Johnston goal pivotal as Kilcoo eventually overcome stubborn Glen resistance

Kilcoo goalkeeper Niall Kane clears a high ball during their Ulster Club SFC semi-final win over Glen at the Athletic Grounds in Armagh on Sunday. 

AIB Ulster SFC semi-final

Kilcoo (Down) 1-11 

Glen (Derry) 0-11 

(After Extra Time)

KILCOO are back in the Ulster final to defend their crown, after a tense win over favourites Glen.

Each team decided upon a Full Metal Jacket approach to defending, bringing all but one player behind the ball. As a result it left a 0-4 apiece scoreline at the break with just three points scored from play.

There was always a danger that this could be an over-analysed spectacle, with Glen clubman Mickey Moran in charge of Kilcoo and Glen manager Malachy O’Rourke not averse to being conservative.

The impression it gave, after lengthy passages of play from both sides when they were turned back continuously, was that it was counter-productive to actually have possession. It was better instead to be defending and hope for a turnover to launch a counterattack into space.

A fetch from Kilcoo full-back Ryan McEvoy when taking a Jack Doherty shot that fell short was the aesthetic highlight of the first half.

Scoring was opened by Ryan Johnston for Kilcoo, after they had forced Glen into a wide, a shot dropped short and a turnover, all in the first seven minutes.

A Paul Devlin free stretched out Kilcoo’s lead and it was replied to by Emmett Bradley’s long-range free.

Ryan McEvoy found Dylan Ward in some rare space and he headed goalwards, exchanging passes with Conor Laverty before clipping over. Conor Glass came back again for Glen with a monster score, shoving Jerome Johnston into the bargain with a strong hand-off.

A successful ‘45’ from goalkeeper Niall Kane ended Kilcoo’s scoring for the first half on 21 minutes, and Glen got back on level terms through two Danny Tallon frees.

Although the second half produced the same scoreline, things had opened up somewhat. The pattern remained however with Kilcoo hitting two early scores and it took two consecutive Glen points to rescue matters and take it to extra time.

The move of Ciaran McFaul to full-forward provided them with the physicality they were missing in that sector as well as doing something to curtail the growing influence of Ryan McEvoy.

A game like this was always going to be determined by a goal. Disaster struck for Glen when a short kickout to full back Ryan Dougan was botched. Paul Devlin turned possession over, handpassed to Jerome Johnston and he hit the roof of the net past Conlann Bradley.

It was instantly followed by a second point from half-back Miceal Rooney to leave three between the sides on the stroke of halftime of the extra time periods.

And in the end, they were able to coast home on that.

Scorers for Kilcoo: J Johnston (1-0), P Devlin (0-3f), M Rooney (0-2), S Johnston (0-2), D Ward (0-1), C Doherty (0-1), R Johnston (0-1), N Kane (0-1, ‘45’) 

Scorers for Glen: D Tallon (0-4f), C Glass (0-2, 1f), E Bradley (0-2, 1f), P Gunning (0-1f), T Flanagan (0-1), S O’Hara (0-1f) 

KILCOO: N Kane; N Branagan, R McEvoy, A Branagan; M Rooney, Anthony Morgan, E Branagan; D Ward, Aaron Morgan; C Doherty, J Johnston. S Johnston; C Laverty, R Johnston, P Devlin 

Subs: D Branagan for Anthony Morgan (50m), C Rooney for Laverty (57m), Aidan Branagan for Aaron Morgan (59m), J Clarke for E Branagan (ET 10m), P Greenan for Ward (ET 14m), C Laverty for D Branagan (ET 16m) 

GLEN: C Bradley; M Warnock, R Dougan, C Carville; T Flanagan, C McFaul, E Doherty; C Glass, E Bradley; E Mulholland, J Doherty, C McDevitt; P Gunning, D Tallon, C McGuckian 

Subs: A Doherty for Gunning (45m), C Convery for McDevitt (50m), C Gallagher for Carville (60m), S O’Hara for McGuckian (ET 6m), A McGonigle for Mulholland (ET 10m) 

Referee: Noel Mooney (Cavan)