Kilmacud Crokes (Dublin) 1-11
Glen (Derry) 1-9
HISTORY DID NOT repeat itself for Kilmacud Crokes, a nerve-jangling conclusion to All-Ireland final day ending joyously on this occasion.
Kilmacud were wounded in a devastating fashion last February when Kilcoo pounced for that dramatic winning goal. Glen trailed by two points here when a high ball hoofed in from the right flank, broke into the path of Conor Glass. He had little time to think, drew a right foot at the ball but Kilmacud goalkeeper Conor Ferris, who coughed up possession 12 months ago at a critical stage, tipped the ball around the post brilliantly.
Danny Tallon fired in the resultant ’45, Conleth McGuckian gathered and whistled a shot into a crowded goalmouth and it went narrowly past the post. That was the end of Glen’s chance of a national breakthrough.
Kilmacud were left to celebrate the club’s third All-Ireland title, the class of 2023 joining their predecessors in 1995 and 2009. Substitute Cian O’Connor nudged them in front with a great booming kick in the 55th minute and a Shane Walsh injury-time free was the insurance score after a final where the fare improved as it progressed and the second half was particularly engaging.
Kilmacud’s blue-chip attacking talents command so much attention, the inclusion of Paul Mannion in their ranks after a season blighted by injury, bolstered their options considerably. Glen stationed Ryan Dougan on Mannion, while Michael Warnock was shadowing Galway star Walsh. The outcomes there would have pleased Glen with both players being held scoreless from play.
The match had barely settled after throw-in when Walsh attempted to hop the ball but spilled possession. Glen pounced. Warnock gathered the break, offloaded to Jack Doherty and he countered to deposit a kickpass in the direction of Danny Tallon.
The full-forward seemed set to size up a point attempt but with the Kilmacud defence stretched, he jinked wonderfully inside Micheál Mullin and finished splendidly to the roof of the net.
Glen were flying early on, accelerating 1-3 to 0-1 clear by the end of the first quarter. Kilmacud’s shooting was letting them down but they clicked into gear before half-time. Their challenge was ignited by a penalty that Walsh slotted home after Shane Cunningham cut in from the left wing before being fouled.
By the break they were ahead 1-4 to 1-3 and notched the first point of the second half courtesy of a ’45 from Walsh. Then Glen began to weave together some sparkling passages of play as they notched four points on the spin – Tallon with two, Alex and Jack Doherty with one apiece.
Kilmacud drew level with a pair of points as the action ebbed and flowed, Glen countered by going two clear. But the Derry champions crucially failed to score again after Conleth McGuckian’s effort in the 48th minute.
Kilmacud had attacking leadership provided by man-of-the-match Dara Mullin and Shane Cunningham, both weighed in with quality points. They were level by the 50th minute and pushed on then to win by two.
Scorers for Kilmacud Crokes: Shane Walsh 1-3 (1-0 pen, 0-2f, 0-1 ’45), Dara Mullin 0-2, Shane Cunningham 0-2, Dan O’Brien 0-1, Craig Dias 0-1, Cian O’Connor 0-1, Paul Mannion 0-1 (0-1f).
Scorers for Glen: Danny Tallon 1-3 (0-1f), Alex Doherty 0-2 (0-1 mark), Emmett Bradley 0-2 (0-1f), Jack Doherty 0-1, Conleth McGuckian 0-1.
Kilmacud Crokes
1. Conor Ferris
4. Dan O’Brien, 3. Theo Clancy, 2. Micheál Mullin
7. Aidan Jones, 6. Rory O’Carroll, 5. Andrew McGowan
8. Ben Shovlin, 9. Craig Dias
17. Cillian O’Shea, 15. Shane Walsh, 14. Dara Mullin
20. Paul Mannion, 13. Hugh Kenny, 11. Shane Cunningham (captain)
Subs
- 18. Cian O’Connor for Kenny (46)
- 12. Shane Horan for Jones (50)
- 24. Luke Ward for Cunningham (57)
- 10. Tom Fox for Mannion (63)
- 19. Conor Casey for Dara Mullin (63)
Glen
1. Conlann Bradley
4. Connor Carville, 3. Ryan Dougan, 2. Cathal Mulholland
5. Tiarnán Flanagan, 6. Michael Warnock, 7. Eunan Mulholland
8. Conor Glass, 9. Emmett Bradley
10. Ethan Doherty, 11. Jack Doherty, 12. Conor Convery
15. Conleth McGuckian, 14. Danny Tallon, 13. Alex Doherty
Subs
- 19. Stevie O’Hara for Convery (37)
- 18. Paul Gunning for Alex Doherty (59)
Referee: Derek O’Mahoney (Tipperary)
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