More late drama as Glen dethrone Kilmacud Crokes in dense Newry fog

January 07, 2024

Glen's Ethan Doherty celebrates scoring a goal against Kilmacud Crokes in injury-time ©INPHO/Leah Scholes

Glen returned to the All-Ireland club senior football championship final for a second successive year after edging holders Kilmacud Crokes by 1-14 to 2-10 at a fog-engulfed Pairc Esler.

A year on from the 16th man controversy that shrouded the 2023 decider, these two sides met again today in a hugely anticipated semi-final which many thought wouldn’t go ahead due to dense fog at the Newry venue.

However, once Cork referee Conor Lane threw in the ball it was the Derry champions that threatened to run away with it as they raced towards a 0-8 to 0-4 half-time lead and increased their advantage to six within a quarter of an hour of the restart.

Malachy O’Rourke’s men looked to be cruising towards a sweet victory at that stage but a handful of points via Paul Mannion and Cian O’Connor ignited Crokes’ comeback, and when Hugh Kenny hammered in a close-range goal they looked the more likely side with five minutes left in normal time.

Goalkeeper David Higgins came forward to drive over a terrific equaliser for the capital men ahead of Conleth McGuickian earning a free at the other end for Emmett Bradley to stroke over on the hour and stem the tide for Glen.

Three minutes later and the ball would be in the back of the Crokes net after a lapse out of their defence saw Ethan Doherty chase possession and roll the ball into the back of an empty net.

Incredibly, the very next attack would see Shane Walsh’s point effort drop into the Derry men’s net and make it a one-point game again, but O’Rourke’s charges were able to hold out in the little time remaining and set-up a decider date with St Brigid’s of Roscommon in a fortnight’s time.


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