GAA: Glory for Glen as they take maiden Ulster Senior title

Glen are toasting their first-ever Ulster Senior Club Football Championship title after a titanic tussle with reigning All-Ireland champions Kilcoo in Armagh.

While the six-point margin of victory might not be a true reflection of the overall tie, the Maghera men were well worth the win.

Five points in front after 10 minutes put them on the road to the trophy, and when Paul Devlin missed a penalty deep into stoppage time for Kilcoo, you got the sense that it was going to be the Watty Grahams side's day.

Glen got the first point of the tie in the sixth minute when Danny Tallon converted a close-range free. However, it arrived after they had spurned a goal chance when Conleth McGuckian’s pass was too strong for Jack Doherty.

The men in green and yellow then doubled their lead less than a minute later when Emmet Bradley curled over a superb free from wide on the right.

Bradley’s midfield partner Conor Glass then notched the first from play with a booming point from 40 metres out to make it 0-3 to 0-0 with less than eight minutes on the clock.

In the tenth minute, McGuckian slotted between the posts, before Jack Doherty powered forward to do the same as Glen threatened to run away with the game even at that early stage.

But – as Kilcoo do – they came roaring back and their first score of the match was a maximum.

It came from some good work by Dylan Ward, who twisted and turned before offloading for Aaron Branagan, who palmed to the net from close-range past Glen keeper Conan Bradley.

A break in play after a high tackle on Jerome Johnston from Bradley, resulted in a converted free by Ryan McEvoy before Kilcoo were temporarily reduced to 14 men when Paul Delvin was black-carded for an off the ball incident.

Glen replied through a Tallon free to restore their two-point lead as the opening period entered its final 10 minutes.

A relative lull in proceedings followed before the tie sprang to life again when Daryl Branagan scored Kilcoo's first from play on 27 minutes, but that was quickly cancelled out when Ryan Dougan fisted over at the other end to leave it 0-7 to 1-2 at the half drew to a close.

Jerome Johnston then took a mark from brother Ryan's pass to leave the minimum between the sides before late drama deep into stoppage time as Kilcoo were awarded a penalty.

Jerome Johnston latched onto Shealan Johnston's pass only to be barged to the ground by Ryan Dougan. Referee Joe McQuillan took his time before giving the foul. However, Paul Devlin's spot-kick was poor, hitting the base of the right-hand post and going wide in what was the last action of a pulsating first half.

Bradley grabbed his second free of the day to begin the second half scoring for Glen just three minutes in before Tallon did likewise 60 seconds later to extend the Derry's champions' lead to 0-9 to 1-3.

Devlin replied at the other end as the second period began in the same vein as the first ended, end to end and the tie very much in the melting pot. The same player then added a close-range free to reduce the deficit to one, after a foul on Eugene Branagan as he went through on goal.

But Glen edged two clear at the midway point of the second period with a Tallon free. That was despite Kilcoo having the majority of possession only to take the wrong decision at the vital time.

But Aaron Branagan closed the gap once more from play as the Magpies tried to force themselves level for the first time in the game. They should have gone in front on 48 minutes when Ceilum Doherty's goalbound shot was blocked before Jerome Johnston coughed up possession on the rebound.

Ethan Doherty then got his first of the afternoon at a vital stage - just five minutes from the end of normal time - to edge Glen two clear again, 0-11 to 1-6 with time ebbing away.

The result was then put beyond doubt as Tallon knocked over his fifth free of the match in stoppage time as Kilcoo sub Sean Og McCusker was shown a black card.

Glen then added icing on the cake when Alex Doherty found himself one-on-one with Niall Kane. He rounded the Kilcoo keeper before rolling the ball into the empty net to seal a 1-12 to 1-6 victory - and a fully-deserved one at that.

MATCH STATS

Glen Watty Grahams: C Bradley; C Mulholland, R Dougan (0-1), C Carville; T Flanagan, M Warnock, E Mulholland; C Glass (0-1, free), E Bradley (0-2, both frees); E Doherty (0-1), J Doherty (0-1), C Convery; A Doherty (1-0), D Tallon (0-5, all frees), C McGuckian (0-1)

Subs: C McCabe for Convery (57 mins)

Kilcoo: N Kane; N Branagan, R McEvoy (0-1), A Branagan (1-1); E Branagan, D Branagan (0-1), M Rooney; A Morgan, D Ward; C Doherty, R Johnston, S Johnston; C Laverty, J Johnston (0-1, Mark), P Devlin (0-2, both frees)

Subs: A Morgan for Ward (H-T), S Og McCusker for E Branagan (56 mins),

Referee: Joe McQuillan (Cavan)