Premier 1 MHC: Glen Rovers see off Ballincollig to force three-way tie at the top

Ballincollig 1-17

Glen Rovers 3-18

Defending champions Glen Rovers ensured that their defence of the Rebel Óg Premier 1 MHC remains alive after they secured the win they needed away to Ballincollig on Tuesday night.

With the hosts having beaten Aghada and Douglas, a draw would have been enough for them to top the group and advance to the semi-finals while the Glen, who had lost to Douglas, had to triumph and did.

The result, coupled with Douglas’s win over Aghada, means a three-way tie at the top – a draw will take place with one lucky side going to the semi-finals while the other two will play off on September 4 in what will effectively be a quarter-final.

The timing of the Glen’s goals was crucial. Having led at half-time by 1-12 to 0-7 after playing with the wind, they moved into an 11-point lead within 30 seconds of the restart as Michael Tadhg Brosnan and Jack O’Sullivan combined for Diarmuid Wall to send a low shot to the net.

To Ballincollig’s credit, they responded well to that setback, with centre-back David O’Leary and midfielder Danny Miskella instrumental as they scored seven straight points. Eoin Dwyer’s free-taking was excellent in this period while George Howard went close to a goal too, pulling a shot wide under pressure.

The Glen’s mini-drought came to an end as good work by Evan McGuckin allowed Michael Tadhg Brosnan to send over a valuable point and that was followed by the game’s key score, the Glen’s third goal.

McGuckin was going for a point but his shot dropped short – however, in batting the ball down goalkeeper Oisín Power put it into the path of full-forward Cian Walsh, who blasted home.

A 3-13 to 0-14 lead with a quarter of the game remaining was never likely to be overhauled but Ballincollig did keep pressing. They had a goal when Howard touched home a Miskella sideline cut and Theo Morgan would have had one too but for a heroic clearance off the line by Glen full-back Oisín O’Connell. Kyle Cronin also impressed as the Glen allowed little more.

Further Ballincollig chances to cut the gap were not taken and the Glen made the game save with good points from Gavin O’Callaghan, Walsh and McGuckin, the effort underpinned by two players who didn’t get on the scoresheet but ran themselves to a standstill, cousins Jake and Josh Brosnan.

While Jack Murray had opened the scoring for Ballincollig, the Glen slowly got on top in the first half, with centre-back Conor McCarthy excellent for them while Wall and Michael Tadhg Brosnan were on hand to help them build a 0-7 to 0-1 lead by the 12th minute.

Dwyer helped Ballincollig to reduce that arrears and it was 0-9 to 0-6 after Cian O’Connor got his second point but – foreshadowing second-half events – the Glen were able to deflate some of the momentum.

From Josh Goulding’s puckout, Michael Tadhg Brosnan produced a great catch and drove towards goal before fizzing shot in. He had another point in the closing stages, allied to two from Wall, as they retired with an eight-point lead it got even better on the resumption.

Scorers for Ballincollig: E Dwyer 0-11 (0-9f, 0-1 65), G Howard 1-0, C O’Connor 0-2, P McCarthy, J Murray, T Morgan, T Murphy 0-1 each.

Glen Rovers; D Wall 1-6 (0-3f), MT Brosnan 1-3, C Walsh 1-2, G O’Callaghan, E McGuckin 0-3 each, C Connolly 0-1.

BALLINCOLLIG: O Power; C Power, D Lee, E O’Donovan; C O’Connor, D O’Leary, K O’Leary; D Miskella, C Ahern: J Murray, G Howard, P McCarthy ; T Murphy, E Dwyer, T Morgan.

Subs: C Summers for O’Donovan (13-14, temporary), S Rue O’Sullivan (52), P Rose for Howard (57).

GLEN ROVERS: J Goulding; M Gayfer, O O’Connell, J Murphy; C Connolly, C McCarthy, K Cronin; G O’Callaghan, Jake Brosnan; MT Brosnan, D Wall, Josh Brosnan; J O’Sullivan, C Walsh, E McGuckin.

Subs: C Burke for McCarthy (13-14, temporary), J O’Mahony for O’Sullivan (57).

Referee: D Kirwan (Éire Óg).