Rebel Óg minor hurling: Glen and Sars battle for Premier 1 title as Barrs face Shandrum in Premier 2
Michael O'Mahony, chairman of Rebel Óg with Glen Rovers captain Diarmuid Wall and Sarsfields captain Barry O'Flynn at the launch of the Rebel Óg Premier 1 minor hurling championship final next Monday night. Picture: Steven Lynch
Will it be a double for Sarsfields in a week over Glen Rovers, or can the defending champions retain their crown?
Whatever ensues on Monday night has all the hallmarks of two great games as Glen and Sars battle for the Premier 1 minor hurling championship title, throw-in 8pm at Páirc Ui Rinn. Before that another top match will see St Finbarr’s take on Shandrum in the Premier 2 final at 6.30pm.
Last Monday Sars and the Glen met in the U16 decider, with the former winning, and if the minor final is as good then all present will be in for a great night’s entertainment.
These two have been the form teams in the championship this year and it is difficult to call a winner, with little or nothing to divide them.
The Glen got the better of Aghada in their first group game, before losing out to Douglas in their second tie. They then had to beat Ballincollig to ensure they progressed, which they duly did to set up another meeting with Douglas at the quarter-final stage.
This time they reversed the group stage result to face Midleton in the semi-final. In a simply sublime second-half showing the Glen came from 10 points down to win by 4-12 to 1-16, scoring the four goals in four minutes.
They have quality players all over the pitch with names like Michael T Brosnan, Diarmuid Wall and Cian Walsh starting to become well-known to hurling fans.
But there are plenty of other talented hurlers, including the likes of Michael Gayfer, Conor McCarthy, Gavin O’Callaghan and Jake Brosnan to name a few.
Sars too have quality players and took the easier route to the decider, after an early upset at the hands of Killeagh, avoiding the quarter-final after group stage wins over Midleton and Inniscarra. In the semi-final, they proved too strong for Ballincollig to win by 1-20 to 0-15.
Barry O’Flynn is their main attacking threat and came off the bench on his return from injury against the Collig. In the likes of Jack Huggins, Ronan Barry, Cullen Condon, Harry Cogan, Darragh O’Donovan and Adam Dunlea they have plenty of match-winning players outside of the Cork U20.
The Barrs and Shandrum met in the group stages with the Togher side coming out on top, but they will know that won’t count for much on Monday night.
The Barrs have had wins over Mallow, Bishopstown and Youghal as well to reach the final in a side led by the likes of James Murray, Cian O’Sullivan, Conor McCarthy and Rickey Barrett. After a heartbreaking football semi-final defeat to Ballincollig on penalties, they won't be short motivation.
Shandrum will look to Jack Hogan, Turlough O’Neill, Johnny Murphy and Ben Jordan Reidy to try and reverse their earlier meeting to take the title. They lost last year's Premier 2 decider to Killeagh and that experience could stand to them.
Glen Rovers v Sarsfields, 8pm, Páirc Ui Rinn.
Shandrum v St Finbarr’s, 6.30pm, Páirc Ui Rinn.
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