St Finbarr's edge out city rivals Glen Rovers with last minute goal

Glen Rovers 2-20 St Finbarr’s 4-15 

St Finbarr’s got the better of Glen Rovers when their Premier Junior sides faced off in the RedFM Hurling League Division 7 on Wednesday evening.

St Finbarr’s got off to a dream start against their northern rivals, as Darragh Callanan played the ball into corner-forward Jack O’Brien, who managed to get free from his man and kick the ball into the back of the net within 40 seconds of throw in.

The Glen managed three points to the Barrs one in the next five minutes, but Colm Keane bagged a second goal for the visitors, as Glen goalkeeper Cian Long couldn’t stop his powerful effort from hitting the back of the net.

The hosts again tried to reduce the gap with several white flags, but the Barrs replied with scores of their own, before getting their third goal in the 15th minute. Brian Ramsey’s excellent solo effort saw him increase the St Finbarr’s advantage to seven.

Glen finally settled in at the back and grew into the game, outscoring the visitors seven points to five in the second quarter.

After a difficult first half, Glen responded instantly in the second period, as Gearoid Mulcahy passed to Lee Quilligan, who finished coolly into the bottom corner to get them back in the game.

Eoin O’Neill’s free was cancelled out by a great score from Sean O’Leary, but points from Nathan Goulding and Danny Murphy levelled the game.

The teams traded scores, before a Keane free got the Barrs back ahead. Glen finally took the lead in the 42nd minute as Calvin Healy played a great pass to Shane Busteed, who sprinted over 30 metres before netting Glen’s second goal to put them two points ahead.

With only 15 to go, both teams fought hard, trading scores three times. The Glen’s two-score lead held firm in the closing stages, but a late free awarded around 30 metres from the goal was brilliantly finished by Keane, who scored St Finbarr’s fourth goal to win it in additional time.

Scorers for Glen Rover s: L Quilligan 1-5, E O’Neill 0-7 (0-6 f), S Busteed 1-2, A Lordan, D Murphy 0-2 each, R Long, N Goulding 0-1 each.

St Finbarr’s : C Keane 2-4 (1-3 f), B Ramsey 1-5, J O’Brien 1-0, C Barrett 0-2, A Murphy, A Buckley, J O’Kelly, S O’Leary 0-1 each.

GLEN ROVER S: C Long; C Martin, K McCarthy-Cole, G Marshall; E O’Sullivan, C Healy, F O’Driscoll; G Mulcahy, N Goulding; D Murphy, A Lordan, L Quilligan; R Long, E O’Neill, S Busteed.

Sub: D Busteed for Goulding (56).

ST FINB ARR’S: D McSweeney; E O’Regan, C Crowley, S Kennedy; R Doyle, C Steele, JJ O’Connor; D Callanan, S O’Leary; A Buckley, C Keane, J O’Kelly; J O’Brien, A Murphy, B Ramsey.

Su bs: C Barrett for O’Connor (15), R Bennett for J O’Brien (25), J Wigginton Barrett for Buckley (48).

Referee: Niall Fahy (Brian Dillon’s).