Glen will face All-Ireland champions Kilcoo in the Ulster Club Football final after battling past a determined Cargin side 1-10 to 0-8 at Omagh.
The five-point margin flattered Glen with Danny Tallon notching their goal from a penalty in the closing seconds.
Two points from Tallon and Conor Glass helped Glen lead 0-5 to 0-2 but Cargin cut the margin to one by half-time.
Cargin were still only one behind after 56 minutes but two Emmett Bradley frees and Tallon’s penalty sealed Glen’s win.
After Kilcoo’s dominant win over a young Enniskillen Gaels side on Saturday, Glen were expected to come through the second semi-final but the proud GAA men from Cargin were never going to roll over and they gave the Derry champions a searching examination at Healy Park.
Predictably defences dominated during a cagey opening half with Glen possessing the greater ability to make incisions after winning turnovers but seeing their efforts undone by errant shooting as they fired six wides in the opening period.
Cargin’s most dangerous forward Pat Shivers struggled to make an impact in the opening half as he was shackled by Glen full-back Ryan Dougan.
Tallon kicked Glen into a fourth-minute lead and while Tomas McCann levelled with a free, a towering Conor Glass effort from the right touchline and Tallon’s ‘mark’ point put the Derry champions two up by the 11th minute.
At that stage, Cargin were getting plenty of possession but finding themselves turned over with regularity once they came within range of Glen’s goals.
Glen could do nothing about Cargin keeper John McNabb’s thumping free from 44 metres on 18 minutes but Michael Warnock’s typical foray upfield yielded him a fine point which was quickly followed by Glass’ second effort from play of the opening period.
At three ahead, Glen seemed to gaining a degree of control but Cargin produced a strong finish to the half with McCann and Shivers slotting frees – the second of which was earned by skipper and centre half-back James Laverty’s burst into the opposition’s 21.
Another Tally free doubled Glen’s lead after the restart but Cargin were proving resilient as Shivers responded with a ‘mark’ score.
A further Tallon placed ball and score from impressive substitute Alex Doherty twice nudged Glen two ahead again but Cargin were refusing to yield as one of their replacements Ciaran Bradley and veteran defender Kevin O’Boyle kicked superb efforts from play.
Donnelly misses chance to get Cargin on terms
After Emmett Bradley missed an apparently routine chance to put Glen two up once more, Cargin did have an opportunity to get on terms but corner-back Cahir Donnelly pushed wide his 54th-minute opportunity from some 35 metres.
Bradley was showing signs of nerves as he missed another Glen free a minute later before immediately getting another placed-ball chance which he did slot.
With a minute of normal time left, the game was still in the melting point with Glen only two ahead but crucially sub Doherty won possession with a classy pick-up as he toed the ball into his palms despite being on the move before fouled on the edge of the 22.
Bradley pointed the free to put Glen three ahead for the first time since the 24th minute as the game entered injury-time.
Inevitably, Cargin kept up their fight as Paul McCann replied from distance and they had the ball again as Michael McCann won possession following a botched short kickout only to be blown up for catching Cathal Mulholland in the face as he attempted to fend off the Glen man.
After McCann received a yellow card, Glen were able to work the ball downfield and keeper McNabb’s foul on substitute Stevie O’Hara resulted in the penalty in the dying seconds which was dispatched by Tallon.
