Glass pulls the Wattys all the way to All-Ireland heaven

All-Ireland Club SFC final

Glen 2-10

St Brigid’s 1-12

By Michael McMullan

GLEN saved their messiest and most wasteful performance of the season but Conor Glass pulled them from the depths of despair to be crowned Kings of Ireland.

Glass, who had a chance saved in the dying embers of last year’s final, bagged late goal to level matters before Emmett Bradley and Conleth McGuckian kicked them into the lead, 2-10 to 1-11.

Shane Cunnane replied with a free but missed a long range free with the last kick and the Wattys held on to make history.

And they did it the hard way. Eunan Mulholland was forced off with injury. Connor Carville also picked up an injury and had to be replaced.

Cathal Mulholland was off the field for 10 minutes after a black card in the crucial stage.

It was Glass, with Dougan having an excellent second half on Ben O’Carroll, that made the difference.

There was also the energy of Conleth McGuckian throwing himself at everything and it was his quick thinking and pass that made the goal for Glass.

Brian Stack came forward to kick the opener against a nervous looking Glen who kicked five first half wides and were forced to replace Eunan Mulholland.

Two Emmett Bradley points put them ahead but Glen need a save from his brother Connlan and three Conor Glass turnovers to stem the side.

Loose Glen turnovers had St Brigid’s feeding a lively Ben O’Carroll and points from Ciarán Sugrue, Ruaidhrí Fallon and Eddie Nolan helped St Brigid’s into a 0-8 to 0-4 lead.

Then came Glen’s lifeline, a well worked moved finished to the net by Jody McDermott was followed by an Ethan Doherty point and the sides were level, 0-8 to 1-5, at the break.

Brian Derwin hit 1-1 to put St Brigid’s four points clear and it was Glen’s missed chances that looked to have sucked whatever energy they had left.

Glen went for broke. Connlan Bradley played outfield that but more to make up for the man being down and Dougan’s job on O’Carroll made a huge impact.

It was left for Glass to thunder the ball to the net – after a whopping Warnock point – to steer the Derry and Ulster champions into footballing dreamland.

Glen: Connlan Bradley; Michael Warnock (0-1), Ryan Dougan, Connor Carville; Jody McDermott (1-0), Ciaran McFaul (0-1), Cathal Mulholland; Conor Glass (1-2, 1 45), Emmett Bradley (0-4, 3f); Ethan Doherty (0-1), Conleth McGuckian (0-1), Eunan Mulholland; Alex Doherty, Danny Tallon, Tiarnan Flanagan
Subs: Conor Convery for E Mulholland (25), Stevie O’Hara for C Carville (43), Cahir McCabe for A Doherty (55)

St Brigid’s: Cormac Sheehy; Pearse Frost, Brian Stack (0-1), Robbie Dolan; Ruaidhrí Fallon (0-2), Alan Daly, Ronan Stack; Eddie Nolan (0-2), Shane Cunnane (0-1f); Conor Hand, Paul McGrath, Bobby Nugent (0-1); Ben O’Carroll (0-3f), Brian Derwin (1-1), Ciarán Sugrue (0-1)
Subs: John Cunningham for B Derwin for (45), Conor Gleeson for B Nugent (55)

Referee: Brendan Cawley (Kildare)