Glen hold on to beat Moycullen and reach first All-Ireland final

Glen (Derry) 1-11 Moycullen (Galway) 0-12

You know what they say about a semi-final. When both teams have a first All-Ireland final beckoning it’s absolutely all about the winning, and after a suitably tense and hefty battle Derry champions Glen just about made sure of it.

Displaying marginally more belief and intention throughout, they held off a Moycullen challenge which with a little more consistency might have sent them through. Crucially perhaps the Galway champions never got in front, the confidence of their fast-running game unquestionably suffering in parts.

[ Kilmacud Crokes made to sweat by Kerins O’Rahillys before sealing final spot ]

Still Moycullen were in the hunt for that final spot in the last play of the game, Dessie Conneely lining up a close-range free after the fourth minute of added time spilt over into the fifth.

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Knowing only a goal would suffice, Conneely slipped the ball out to Peter Cooke, his attack was blocked down by Jack Doherty, one of the big playmakers all evening for Glen. So they survived, a final showdown against Kilmacud Crokes awaits on January 22nd.

Before manager Malachy O’Rourke took charge two years ago Glen hadn’t won a single Derry title; now the ultimate prize beckons, this stage all about the winning.

“Relief, as much as anything,” O’Rourke said of the win. “What did we go up, six points at the start of the second half? We were in a good position and maybe through our own fault a lot as well, we made a couple of mistakes and let them back into it.

“Every time we sort of got a wee bit of daylight, we sort of let them come back down and get a score back the other end. I did think there was a few frees maybe, they were getting the frees easier than us, you sort of look at it like that. Just delighted with the character of the boys, we went to the very end, I think we deserved the win.”

Conneely was central to keeping Moycullen in the hunt, finishing with eight frees, Owen Gallagher also scoring from play on the hour to bring it back to two points – Conneely earlier missing the chance to make it one point when he skewed a free wide (his only miss of the evening). On three occasions in the last 10 minutes, Moycullen got within two points, only for Glen to promptly strike back – corner back Cathal Mulholland among them.

Impressively defensive at times, fairly lethal in attack too and especially when countering, Glen certainly didn’t have it all their own way, a spirited Moycullen rallying hard after they appeared in danger of drifting well out of contention.

The goal that ultimately put Glen in control came just 45 seconds into the second half, Alex Doherty passing off to Eunan Mulholland, his pistol shot brilliantly saved by Andrew Power, only for fellow wing back Tiarnan Flannagan to pounce on to the loose ball, swing around and boot it into the net. That left Glen 1-6 to 0-4 in front, only Moycullen were far from done, Tom Clarke and the superb Gerard Davoren leading the recharge.

Though with seven different scorers, and 1-6 coming from defence and midfield – Conor Glass and Emmett Bradley take a bow – Glen were a more complete outfit.

Glen’s tireless defending was particularly pleasing for O’Rourke, right up to the last block by Doherty: “I thought maybe we shouldn’t have left ourselves in that position but look it, it just showed how much it meant to the boys, blocks like that. There was a couple of blocks like that throughout the game, overall just delighted for the boys and the club. Great position to be in, looking forward now to another big day out.

“I think they scored three frees in the first half, three out of the four points were from frees. So we were still doing a lot of things right but probably we were architects of our own downfall as well so we wanted to tidy that up a wee bit in the second half. We probably did to a degree although there’s still plenty to work on.”

After a nervy start for both sides – a little stage fright understandable – Glen found their stride first, opening the scoring after five minutes after a slick pass from Doherty found Danny Tallon in space, and he fired straight between the posts. Tallon finished with 0-3, two from play.

Moycullen struggled to get any ball, including from their own kick-outs, and after Peter Cooke sent a 45-metre free wide, they eventually got that score through a Conneely free, 18 minutes in; another Conneely free immediately after and suddenly Moycullen were in the game, Glen losing the momentum periodically at least.

Another Conneely free brought it back to 0-6 to 0-4 at the interval, that first half also marked by a red card for Glen selector Ryan Porter, on 23 minutes. Match referee David Gough was not happy with something about his behaviour on the sideline.

O’Rourke however was all smiles afterwards: “For the club to be among the last two clubs left standing in Ireland, it is a massive thing. Last year was the first year they ever won a county title and to then come back this year back it up, win an Ulster, and now to be sitting in a All-Ireland final, it is happened so fast, it’s euphoria around the club.”

WATTY GRAHAM’S GLEN (DERRY): C Bradley; C Carville, R Dougan, C Mulholland (0-1); T Flannagan (1-0), M Warnock (0-1), E Doherty (0-2); C Glass (0-1), E Bradley (0-3, on free); E Mulholland, J Doherty, C Convery; C McGuckian, D Tallon (0-3, one free), A Doherty.

Subs: C McCabe for Convery (38 mins), S O’Hara for A Doherty (53).

MOYCULLEN (GALWAY): A Power; C Corcoran, S Kelly, N Mulcahy; M O’Reilly, D Wynne, A Claffey; G Davoren, P Kelly; T Clarke, N Walsh (0-1), E Kelly; O Gallagher (0-1), D Conneely (0-8, all frees), P Cooke (0-2).

Subs: F McDonagh for Walsh (53 mins), C Bohan for P Kelly (58), D Cox for O’Reilly (60).

Referee: D Gough (Meath).