​Glen emerge from mists to claim dethrone Kilmacud and book Croke Park spot

The Derry champions will meet Roscommon and Connacht champions, St. Brigid's, in Croke Park on January 21st and it may take every one of those days in-between to get over this roller-coaster of a semi-final played out in the sort of low lying fog usually reserved for a Hammer horror movie.

Yet despite Glen turning it into a bit of a nightmare for the reigning All Ireland champions, it's doubtful even Hollywood could come up with this type of script. Glen won, almost lost, then won and eventually almost lost again a game in which they were clearly the better side.

Champions never go quietly into the night (or in this case fog) and Kilmacud's second half fightback played on Glen nerves in the closing stages. Even after Ethan Doherty took advantage of Conor Glass' superb turnover to roll Glen into an injury time four point lead, the drama wasn't over. Straight up the other end and Shane Walsh (who else!) conjures up the type of freak goal which usually decrees fate is against you.

It certainly looked that way when the Galway star lined up another shot seconds later. The Newry fog meant it wasn't immediately clear if the ball had found its target and the appearance of the umpire's flag had the pace of a X-Factor winning announcement. But finally; finally, it was wide and Glen were back in the All Ireland final.

"Madness. Madness, euphoria, disappointment - probably every emotion the human body can experience," admitted Michael Warnock.

"We thought we had it when we got the goal (through Ethan Doherty) but they came straight down the pitch and put it in the back of the net again. They had a chance then at the end and thankfully, it went just wide.

"It was a day when your emotions were up, down, left, right, sideways; but look, we're just delighted to get over the line."

It difficult to know where to start with a game that was almost turned on it's head in the closing quarter. Glen owned the opening half but it was not until points in first half injury time from the Emmet Bradley and Ciaran McFaul - both superb on the day - that their dominance showed on the scoreboard.

Yet despite enjoying that 0-9 to 0-5 lead at the break, the Wattys had reason to feel aggrieved as Crokes' Brian Sheehy somehow escaped a red card for a dangerous tackle that ended Jack Doherty's afternoon. Still, five points clear, Glen were in control.

Indeed points from Danny Tallon (f) and Cathal Mulholland at the start of the second half seemed to point to a comfortable victory but Kilmacud had other ideas as the final quarter resembled two heavyweights slugging it out in the final rounds of a world title fight.

Two Paul Mannion points edged the Dubliners back to within touching distance but it was a moment of magic from Walsh that really turned the game on its head. From the right flank, the Galway star somehow spotted Hugh Kenny amid the mist and fired a fantastic driven pass crossfield straight to him. Kenny found the corner of the net and suddenly the game was level.

Glen's, however, found the perfect answer, immediately breaking upfield to split the posts through Alex Doherty only to then watch as Crokes' keeper David Higgins levelled with a great point of his own.

It looked like an Emmet Bradley free had finally settled the issue but there was still time for Doherty to apply what most thought was the icing on the Glen cake with his goal.

Then came the madness, the nerves and the exhilaration of the final whistle.

"The first year, whenever you beat Slaughtneil - and you know where they have been this past number of years - it gives you a bit of confidence but you still have to take it one game at a time when you come in to these type of competition because ultimately everyone is all county champions and everyone is fighting for the one fate; that is to get out of Ulster and give themselves a rattle at an All Ireland," explained Warnock.

"Luckily we have been able to do that this past two years and hopefully now we can go one step further this year.

"This week was probably a wee bit easier than last year because that was the first, and look, we have that on our side but ultimately if St. Brigid's come and perform the next day and we don't then we'll lose.

"We have to get that right first and foremost. It comes down to 60 minutes of football and who wants it most but here's hoping we are the ones who come out on top.

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)