Ben Heffernan the hero as Glen Rovers beat Kilbrittain in Premier Junior penalty thriller
Glen Rovers' Donagh Coughlan takes on Kilbrittan's Declan Harrington. Picture: Howard Crowdy
AFTER extra time and a penalty shootout, Glen Rovers progressed into the semi-final of the Co-Op Superstore Cork Premier Junior Hurling Championship following this cracking quarter-final contest against Kilbrittain in Ovens.
Glen goalkeeper Ben Heffernan was the hero in the shootout, saving three Kilbrittain efforts and ultimately scoring the winning penalty.
The second string of the Glen were seeking to salvage something from a weekend that saw the club’s 97-year stay at the top table of Senior Hurling conclude. They started well, and points from Conor Dorris and Shane Busteed saw the city side take an early lead.
Kilbrittain gradually got into the groove, and they led 0-7 to 0-3 after 17 minutes. Conor Ustianowski got a fine point from distance, while Mark Hickey was proving very accurate.
There was a late kick in the Glen at the end of the first half. A score by Rhys Dunne, along with further frees by Dorris saw their side right back in the fight.
Maurice Sexton got a wonderful Kilbrittain score at the end of the opening half, with Dorris responding with a free for the Glen.
At the break, the sides were level at 0-8 apiece and everything still to play for.
Kilbrittain were 0-16 to 0-12 ahead in the 51st minute, with Phillip Wall getting a fine score added to by a Ustianowski point.
But in typical Glen fashion, they never gave up and a Shane Busteed goal to the bottom corner, along with further points by Busteed and Dorris saw the city side lead 1-16 to 0-18 heading into second-half stoppage time.
Kilbrittain took this gripping contest to extra time, as Hickey kept his composure to slot over a score.
The Glen had the better of the opening period of extra time, with points from Rhys Dunne and the impressive Dorris giving them a 1-20 to 0-21 lead, with Maurice Sexton getting a crucial Kilbrittain score.
Although Dorris got another Glen point, Kilbrittain took this enthralling game to penalties as Ustianowski slotted over an impressive score.
In the penalty shootout, Glen slotted in penalties courtesy of Dorris and Evan Murphy. Glen shot stopper Heffernan stood up to save three Kilbrittain penalties from Ross Cashman, Mark Hickey and Aaron Holland.
That allowed Heffernan to finish with the winning penalty and end what has been a difficult weekend for the Glen with a victory.
C Dorris 0-13 (0-12 f), S Busteed 1-2, L Quilligan, R Dunne (0-1 f) 0-2 each, B Heffernan (f), C O’Sullivan 0-1 each.
M Hickey 0-12 (0-11 f), P Wall, C Ustianowski, M Sexton 0-3 each, R Cashman (0-1 f), J O’Donovan, B Butler 0-1 each.
B Heffernan; G Marshall, B Murphy, E Varian; J Mulcahy, F O’Driscoll, C O’Sullivan; G Kennefick, D Coughlan; D Murphy, R Dunne, A Lordan; S Busteed, C Dorris, L Quilligan.
E Murphy for Lordan (HT), G Mulcahy for D Murphy (44), C Martin for J Mulcahy, O O’Neill for Coughlan (both 52).
A Holland; C Sheehan, N O’Donovan, J Hurley; R Cashman, T Harrington, M Sexton; S Sexton, T Sheehan; B Butler, D Harrington, J O’Donovan; P Wall, C Ustianowski, M Hickey.
C Moloney for Sheehan, S Shorten for Butler (46), C Hogan for Harrington (61), Harrington for Shorten (71), Butler for Sheehan (72).
Kevin O’Sullivan (Valley Rovers).
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