PSHC: Simon Kennefick the Glen hero against Imokilly after Patrick Horgan's red card
Glen Rovers Simon Kennefick, (scorer of the winning point) and Mark Dooley celebrate during the game against Imokilly at Páirc Uí Chaoimh. Picture: Eddie O'Hare
Glen Rovers 1-15 Imokilly 1-14
THE is alive and well after they recorded a famous victory over Imokilly in the quarter-final of the Co-op Superstores PSHC in Páirc Uí Chaoimh.
They were dealt a cruel blow when their talisman, Patrick Horgan, was given a straight red card after a seemingly innocuous coming together with John Cronin while awaiting the arrival of a long-range free in the 23rd minute.
It was the third time this weekend that red cards played a crucial role in the three Premier Senior games across the weekend but the Glen were heroic in how they stayed in the game. Their half-back line of Robert Downey, Eoin Downey and Brian Moylan were sensational, David Noonan hurled himself into the ground and Simon Kennefick proved to be their go-to man in the dying moments when he scored two incredible points.
Their colossal effort meant that when Cronin defender received his second yellow card with 10 minutes to go, they were close enough to take advantage of it as they trailed by 1-13 to 1-11.
Points from Brian Moylan and Conor Dorris levelled the tie for the fourth time. Kennefick then gave them the lead with an outrageous score from the sideline before a Shane O’Regan free for Imokilly levelled the tie again as the clock hit sixty.
Then Kennefick stood tallest to hit the winner and send the Glen contingent wild with joy.
The game was tied at 1-6 apiece at the time of Horgan’s dismissal and, initially the loss of their talisman inspired the Glen. Downeys Robert and Eoin took control of the half-back and they burst into the lead with points from David Noonan and Dean Brosnan. Liam O’Shea then slotted over his fourth point to leave the minimum between them at the break, 1-8 to 1-7.
On the resumption the Glen did everything but score. They defended well, worked tirelessly but their three wides were made more costly by the fact that Imokilly slotted over three points through Brian Lawton, Seamus Harnedy and Mark McCarthy.
Brian Moylan finally got the Glen’s first score of the second half as he took over the free-taking duties from Horgan to leave one between them. Imokilly then outscored the Glen by 0-3 to 0-2 up to the water break and they seemed set for victory before Cronin’s dismissal.
Imokilly played with the wind at their backs in the first half, but the Glen managed to put it into their sails as they got off to the perfect start after Shane O’Regan had given Imokilly an early lead. Dean Brosnan brought the Glen level before a long diagonal delivery from Brosnan found Patrick Horgan who twisted and turned before crashing the ball past Jack Barry.
The Glen then extended their lead with excellent scores from Simon Kennefick and David Noonan to lead by 1-3 to 0-1 after five minutes.
Slowly, the divisional side began to settle into a rhythm, aided by some indiscipline from their city rivals. Liam O’Shea pointed a free before Cathal Hickey saved brilliantly from Anthony Spillane and O’Shea pointed the resultant ’65.
O’Shea then traded scores with Mark Dooley before Horgan did the same with his former inter-county team-mate, Brian Lawton, to leave the Glen leading by 1-5 to 0-5 at the water break.
Horgan went tit-for-tat with O’Shea from placed balls again before O’Regan rattled the Glen net with a cracking goal after fetching a long delivery from O’Shea.
What came thereafter couldn’t be scripted, and the Glen will go into the final four with serious momentum as they look to make their third final in a row.
P Horgan 1-2 (0-1 65), B Moylan (f), S Kennefick 0-3 each, D Noonan, D Brosnan 0-2 each, L Horgan, M Dooley, C Dorris 0-1 each.
S O’Regan 1-3 (0-1 f), L O’Shea 0-4 (0-3 f, 0-1 65), Brian Lawton 0-3, S Harnedy 0-2, M McCarthy, M Kelly 0-1 each.
C Hickey (c); D Dooling, S McDonnell, A Lynch; B Moylan, R Downey, E Downey; A O’Donovan, D Noonan; D Brosnan, P Horgan, L Horgan; M Dooley, S Kennefick, L Coughlan.
D Cronin for Dooley (inj, h-t), C Healy for Noonan (blood, 48-52), C Dorris for L Horgan (inj, 50), C Healy for Lynch (inj, 58), E Murphy for Coughlan (60).
J Barry (Castlelyons); K Histon (Cobh), C Barry (Castlelyons), N Motherway (Dungourney); C O’Brien (St Ita’s), M Russell (Aghada), J Cronin (Lisgoold); S Hegarty (Dungourney), M McCarthy (Aghada); Brian Lawton (Castlemartyr), L O’Shea (Lisgoold), S Harnedy (St Ita’s); A Spillane (Castlelyons), Barry Lawton (Castlemartyr), S O’Regan (Watergrasshill).
M Kelly (Castlemartyr) for Barry Lawton (h-t), Seán Desmond (Watergrasshill) for Spillane (43), A Fenton (Castlelyons) for McCarthy (54 mins), J Stack (Castlemartyr) for O’Shjea (58 mins).
Simon Stokes (Tullylease).
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