Conor Glass always believed Glen could put it up to any club team in Ireland.
Even when he was in Australia with AFL aside, Hawthorn the Derry star had “full belief” that the Maghera outfit were capable of scaling the heights of the club game.
Now, just over a decade on from their first Ulster minor club title and second Derry minor crown, they’ve earned the right to compete in club football’s biggest game.
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Last weekend’s All-Ireland semi-final victory over Galway’s Moycullen set up a decider date with Dublin giants Kilmacud Crokes in a fortnight, back at Croke Park.
A blend of Glen’s stunning underage success, the return of talisman Glass and the appointment of Malachy O’Rourke led to their first Derry (2021) and Ulster (2022) senior titles.
They proved themselves the top minor club side in Ulster for four years in a row (2011-14), putting a history of underachievement behind them.
Their current side is backboned by those players, nurtured by the likes of Derry All-Ireland winners Enda Gormley and Fergal P McCusker among others.
Glass and a raft of his team mates also lined out for St Patrick’s Maghera in back-to-back Hogan Cup finals in 2013 and 2014, winning in ‘13, while the school also reached the 2016 national senior colleges decider.
The raw material and winning mentality was there, and although that guarantees nothing, Glass “100 per cent” believed the club could go on to achieve great things.
“Growing up, through school football and underage, we were competing at the highest level,” he says.
“With Glen and the Ulster minors, it was about getting them through, so we had full belief. I had full belief.
“It was just a matter, I guess, of getting the monkey off our back and getting that first (Derry championship) win, but I had full confidence that we’d reach this level.
“It is something pretty special.
“We said at the start of the year - as clichéd as that sounds - when we were in Derry, we were looking towards the tournament we were in and weren’t looking at the All-Ireland.
“We knew the capabilities we had and if we bring our performance on any day we know we’ll put it up against any team in Ireland.
“We have shown that now and we have one more to go.”
Glen struggled with Moycullen’s size around the middle, and their hard running game, and conceded nine scorable frees, with Dessie Conneely converting eight of them.
A series of jersey pulls in particular nearly proved their undoing and is something they’re likely to hone in on ahead of the final.
“We probably thought a few decisions went against us,” said Glass.
“The full 60 minutes, we felt there was decisions going the wrong way.
“I will say that he was below average today, David Gough (referee), in my opinion and that’s out of our control. We just have to keep trucking on and get on with it.
“It is out of our control, what he does or what his decisions are. If you back chat, he is not going to change his decision.
“All of our team is mellow enough. I guess we are a bit older and can deal with those decisions - if they go against us.”
It may have frustrated Glen, but the vast majority of the scorable frees conceded were fouls and correct calls, bar one perhaps where goalie, Connlan Bradley had his jersey pulled before over carrying.
Glen harvested 1-2 from play from their defence and another four points from their midfield, showing the quality they possess across the field with seven different scorers from play to Moycullen’s three.
But they won’t be happy with the five efforts they dropped short, some of them poor shot options under pressure.
No less than five second half blocks on opposition shots showed their defensive commitment across the team, with full back Ryan Dougan, Tiarnan Flanagan, Michael Warnock and Glass leading the way.
“It’s just that commitment that we have to each other,” said Glass. “Putting our bodies on the line
“Dougie in the first five minutes made an outstanding diving block
“Probably a month ago he went for that diving block and Ruairi Canavan (Errigal Ciaran) skipped past him. That’s just the commitment he has
“To be able to do that night on night and to have that self confidence to just go for it - that’s what we pride ourselves on.
“We are a good footballing team but defensively we are sound and we do everything to get the ball turned over.
“We have that versatility and there is a running joke about Maghera that we have 14 forwards.
“Having that flexibility of boys going up the pitch and not taking a nose bleed when they get up there and having that calmness to take a score is amazing to have in your side.”
Read next:
Down seal semi-final date as revival continues under new boss Conor Laverty
Kilcoo victory proved Glen can beat the best teams insists Malachy O'Rourke
Glen edge Moycullen to book their place in the All-Ireland Club Football final
- Rodney Kerr hails Brídíní Óga heroics after All-Ireland Camogie victory
- Former Kilcoo boss Conleith Gilligan set for new role with Tyrone club
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