Robbie Brennan was graceful in defeat after Kilmacud Crokes’ loss to Glen in the All-Ireland club football semi-final.
The Crokes manager had no qualms admitting afterwards that, despite the fog, his side had no excuses, having been beaten ‘by a far better team.’
To Brennan’s point, despite a positive start that saw his side score the first two points of the game, Glen were on top for most of it, having led by 0-9 to 0-4 at half-time.
The Derry team continued their ascendency in the second half, and looked on course for something of a comfortable victory when they led by 0-12 to 0-6 after 45 minutes.
But with their backs to the wall, that was when Kilmacud Crokes roared back into the game, with a brilliant Hugh Kenny goal reducing the deficit to just one point with five minutes to play.
Eventually, after a frantic finish in the fog, Glen regained their composure to win by one point with Ethan Doherty’s intercept-goal having proved decisive.
Speaking on TG4 after the game, Brennan was very magnanimous in defeat, offering Malachy O’Rourke’s side their dues.
“You’re hoping you can win those kinds of games but the reality is that we didn’t play well enough for long enough,” Brennan told Mícheál Ó Domhnaill.
“We probably had a 12 minute spell where we played some way to our potential.
“It would have been a bit of steel if we nicked it,” he admitted.
“Glen were by far the better team, and hats off to them for that.”
That being said, given the dense fog which greatly reduced visibility for players and spectators, Brennan added that the conditions were ‘unplayable,’ but insisted that it was the same for both teams, refusing to use it as an excuse.
“I don’t want to make it sound like (excuses.) It’s the same for Glen as it was for us.
“The reality is it wasn’t playable, that’s the reality.”
“You couldn’t see what was happening in the top corner, certainly from where we were anyway, but that’s not an excuse. We were beaten by a far better team on the day, and that’s not an excuse.”
Despite Crokes’ late rally, Brennan even felt that it was more down to some passive play from Glen, rather than something ‘extraordinary’ from his side.
“We put a bit more of a press on, to take the shackles off, to go after it a bit more.”
“But I think it was more a case of Glen going in on themselves more so than us really playing to an extraordinary level.
“I think we got a lucky chance with the goal, and the second one just floated in, so a couple of things went our way so ultimately no complaints, better team, Glen.”
“Hopefully the lads will regroup and come back at it again,” Brennan added, reflectively.
“They’ve been on a great run for the last six years. The last game we lost was Kilcoo and within a kick of a ball again here. So they’re a good bunch and I think they’ll be back again.”
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