Glen 2-10 St Brigid's 1-12: Glen win first All-Ireland Club title in thrilling Croke Park decider

Glen won their first All-Ireland Club Football title after coming from behind to beat St Brigid's in a thrilling decider at Croke Park.

In a captivating final that went down to the wire, the Ulster champions scored crucial goals through Jody McDermott and Conor Glass to win by a point despite spending the majority of the game trailing an impressive St Brigid's side.

In an enthralling and nail-biting conclusion, Glen levelled thanks to a wonderful Conor Glass goal and moved two clear before Shane Cunnane cut the deficit to the minimum in the fourth minute of stoppage time.

Cunnane then had the chance to save St Brigid's with a last-gasp free but sent it wide, sparking ecstatic scenes among the Glen supporters before referee Brendan Cawley blew his whistle, completing Glen's stunning rise to the biggest prize in club football having only won their first Derry title in 2021.

It is also redemption of the sweetest kind for the Watty Graham's after an agonising and hugely controversial defeat by Kilmacud Crokes in last year's All-Ireland final.

For St Brigid's, for whom Ben O'Carroll starred and whose goal came from Brian Derwin early in the second half, it will be a bitter pill to swallow having caused Glen all manner of problems.

It was far from the perfect performance from Glen. Bettered for large spells, they nevertheless dug deep and pressed to the final whistle in a manner now synonymous with Malachy O'Rourke's side.

• Glen win first All-Ireland title - as it happened

The one-point win means the Andy Merrigan Cup will head to the Oak Leaf County for just the fourth time, after one victory apiece for Bellaghy, Lavey and Ballinderry.

Having avenged last year's final defeat by toppling Kilmacud in the semi-final, many viewed Glen as the favourites on their return to Croke Park.

Bu,t led by the irrepressible Ben O'Carroll, it was St Brigid's who shone brightest during the majority of the first half, the Roscommon forward scoring 0-3 and giving Michael Warnock a severe test of his man-marking skills.

St Brigid's were also stout at the back with Pearse Frost in particular doing his part to stop Glen from getting quality ball into their forwards.

The Connacht champions got their noses in front early through Brian Stack, and while Emmett Bradley soon knocked over Glen's first two scores, Cathal Mulholland and Ciaran McFaul shots had both gone wide in a frustrating opening quarter for the Derry side.

In contrast, Brigid's looked dangerous every time they flooded forward. Quick in transition and efficient at getting early ball to O'Carroll, they surely went in at the break wondering how they had just the eight points on the board.

While the likes of Eddie Nolan and Ruaidhri Fallon scored beautiful scores from play, Robbie Dolan should have done better when he isolated Tiarnan Flanagan, hitting his shot straight at the Glen forward.

Flanagan's blushes were spared, though, when his horribly miscued pass floated straight into Fallon's arms, with O'Carroll unable to find the back of Connlan Bradley's net after Fallon's excellent surge up the field.

While St Brigid's were four up and appeared to be in the ascendancy, the game changed in a flash with a rapid 1-1 from Glen, McDermott rippling Cormac Sheehy's net after being teed up by Danny Tallon before Ethan Doherty's score brought the two-in-a-row Ulster champions level before the break.

Glass goal inspires Glen in frantic finale

Jody McDermott's goal helped Glen storm back into the game after a first half largely dominated by St Brigid's

Despite Glen's surge late in the first half to restore parity, Brigid's were not flustered and immediately regained control after the restart when Brian Derwin raised a green flag after being found by O'Carroll, who was marked by Ryan Dougan in the second half having given Warnock a serious headache in the first.

Derwin then landed a brilliant score with the outside of his right boot to put the Connacht side four ahead.

While Glass responded to bring Glen back to within three, Glen's cause was hurt when Cathal Mulholland was black-carded in the 48th minute following a tangle with Bobby Nugent.

Ruaidhri Fallon and Eddie Nolan scores either side of an Emmett Bradley free for Glen ensured the Roscommon club held a four-point lead with six minutes left.

However, after a much-needed score from Michael Warnock brought Glen back to within striking distance, Glass collected a McGuckian pass out of the air, surged past his man and unleashed an unstoppable right-footed shot that flew past Brigid's keeper Cormac Sheehy who had strayed off his line.

Glen were given slight breathing room thanks to scores from Bradley and McGuckian at the start of five additional minutes, and while Cunnane gave St Brigid's hope, his last-ditch free going wide proved the final act of an engrossing final that had everyone on the edge of their seats until the final whistle.

There were remarkable scenes at full-time as the Glen players released all the emotions they have felt over the past 12 months as they basked in the realisation that they have completed their mission and become All-Ireland champions.

Glen: Connlan Bradley; Connor Carville, Ryan Dougan, Michael Warnock (0-1); Jody McDermott (1-0), Ciaran McFaul (0-1), Cathal Mulholland; Conor Glass (1-2, 1 '45), Emmett Bradley (0-4, 3f); Eunan Mulholland, Conleth McGuckian (0-1), Ethan Doherty (0-1); Tiernan Flanagan, Danny Tallon, Alex Doherty.

Subs: Conor Convery for E Mulholland (27 mins), Stevie O'Hara for Carville (44 mins), Cahir McCabe for A Doherty (55 mins).

St Brigid's: Cormac Sheehy; Robbie Dolan, Brian Stack (0-1), Pearse Frost; Ruaidhri Fallon (0-2), Alan Daly, Ronan Stack; Eddie Nolan (0-2), Shane Cunnane (0-1f); Bobby Nugent (0-1), Paul McGrath, Conor Hand; Ben O'Carroll (0-3, 2m, 1m), Brian Derwin (1-1), Ciaran Sugrue (0-1).

Subs: John Cunningham for Derwin (45 mins), Conor Gleeson for Nugent (56 mins).

Referee: Brendan Cawley (Kildare).