All-Ireland Club Football Final: Glen 'must refocus' for '50-50 final' with St Brigid's

Glen's Ethan Doherty celebrates the injury-time goal which ensured his side's passage to Sunday's decider

Glen manager Malachy O'Rourke says it will take "a massive effort" from his side to overcome St Brigid's in the All-Ireland Club Football final.

The Derry champions will aim to go one better than last year when they face the Roscommon outfit at Croke Park.

"We have to refocus and make sure we put in a really good performance," said O'Rourke ahead of Sunday's decider.

"It's a 50-50 game and what we have done in the past is no good to us now. We have great faith in the boys."

"We have great trust in them and they have come through everything we have asked of them so far. We hope they can do the business again on Sunday."

Former Monaghan and Fermanagh county manager O'Rourke has transformed Glen from a team that had never won their county title to a side which is about to take part in their second consecutive All-Ireland final.

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Last year the Ulster champions lost to Kilmacud Crokes in the Croke Park showpiece but have now plotted their path to the decider once again after seeing off the defending champions narrowly at the last-four stage.

"It's been a tough campaign. After losing the final last year it's been a long way back, but once we regrouped and parked last year we set about this year going game by game and we're delighted to be back in the same place again.

"Once we initially started working with the boys we realised there was an awful lot of talent there.

"Talent on its own wins nothing, but everybody has applied themselves really well, the whole panel has grown together and we have gone from strength to strength, and been able to pick up a few trophies along the way.

"St Brigid's seem to be fresh, to be fit, they're young, they're very good on the ball, they have an awful lot of qualities and Croke Park will probably suit them as well.

"I've no doubt it's going to take a massive effort from us but you expect nothing else at this stage."

'A different experience'

O'Rourke hopes the experience of having played on the big stage at Croke Park 12 months ago will stand his players in good stead for the meeting with the Connacht champions.

"We would hope that the experience would stand to the boys. The nature of the day and playing in Croke Park is different. There's no doubt it is a slightly different experience.

"But both teams are there on merit and it's just about performing on the day.

"You can talk all you want about last year but there is no sentiment involved in football at this level. You just have to go out and front up on the day."

Conor Glass celebrates his side's All-Ireland semi-final win over Kilmacud Crokes

Gaining momentum

Glen built up a healthy lead in foggy conditions in their semi-final with Kilmacud but ended up running out narrow one-point victors.

"Hopefully it will give us momentum [beating the champions], After losing last year it was a long way back to get another go at Kilmacud.

"We looked at it though as if it was just another game as far as we were concerned. We just prepared for it the way we do every other game.

"We couldn't afford to get distracted by thoughts of revenge or anything like that. We knew we needed a really good performance.

"We played well for a lot of the game in difficult conditions, although I suppose we faded towards the end and were maybe lucky to hang on in the end. It got us through to a final and St Brigid's are a quality team as well."