Glen withstand Kilmacud Crokes rally to make All-Ireland club football final

Glen are back into the All-Ireland club SFC final where they will face St Brigid's after gaining sweet revenge against last year's winners Kilmacud Crokes.

It was a thrilling finale to an exciting contest which most in the crowd at Newry’s Pairc Esler - and probably TV - struggled to follow due to the thick fog.

The Derry side raced into a 0-11 to 0-04 lead before the Dublin champions started to turn on the magic. Darragh Dempsey’s goal levelled the score five minutes from time, but Glen came back into the contest.

It made for an enthralling finish. Alex Doherty and Crokes keeper David Higgins traded points; then Emmett Bradley steered over a free to edge Glen ahead.

There was three of the four additional minutes left when Ethan Doherty plundered an opportunist goal. Glen were home and hosed and the fans were delirious, even after Shane Walsh’s effort landed into the net. It only added to the foggy confusion in a chaotic finish before the final whistle was blown.

It was no more than Glen deserved but Crokes almost caught them despite only really playing for 25 minutes.

When Conor Glass stroked over Glen’s ninth point, his side led by five but it was only the halfway stage. Still the last two points, from Derry’s Ciaran McFaul and Glass, were scores of intent and the cheers from the crowd in Newry suggested this just might be Watty Grahams’ day.

The thick fog in Pairc Esler made visibility difficult and explains some of the gifting of possession both teams did early on. However, as the first half progressed Glen grabbed a firm grip on the contest.

Crokes seemed more content on holding shape, but they had no plan for roaming keeper Connlan Bradley, although he put the brakes on too.

Luke Ward and Mark O’Leary opened the scoring for