
Surely that was it.
It wasn’t.
Kilmacud worked it down to the other end where a Shane Walsh centre went straight into the net to put just a point in it again. On the restart, Walsh was on it again but his effort to force extra-time tailed wide.
That was bang on 64 minutes and referee Lane blew it up on the kick out to send Glen into raptures.
Their relief afterwards was palpable as they led by five at half-time, and seven on 41 minutes, but lost control of the game.
A team with elite talent like Walsh and Paul Mannion – who went into overdrive down the left wing – and tons of athleticism, leadership and a strong bench will never lie down.
The loss of full-back Ryan Dougan to a hamstring injury on 40 minutes really hurt Glen as he had been tracking Mannion, who then seemed to have an acre of space after that on the stand side.