JOHN SAVAGE
GLEN Emmets have been trading in a volatile market over the last five or six years, scaling peaks and hitting troughs in almost equal measure.
But the Tullyallen share price soared to new heights at The Grove on Sunday as they added intermediate championship football to their Division 2 status -a key performance indicator for any ambitious junior club.
In many ways their narrow victory over Glyde Rangers was a triumph against adversity.
They had to bounce back from last year’s shock defeat in the final to St Kevin’s and were forced to do so without their inter-county star and talisman Conor Grimes, who is enjoying a lengthy sojourn to New Zealand.
Both those factors saw them slip to third favourites for Christy Bellew glory behind Roche and Glyde, and come Sunday they were still heavy underdogs to spring a surprise on the Tallanstown men.
But their promotion to Division 2 last autumn was undoubtedly a turning point.
Unlike their short and not-so -sweet stay in intermediate in 2013, they successfully adjusted to the greater demands of the second tier this term, and it stood to them in a tight and tense battle on Sunday.
Likewise, a ding-dong semi-final joust with Lannleire was character building stuff, so when the hard questions were asked of Kevin Barry’s troops they found the answers.
Glyde Rangers certainly posed some tricky ones.
The sides were level eight times over the hour and midway through the opening half Rangers led by three points.
In the final 15 minutes Glyde drew level three times and even edged ahead on one occasion, but a trademark score from manof-the-match James Butler in the fourth of 10 added minutes was to prove decisive.
Right at the death it looked like a replay might be on the cards as Brian Duffy sized up a tough, but kickable free from 35m, albeit out close to the touchline. It was as high-pressure as they come and his effort drifted wide at the far post.
It was that kind of contest from the off - fast and furious hugely entertaining.
Glyde made the better start on the scoreboard, but if anything, the early action suggested Emmets might be slightly hungrier.
They threw themselves into tackles and 50/50 challenges like the prototype underdog. Glyde were poised in possession and composed in their shooting and opened a double scores lead on 15 minutes - 0-6 to 0-3.
But it was by no means a comfortable lead and quickfire points from Butler and Andrew Mooney all but wiped it out.
Butler epitomised Emmets’ desire in those opening stages, kicking three of their first four points.
The other came from veteran David Bracken and when Andrew Mooney raided for his side’s fifth, Emmets had cut the gap to the minimum.
Glyde’s scores were spread slightly better, with Trevor O’Brien on target from a free and open play, while Niall Sharkey, Dion Conlon, Brian Duffy and Ciaran Sheridan chipped in with singles.
So it was all nicely poised at that stage, but every championship winner needs a slice of luck and Emmets’ got the rub on 20 minutes when Ian Cusack burst into space and availed of a defelection to send a low strike past David Brennan, making it 1-5 to 0-6.
Conor Sheridan and Niall Sharkey got Glyde back on terms without delay, but Emmets could really have heaped the pressure on when full forward Sean Byrne broke through with only Brennan to beat, but he opted to fist over.
But when Bracken added anothe moments later, Byren’s conservatism seemed well founded as Emmets retired with a two-point lead, 1-7 to 0-8.
Dion Conlon cut it to the minimum straight after the re-start, but two lengthy injury stoppages made for a disjointed start to the second period.
Both sides lost influential defenders as Emmets captain Tom Grimes departed with an arm or shoulder injury and just seven minutes later Glyde were deprived of Mark O’Brien after a heavy collision with one of his teammates.
When the action resumed, it was business as usual, with both sides slipping seamlessly back into a nice rhythm.
Ronan Grufferty, now the Emmets on-field captain, played the role to a tee, restoring a two-pointlead.
The midfielder kicked three of his side’s five second-half points, one of which brought Emmets level after an impressive Glyde purple patch.
Trevor O’Brien and Brian Duffy brought the sky blues level.
Grufferty edged the Glens back in front, but another quick double from Niall Sharkey and O’Brien, from a free gave Glyde the lead for the first time since the 15th minute, 0-13 to 1-9.
There was only six minutes of normal-time remaining at that stage, but the earlier stoppages meant a big chunk of injury-time was always likely, so Emmets certainly weren’t panicking.
And Grufferty, in particular, was ice cool, levelling it up again with a superb score from distance.
The tension was sky high at that stage, but just as he had with that first-half goal Ian Cusack popped up with a vital score, fisting over from close range after David Brennan opted to punch clear instead of gathering an Emmets shot that dropped short.
Emmets still had to make it through at nine minutes of stoppage time and Glyde very nearly seized the initiative when Trevor O’Brien broke past the ‘keeper, but with the ball on the deck on his snapshot was deflected for a ‘ 45 by substitute Evin English.
But Glyde were level three minutes later when Conor Sheridan kicked a superb point, but just seconds later that man Butler won possession on the left, bustled his way past two Glyde defenders and steadied himself for what was an audacious score in the circumstances.
Glyde continued to push and probe and got their chance in the 10th minute of added time, heaping enormous pressure on Duffy.
Cheers rang out from the stand, as is kick hurtled goalwards, but it was Emmets’ fans doing the whopping as the kick drifted wide of the target.
They felt that was it and they were right. There was only time left for Fergus Barnett’s kick-out as Colm McCullough brought a riveting contest to an end.
The shoe was on the other foot for Emmets as they celebrated avictory against the odds, 12 months after their surprise defeat to Kevin’s at the same venue.
Unfortunately, Tom Grimes’ earlier injury ensured he wasn’t able to collect the cup, but celebrations were only beginning The night - and week - is young! GLEN EMMETS: Fergus Barnett; Keith Boylan, Tom Grimes, Niall Hackett; Ronan