Glass: 'The boys in Glen do have a short-term memory – we’ve parked that and we’re ready to move on'

As Croke Park beckons again this Sunday, Conor Glass is acutely aware of his record there.

Wed, 17 Jan, 2024 - 07:15

John Fogarty

The question doesn’t come until close to end of the interview but Conor Glass’ body language indicates he was expecting it. Croke Park hasn’t exactly been a happy hunting ground for you, Conor? Or words to that effect.

Going back to 2015 when he captained Derry’s minors to their first Ulster championship in 13 years only to lose to Kerry in an All-Ireland semi-final, GAA HQ has been an arena of mixed fortunes for the midfielder.

Months after returning from his short Australian Rules career, he was part of the Derry team that hammered Offaly in a Division 3 final at the Jones Road venue in 2021. A year later, fresh from a most coveted senior provincial title, he was prominent scoring 1-2 as Derry put Clare to the sword in an All-Ireland quarter-final.

Since then, though, it’s all been woe for him in Croke Park. Two weeks after the Clare game, a patient Galway saw them off in the semi-final. Glen’s plight in the All-Ireland club final six months later is known to many at this stage and just over two months later Glass was on a Derry side humbled by Dublin in a Division 2 final.

A second All-Ireland semi-final reverse against Kerry last July was a third defeat in Dublin in the space of 12 months. As Croke Park beckons again this Sunday, Glass is acutely aware of his record there. “Yes, I’ve had setbacks in Croke Park but people have had setbacks in other areas. The best athletes have the shortest memories. Yes, we all want to learn from last year but there’s no point in dwelling on it and over-thinking it.

“The boys in Glen do have a short-term memory – we’ve parked that and we’re ready to move on. This is a different season, there are different factors, different opposition in the final. There is that in the back of your head: ‘We’ve lost two semi-finals and a final, is this ever going to happen?’ Let’s hope it happens this weekend.”

As it would seem Glass has moved on from the pain of losing to Kilmacud Crokes, it had been hard to shift. Just before Crokes’ 16th man situation, Glass’ ground strike had been touched by Conor Ferris for a 45.

"A defeat is difficult to take, never mind an All-Ireland final. On a personal note, I had a chance to win the game and the Crokes goalkeeper pulled off an unbelievable save. A lot of the 24 hours, 48 hours (afterwards) is self-sabotaging, getting into your own head a bit, but that's natural with any competitor.”

Because Crokes had 16 players on the field for that 45 and the saga that followed it, Glass couldn’t park the loss. “It (the game) kept being brought up in conversation whereas if it had finished normally you probably would have forgotten about it. There was that lingering effect of the unknown of the replay and the way in which it was handled.”

Of their own volition, Glass and Ethan Doherty lined out for Derry in their Division 2 opening day win the following weekend. “That was my coping mechanism,” says the former Hawthorn AFL player.

It's been a long way back from that final to facing St Brigid’s this weekend. “If I had been taking about getting back to an All-Ireland final 12 months ago after losing to Crokes last year, it wouldn’t have been healthy, to be honest.”

And a long couple of seasons for Glass but he says he’s fresh having had six weeks off following the Kerry defeat last July. Explaining his sustained run of appearances, he points to the benefits of the injury prevention programme he was doing as a 16-year-old in Melbourne.

It's all about Sunday but he won’t lie that heading to Austin Stack Park on Saturday week whets his appetite. “I haven't thought about Derry at all the last couple of months. Yes, I have been watching them in the McKenna Cup and that sort of thing but I'm sure we'll have a word with Mickey (Harte) next week in terms of his plans for us.

“Having another crack at Kerry down in Tralee would be a good way to start off but we'll see how we goes out of this game and see how the bodies are feeling next week and make the call then.”