Kilmacud Crokes 2-10 Glen 1-14: Derry champions gain revenge to book All-Ireland final spot

Glen exacted revenge on Kilmacud Crokes and returned to the All-Ireland final as they held on for a one-point win over the Dublin side after a chaotic finish to Sunday's semi-final in Newry.

Ethan Doherty's injury-time goal put Glen four up, and while Shane Walsh's freak goal brought the holders back to within one, Walsh's wide in the dying seconds allowed Glen to squeeze through by the minimum.

Glen will face Roscommon and Connacht champions St Brigid's in the Croke Park final on 21 January.

And they will have a second crack at winning their first All-Ireland title having come through another massive test with Crokes recovering from a seven-point deficit early in the second half to level the game thanks to Hugh Kenny's goal.

Glen had led by five at the break and extended that advantage to seven before the three-in-a-row Leinster kingpins fought back to set up a grandstand finish in a slow-burn thriller in the Pairc Esler fog.

While Kenny's three-pointer sparked fear among the Maghera faithful packed into the stands at the possibility of further heartache at the hands of KIlmacud, Glen's 1-1 in injury time from Emmett Bradley's free and Doherty's goal ultimately proved decisive.

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Given the hullabaloo generated by the hugely controversial ending to last year's final when Kilmacud defended their goal with 16 players after a substitution mix-up, this was one of the most eagerly anticipated club games in years.

Of course, it was immediately apparent upon arrival in Newry that it would not be the easiest watch given the sitting fog that refused to clear up in time for throw-in.

But perhaps driven on by a burning sense of injustice from last year's Croke Park decider, Glen battled the elements and a hugely talented Kilmacud outfit to take a five-point cushion in at the break.

And they established their midway advantage despite Crokes having scored the opening two points through Luke Ward and Mark O'Leary.

In last year's meeting, Glen made an explosive start when Danny Tallon rattled the Crokes net with barely 30 seconds on the clock.

They took a little longer to get going here, and while a few of their many promising attacks fell apart, Danny Tallon kept the scoreboard ticking with Glen's first three scores, two of which came from frees.

After Shane Walsh levelled for Crokes, Emmett Bradley followed his own free up with an excellent score from play to give Glen a two-point lead.

That was bettered by Michael Warnock splitting the posts after surging past Luke Ward, and while a Paul Mannion free brought Crokes back to within free, Glen roared towards the interval with cracking efforts from Ciaran McFaul and Conor Glass leaving the Ulster champions sitting pretty at the midpoint.

By the time the players re-emerged for the second half, the fog had worsened, but it did not bother Glen, who stretched their lead out to seven thanks to Tallon's free and a sharp turn-and-shot from Cathal Mulholland.

And while Cian O'Connor's score was quickly cancelled out by Eunan Mulholland, Crokes screeched back into contention with an unanswered 1-4 to restore parity.

Dublin star Paul Mannion was central to the fightback, scoring either side of a Shane Walsh free before adding another from a free, the white flag being risen after initially given as a wide by the umpire before Mannion successfully pleaded his case.

With the Glen rearguard creaking, Crokes took full advantage with a brilliant goal with five minutes of normal time remaining. Darragh Dempsey laid the ball off to the onrushing Walsh, who sped down the right and brilliantly picked out Kenny, who turned back to evade a stumbling Ciaran McFaul and fire past Glen goalkeeper Connlan Bradley.

Given Crokes' ascendancy, it began to feel as though the Dublin juggernaut - aiming for a third All-Ireland final appearance on the spin - would edge another classic between the sides.

Andrew McGowan cut a deeply dejected figure at full-time as Kilmacud's All-Ireland reign ended in the Newry fog

Glen, however, refused to yield this time. Within seconds of Kenny's goal, Glen substitute Alex Doherty had the chance to rattle the Kilmacud net at the other end after being found by Ethan Doherty, only to take the point and re-establish the Maghera club's slim lead.

The drama kept on coming though. After Kilmacud goalkeeper David Higgins brought his side level again with two minutes left, four minutes of additional time produced a head-spinning conclusion.

After Bradley split the posts with a free to nudge Glen ahead once more, after Conleth McGuckian had been felled by Cian O'Connor, Conor Glass dispossessed Andrew McGowan, kicking the ball into Ethan Doherty's path.

With Higgins having gone up the field, Doherty was able to stroke the ball into the empty net, sparking delirious celebrations among the Glen fans.

But it wasn't over yet as Shane Walsh's long punt from distance evaded everyone in front of the Glen posts - including Connlan Bradley - and nestled in the net to give Kilmacud renewed hope.

Seconds later, however, Walsh and his team-mates cut devastated figures after his last-ditch effort went out for a Glen kick-out, at which point referee Conor Lane blew the final whistle.

The emotions from the Glen players could not have been in starker contrast to what they felt at Croke Park 12 months ago and now, having gained revenge on Kilmacud, they can plan for another All-Ireland final where they will aim to complete their tale of redemption.

Kilmacud Crokes: David Higgins (0-1); Rory O'Carroll, Theo Clancy, Dan O'Brien; Brian Sheehy, Andrew McGowan, James Murphy; Mark O'Leary- (0-1), Craig Dias; Shane Horan, Paul Mannion (0-4, 2f), Luke Ward (0-1); Dara Mullin, Shane Cunningham (capt), Shane Walsh (1-2, 1 '45).

Subs: Cian O'Connor (0-1) for Ward (HT), Hugh Kenny (1-0) for Brian Sheehy (HT), Darragh Dempsey for Cunningham (44), Padraic Purcell for Mullin (60+1).

Glen: Connlan Bradley; Michael Warnock (0-1), Ryan Dougan, Connor Carville (capt); Eunan Mulholland (0-1), Ciaran McFaul (0-1), Cathal Mulholland (0-1); Conor Glass (0-1), Emmett Bradley (0-3, 2f); Ethan Doherty (1-0), Jack Doherty, Jody McDermott; Tiarnan Flanagan, Danny Tallon (0-5, 4f), Conleth McGuickian.

Subs: Conor Convery for J Doherty (22), Alex Doherty (0-1) for Dougan (44).

Referee: Conor Lane (Cork)