Heartbreak for brilliant Brigid's as Glen atone for last year
AIB All-Ireland Senior Club Football Championship final
Watty Graham's Glen 2-10 St Brigid's 1-12
So close and yet so far for St Brigid's. Despite a heroic display from the Kiltoom/Cam men, Glen fought back from four points down to win the All-Ireland senior club football title at Croke Park this afternoon.
St Brigid's led by four points with about 11 minutes to go and Glen were also down to 14 men due to a black card. And there were still four points between the teams with five minutes of normal time left.
But inspired by midfield colossus Conor Glass - who scored Glen's crucial second goal - the Derry men battled back to claim a thrilling 2-10 to 1-12 victory.
Brigid's midfielder Shane Cunnane had a late chance to force extra-time from a difficult free but the ball tailed wide, paving the way for Glen captain Connor Carville to lift the Andy Merrigan Cup.
Despite Storm Isha hanging over the fixture during the build-up, the two teams combined to serve up a hugely entertaining contest.
The sides were level at half-time (St Brigid's 0-8 Glen 1-5) with Glen's first goal, scored by Jody McDermott, bringing the Ulster champions back into contention. A youthful Brigid's team showed little sign of big game nerves and the Roscommon champions left Glen playing catch up for long spells.
Early in the second half, Brian Derwin repeated his goalscoring feat from the All-Ireland semi-final win over Castlehaven. The chance was created by the always threatening Ben O'Carroll and Derwin palmed the ball to the net.
In general Eddie Nolan and Shane Cunnane competed very well against Glen's vaunted midfield pairing. Yet Glen got on top in the possession stakes when they were on the ropes in the closing stages.
Though ultimately it was an agonising defeat for Brigid's, only the churlish could begrudge a spirited Glen outfit, considering their narrow defeat in last year's final amid controversial circumstances against Kilmacud Crokes
Perhaps feeling extra pressure after last year's final defeat, Glen's shooting was nervy and wayward almost throughout. In contrast, an economical Brigid's side only registered a single wide until Cunnane's last-gasp free.
Both of today's All-Ireland finals were won by the minimum margin with St Thomas' of Galway edging out O'Loughlin Gaels (Kilkenny) in a dramatic hurling decider.
Scorers - Glen: C Glass 1-2 (0-1 45); E Bradley 0-4 (3 frees); J McDermott 1-0; E Doherty, M Warnock, C McFaul and C McGuckian 0-1 each. St Brigid's: B Derwin 1-1; R Fallon and E Nolan 0-2 each; B O'Carroll 0-3 (2 frees, 1 mark); B Stack, B Nugent, C Sugrue and S Cunnane (f) 0-1 each.
Watty Graham's Glen: Connlan Bradley; Connor Carville, Ryan Dougan, Michael Warnock; Jody McDermott, Ciarán McFaul, Cathal Mulholland; Conor Glass, Emmett Bradley; Eunan Mulholland, Conleth McGuckian, Ethan Doherty; Tiernan Flanagan, Danny Tallon, Alex Doherty. Subs: Conor Convery for Mulholland (25 mins), Stevie O'Hara for Carville (44), Cahir McCabe for A Doherty (55).
St Brigid's: Cormac Sheehy; Robbie Dolan, Brian Stack, Pearse Frost; Ruaidhrí Fallon, Alan Daly, Ronan Stack; Eddie Nolan, Shane Cunnane; Bobby Nugent, Paul McGrath, Conor Hand; Ben O’Carroll, Brian Derwin, Ciarán Sugrue. Subs: John Cunningham for Derwin (45 mins), Conor Gleeson for Nugent (56).
Referee: Brendan Cawley (Kildare).