Kilmacud Crokes 2-10 Glen 1-14: 'Glen conquer fog and old foes in head-spinning sequel'
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Watch: Glen edge Kilmacud in thriller to reach All-Ireland decider
Sequels rarely live up to the original, and while it was played out amidst a backdrop of befuddling fog, the second instalment of Glen and Kilmacud Crokes' blockbuster rivalry delivered enough drama and emotion to leave GAA fans yearning for a trilogy match in 2025.
If they do meet again, it will be Kilmacud, not Glen, chasing retribution after the Derry champions banished the pain of last year's contentious All-Ireland final defeat by the Dubliners in an increasingly box office semi-final on Sunday.
For a long time, with the stubborn fog making matters on the pitch hard to follow for most of the thousands who packed into Pairc Esler, this semi-final only simmered, refusing to explode into life until a head-spinning final few minutes.
But when Conor Lane blew his whistle for the final time, Glen's year-long pain was at an end. With a one-point win, they gained revenge on Kilmacud, ended the Leinster champions' All-Ireland reign and kept alive their own bid for a first Andy Merrigan Cup.
For Glen's golden generation, though, this will not be enough. They journey will not be complete until they are the All-Ireland champions. But make no mistake, this was the most significant checkpoint in their quest to bring the Maghera club to unprecedented heights.
And in the immediate aftermath, amidst delirious Glen celebrations, man of the match Michael Warnock summed it up best.
"Madness, euphoria, disappointment and probably every emotion the human body can experience," said the Glen defender.
"We thought we had it when we got the goal there but they came straight down the pitch and put one in the back of the net. They had another chance at the end but thankfully it just went wide.
"It was a day when your emotions were left, right, up, down, sideways but we are delighted to get over the line."
When they went seven points up early in the second half, one wondered if the Derry champions had done enough to set up a largely stress-free final quarter.
Quite the opposite, it turned out, as the sides served up a third act that will live long in the memory.
Watch: Warnock felt 'every emotion' in Glen victory
Staring defeat in the face, Kilmacud - mostly outplayed by a ravenous Glen outfit in the first half - decided to make a game of it.
Inspired by some dead-eyed shooting from two of their star attackers, Dublin ace Paul Mannion and Galway sharpshooter Shane Walsh, the Dubliners got back to within striking distance.
And when Hugh Kenny fired home the game's first goal in the 55th minute, Crokes were level. At that stage, further misery for Glen appeared the most likely outcome.
Level in injury time, Glen looked to have killed off Kilmacud's hopes for good when an Emmett Bradley free and an Ethan Doherty goal, scored after Crokes coughed up possession, put Malachy O'Rourke's men four up.
But no. There was still time for Walsh's goal to induce mild panic in both the Glen ranks (and the pressbox given the dreadful visibility).
This time, however, Glen were spared heartache. When one last Kilmacud attack fizzled out, Glen's stress turned to pure euphoria.
Glen are now one win away from becoming the first Derry club since Ballinderry in 2002 to win the All-Ireland title
Sunday's rematch in Newry was one of the most eagerly anticipated club games of all time given events in Croke Park last year's decider.
It was Glen's first All-Ireland final appearance, and while they felt they hadn't produced their best performance on the biggest day in the club's history, the post-match discussion was dominated by the extraordinary mix-up that led to Kilmacud defending their goal with 16 players.
The fallout dragged on, with a replay a strong possibility until Glen decided to move on.
And move on they did. They showed great resilience and determination in retaining their Derry and Ulster titles, and when afforded a shot at settling a score with Kilmacud, they rose to the occasion.
"Getting out of Derry is really tough and getting out of Ulster is harder again, so to get to an All-Ireland final, it's out aim to be the best team in Ireland," added Warnock.
"We're going to need another massive performance, we will need to be a lot better. We were very good in the first half today but not so good in the second half.
"When you beat someone like Slaughtneil, we all know where they have been over the past number of years, it gives you confidence. It's one game at a time when you come into these competitions because everyone is county champions and hopefully we can go one step further this year."
'We're going to have to be a lot better'
Glen know it by now. In order to beat Roscommon's St Brigid's, who booked their All-Ireland final spot with victory over Cork's Castlehaven at Thurles earlier on Sunday, they must be operating at their maximum for the full 60 minutes.
They didn't manage that in last year's final and were guilty of letting their standard slip in the second half on Sunday to offer Kilmacud renewed hope.
"We're going to have to be a lot better," admitted Warnock, who scored a point and delivered some big moments in defence to drive Glen to victory.
"We were very good in the first half today. Second half not so good so we need to regroup and analyse the second half and see what went wrong."
Glen can now start getting ready for another afternoon on the biggest stage in the club game.
Crucially, though, they will prepare for St Brigid's as a more battle-hardened unit having navigated the pizzazz of a debut final appearance and overcome the disappointment of losing it.
Will the rollercoaster of emotions they felt in last year's All-Ireland final help them this time around?
"Hopefully," says Warnock, who celebrated his 31st birthday in the grand manner on Sunday.
"This week was a bit easier than last year with it being the first. We've got that on our side, but ultimately if Brigid's come and perform and we don't, we'll lose.
"We've got to get that right, first and foremost. It comes down to 60 minutes of football and who wants it most and hopefully we're the ones who come out on top."