Premier 1 MHC: Glen Rovers retain minor title after dramatic win over Sarsfields
The Glen Rovers team celebrate their victory over Sarsfields in the Rebel Óg Premier 1 Hurling Championship final at Páirc Uí Rinn. Picture: Dan Linehan
Glen Rovers retained the Rebel Óg 1 Premier 1 MHC title in tumultuous fashion at Páirc Uí Rinn on Monday night.
Having been six points ahead with just over a quarter of the game left, the Glen looked to have lost the momentum as Sars outscored them by 2-4 to 0-1 in an 11-minute period.
The Glen, featuring some of the U16s beaten by Sars in the final a week previously, didn’t wilt, though. They were level as Diarmuid Wall drilled a low free to the net, followed by Cian Walsh doing well to set up Michael Tadhg Brosnan’s fifth point from play and then a third of the night for inspirational centre-back Conor McCarthy.
When Adam Dunlea pointed for Sars to leave one in it, Brosnan profited from good play by James Murphy to land his sixth, but Dunlea gave Sars hope as he cut the lead again in injury time with his ninth point.
They had a chance when Ronan Barry was fouled deep in the Sars half but it was a low-percentage shot and Dunlea was unable to convert. Mark Maher’s final whistle brought huge celebrations from the Glen contingent and left those present in awe at the topsy-turvy game they had seen.
Before Glen’s comeback, there had been what looked like a definitive one from Sars. Down by 1-15 to 1-9, they had a lifeline as sub Cullen Condon made an immediate impact, netting with a low shot.
Parity was achieved as Harry Cogan capped a mazy run with their third goal and they had the lead for the first time since the 11th minute through Brian Galvin and then another sub, Finn O’Connor, flashed over two lovely efforts in quick succession to leave it 3-13 to 1-16 with five minutes left. And yet there was time for even more drama, the Glen winning out.
It had taken them time to settle, Sars moving 0-3 to 0-1 ahead early on – the Glen were thankful to Josh Goulding for a good save to deny Barry O’Flynn a goal – but then the northsiders seized control in the middle period of the half.
They were level as a good point from midfielder Josh Brosnan was followed by a long-range free from McCarthy and then Michael Tadhg Brosnan had them in front. Wall might have even added a goal but Jack Austin saved brilliantly from him – but they hardly needed it as they moved four clear.
While Kyle Cronin was doing his best to frustrate Barry O’Flynn, the Cork U20 star displayed his ever-present threat with a shot that flashed over before setting up Cogan on 22.
O’Flynn’s brother Tom almost marked his entry to the field with a goal, Goulding saving well, but had a point soon after and Dunlea’s fourth left them one behind, 0-8 to 0-7, before O’Callaghan and Wall were on hand to send the Glen in with a three-point lead.
That was wiped out within 75 seconds of the restart as Barry O’Flynn latched on to a break before firing to the net but the Glen’s response was strong.
When the lead stretched to six, it looked like it would be their night – it was, but with plenty of twists and turns to follow.
As The Night The Goat Broke Loose on Grand Parade provided the soundtrack to the celebrations in the Glen dressing room, they knew they had won an epic.
D Wall 2-6 (1-3f, 0-3 65), MT Brosnan 0-6, G O’Callaghan, C McCarthy (0-1f) 0-3 each, Josh Brosnan 0-1.
A Dunlea 0-9 (0-7f, 0-1 65), B O’Flynn, H Cogan 1-1 each, C Condon 1-0, F O’Connor 0-2, B Galvin, T O’Flynn 0-1 each.
J Goulding; M Gayfer, K Cronin, O O’Connell; C Connolly, C McCarthy, J Murphy; Josh Brosnan, Jake Brosnan; J O’Sullivan, D Wall, G O’Callaghan; E McGuckin, C Walsh, MT Brosnan.
J O’Mahony for McGuckin (46), C Burke for O’Callaghan (57).
J Austin; J McMahon, R Barry, J Tierney; R Higgins, J Huggins, C Quirke; S Bracken, B Galvin; A Dunlea, H Cogan, R McCarthy; C Austin, B O’Flynn, D O’Donovan.
T O’Flynn for McCarthy (27, injured), C Condon for Galvin (40), Galvin for O’Donovan (41), F O’Connor for C Austin (50).
M Maher (St Finbarr’s).
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