Glen class shows as they qualify but Na Piarsaigh must avoid relegation
Glen Rovers' Eoin O'Leary breaks past Na Piarsaigh's Kevin Moynihan, during their Co-Op Superstores Premier SHC clash at Carrigtwohill. Picture: David Keane.
Glen Rovers 0-26 Na Piarsaigh 3-7
GLEN Rovers advanced to the quarter-finals of the CO-OP Superstores county PSHC with a 10-point triumph over neighbours Na Piarsaigh at sunny Carrigtwohill on Sunday.
It sets-up a repeat of last season’s quarter-final against Newtownshandrum while a third loss means Piarsaighs must regroup to face the relegation play-off against Charleville to determine who remains in the top tier for next season.
Piarsaigh struck for their three goals, two from Shane Forde and the other from Padraig Guest, in the closing quarter, having been 0-17 to 0-5 adrift, and that will offer them some encouragement.
Yet, there was no disputing the gap in standards with Cork defender Robert Downey dominant at centre-back and Patrick Horgan, ably assisted by Simon Kennefick, a reliable source of scores at the other end. Between them, the pair contributed 0-17 of the Glen’s impressive tally with young Eoin O’Leary adding to his reputation with 0-3.
In the first half, the opening exchanges more than hinted at what lay in store as the Glen, against the wind, claimed six points without response.
The pattern began inside 20 seconds with an O’Leary point before Horgan and Kennefick took over, Horgan firing three points and his colleague a couple from play.
Cian Buckley finally opened Na Piarsaigh’s account at the end of the first quarter and it proved their only point from play in the period.
It was 0-6 to 0-1 entering the second quarter and the Glen repeated the same scoring to lead by 0-12 to 0-3 at the interval and firmly in control.
And it could have been even worse for their rivals, who needed a brilliant diving save from keeper Alan Keating to divert a stinging Mark Dooley shot out for a ’65, which Horgan duly converted in the 27th minute.
Na Piarsaigh’s high wide count of nine, three more than the Glen’s tally, had obvious implications for their challenge as they relied on frees from Evan Sheehan and Guest for their scores.
There was nothing to suggest any discernable change on the resumption as the Glen stretched their advantage to 0-15 to 0-3 within six minutes.
Na Piarsaigh managed points from Christopher Joyce, who became more prominent as the game wore on, and substitute Luke Sheehan before a pedestrian encounter gathered traction.
Guest triggered a reaction from his side with his well-taken goal and while the Glen cancelled it out with three points from play, Horgan, O’Leary and Dean Brosnan, Na Piarsaigh struck for a second goal in the 52nd minute.
Forde’s determination took him through the heart of the Glen defence before beating keeper and captain Cathal Hickey, who exacted some revenge moments later with a brilliant save to thwart Guest, who batted the ball strongly but Hickey denied him with a super save.
And still, two minutes later, Na Piarsaigh pounced for a third goal, Forde having the satisfaction of netting for a second time, 0-22 to 3-7.
The Glen steadied matters, however, and closed out the tie by adding 0-4 without response, Kennefick, Brosnan and two more from Horgan, including a free, to steer the ship to port without any fuss.
Now, it’s all eyes on the knock-out phase, when the championship cranks up a couple of levels.
P Horgan 0-12 (0-8 f, 0-1 65), S Kennefick 0-5, E O’Leary 0-3, D Brosnan and A O’Donovan 0-2 each, M Dooley, C Dorris 0-1 each.
S Forde 2-0, P Guest 1-2 (0-2 f), C Joyce 0-2, C Buckley, L Sheehan, E Sheehan 0-1 each.
C Hickey (c); S McDonnell, D Dooling, A Lynch; B Moylan, R Downey, E Downey; D Noonan, A O’Donovan; M Dooley, D Brosnan, C Healy; E O’Leary P Horgan, S Kennefick.
C Dorris for Healy 48, R Dunne for Dooley 51, L Coughlan for O’Leary 54.
A Keating; E Moynihan, E Gunning, A Dennehy; K Moynihan, C Joyce, A Dennehy; C Buckley, G Healy; P Rourke, S Forde, D Gunning; E Sheehan, K Forde, P Guest.
J Scanlon for E Gunning half-time, L Sheehan for K Forde 39, E Kidney for D Gunning 53, K Buckley for Sheehan.
C McAllister (Aghada).
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