Relief and revenge as Glen hold on against old foes Kilmacud
FOCUS: Glen’s manager Malachy O'Rourke speaks to his team before the game. Picture: INPHO/James Crombie
The misty, murky Marshes of Newry provided the gothic backdrop for a Glen victory many will feel was justified – and not just because they were the better team here.
Under the thick cover of fog and darkness, Kilmacud Crokes conjured their best Dick Turpin impression in the dying stages. Shane Walsh’s goal certainly benefitted from the conditions but ultimately their highway snatch was foiled.
To devour Glen’s seven-point lead like they did when they were off colour spoke of their minerals. Trailing heavily in the 41st minute, they rattled off an unanswered 1-4 in less than 14 minutes to square the game. Walsh’s disguised point attempt to tee up Hugh Kenny for the equalising goal in the 55th minute was a marvellous piece of wizardry.
Alex Doherty responded with Glen’s first score in 15 minutes to restore their advantage only for Crokes’ goalkeeper David Higgins to level the game once more in the penultimate minute of normal time.
Emmett Bradley’s additional time free gave Glen a cushion once more and it increased to four when the enduring Conor Glass put enough pressure on Andrew McGowan for Ethan Doherty to take advantage and kick the ball to the net.
However, the drama was not over. Walsh’s long kick beat everyone including Glen goalkeeper Connlan Bradley and the margin was the minimum once more. The ball came Walsh’s way on the right side once more but his last-gasp chance to send the game into extra-time was touched wide and Glen greeted the final whistle heady on a cocktail of relief and, yes, revenge following last year’s debacle.
As unassailable as Glen’s lead might have seemed 11 minutes into the second half, manager Malachy O’Rourke was expecting a backlash. “Winter football and championship football, you expect to get knocks and even before the game we always felt it was going to come down to the last few minutes. And that’s what happened, although with 25 minutes left we would have hoped it would have been a bit more comfortable.
“They are a quality team and they have so much experience, but at the same time when we were seven up we were going well and we had a couple of chances to even increase the lead. I just felt if we could keep chipping over the scores it was going to be really difficult for them to come back because we were playing well, defending really well.
“But they got a wee bit of momentum and we lost a couple of balls, they started to put a big press on our kickouts. It was a tough finish but even when things were going against the boys they showed great character to be able to get the victory.” Should the game had go ahead in the first place? O’Rourke admitted “it was on the edge whether the game should have really been played or whatever”.
His opposite number Robbie Brennan wasn’t crying about it but said: “It was hard to see what was going on for a lot of it to be honest, it was bananas. Even at half-time it was getting worse and deteriorating.” Kilmacud had been quickest to cut through the dense Down air. Luke Ward and Mark O’Leary were on target inside the first five minutes. Ward followed up after Craig Dias’ attempt was blocked down and Shane Walsh found O’Leary for his score.
In the same amount of time, Glen were ahead though. Opening up with a point from play, Danny Tallon followed it with a couple of frees. A goal looked on for Glen in the 12th minute but Jack Doherty touched the ball on the ground and the incentive was lost.
After a swift dummy onto his left foot, Walsh levelled the game in the 18th minute but Glen were ahead once more in the 22nd minute, although Jack Doherty was injured in the process of winning Emmett Bradley’s free.
Not for the last time, Glen capitalised on the resultant kick-out and Bradley curled over from play. Michael Warnock, Walsh’s marker, sped through to convert a 24th minute point to push the Watty Grahams club three clear.
A collective effort to thwart Paul Mannion close to the main stand sideline in the 26th minute summed up Glen’s attitude. A third Tallon free extended the lead to four prior to a Mannion free and a Ciarán McFaul score to restore the two-score margin.
Again from the restart, Glen were sharper and Glass joined the scoring party to make it a five-point game at the break, 0-9 to 0-4. As the Mulhollands also got in on the act early in the second half, the gap expanded to seven but to beat Crokes Glen had to kill them twice.
O’Rourke had his head in his hands after Walsh’s goal three minutes into additional time. “The way it worked out, we were under pressure and to go four points up, with a minute and a half left, I thought the game should have been over,” he stated.
“And then to concede the goal straight after… but we were lucky enough to hold out. After losing last year, it’s a long way back to an All-Ireland final and it is a massive credit to the boys and everyone involved.”
: D. Tallon (0-5, 4 frees); E. Bradley (0-3, 2 frees); E. Doherty (1-0); M. Warnock, C. McFaul, C. Glass, C. Mulholland, E. Mulholland, A. Doherty (0-1 each).
S. Walsh (1-2, 0-1 45); P. Mannion (0-4, 2 frees); H. Kenny (1-0); L. Ward, M. O’Leary, C. O’Connor, D. Higgins (0-1 each).
: C. Bradley; M. Warnock, R. Dougan, C. Carville; J. McDermott, C. McFaul, C. Mulholland; C. Glass, E. Bradley; E. Doherty, J. Doherty, E. Mulholland; C. McGuckian, D. Tallon, T. Flanagan.
Subs for Glen: C. Convery for J. Doherty (inj 22); A. Doherty for R. Dougan (inj 41).
D. Higgins; J. Murphy, T. Clancy, D. O’Brien; A. McGowan, R. O’Carroll, M. O’Leary; C. Dias, B. Sheehy; S. Horan, S. Cunningham, D. Mullin; P. Mannion, L. Ward, S. Walsh.
Subs for Kilmacud Crokes: C. O’Connor for L. Ward, H. Kenny for B. Sheehy (both h-t); D. Dempsey for S. Cunningham (44); P. Purcell for D. Mullin (60+1).
: C. Lane (Cork).
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