St Finbarr's dethrone Glen as U21 hurling champions with Conor O'Donoghue goal key
St Finbarr's team and mentors after defeating Glen Rovers in the Seandún PharmaCare under 21'A' HC final at Pairc Ui Rinn. Picture: Eddie O'Hare
St Finbarr’s were crowned Seandun PharmaCare U21A City Division champions after their win over Glen Rovers at Páirc Ui Rinn on Wednesday night.
Overall they were the better team led by captain Ben Cunningham, Tomás Egan and Player of the Game William Buckley.
A goal from Conor O’Donoghue in the second half was the crucial score as it turned the game in the Barrs' favour and they drove on to victory from there.
Buckley opened the scoring for the Barrs in the first minute with Stephen Lynam having the first chance for the Glen, his effort going narrowly wide.
O’Donoghue doubled the Barrs lead and Ben Cunningham got their third as they led by 0-3 to no score after five minutes.
A free from Cunningham stretched their lead further as the Barrs were by far the better side in the early stages.
He was on target again from another free, to make it 0-5 to no score after 11 minutes.
Eoin O’Leary had the Glen’s first real goal chance but his effort was well saved by Eoin Kelleher, with Diarmuid Wall pointing the breaking ball.
But the Barrs were still well on top with another Cunningham free, along with points from O’Donoghue and Buckley putting them 0-8 to 0-1 up.
Two frees from Stephen Lynam reduced the deficit and he added another from play, to make it 0-8 to 0-4 after 23 minutes.
Kieran Kelleher got their fifth as the Glen came to life and were not much more in contention.
Another Lynam free put two between the sides as the Glen hit five without reply.
Lynam added another from a free just before half-time to see the Barrs lead by 0-8 to 0-7 at the break.
Another from Lynam had the sides level at the start of the second-half, before Cunningham put the Barrs back in front.
Buckley added another and Cunningham was on target from a free to make it 0-11 to 0-8.
Eoin Downey pulled a point back for the Glen with Lynam making it a one point game.
And with 41 minutes gone he pointed from a free to level it for the second time, 0-11 each.
But credit to the Barrs they responded in style with John Wigginton Barrett putting them back in front and Buckley added another to stretch it to two.
Rickey Barrett put three between the sides before O’Donoghue got the vital score.
All stopped as they thought the ball was gone wide, but not O’Donoghue.
He drove in along the end line to blast to the back of the net, to make it 1-14 to 0-11 and from here it was gong to be a tough task for the Glen to recover.
Late scores from Lynam reduced the deficit but time ran out on the Glen as the Barrs ran out deserving winners.
B Cunningham 0-6 (0-5 f), W Buckley 0-5, C O'Donoghue 1-2, J Wigginton Barrett, R Barrett 0-1 each.
S Lynam 0-12 (0-9 f), D Wall, K Kelleher, E Downey, D Coughlan 0-1 each.
E Kelleher; E Hurley, T Egan, J Kennefick; A Barry, C Doolan, A Buckley; W Buckley, E Hallahan; R Barrett, B Cunningham, C Buckley; C O’Donoghue, R O’Sullivan, J Wigginton Barrett.
D Kennedy for E Hallahan (54), J Brady for R O’Sullivan (60).
B Heffernan; Z Lynch, E Varian, F O’Driscoll; C Connolly, E Downey, C McCarthy; R Dunne, J Brosnan; D Wall, E O’Leary, K Kelleher; J Kennefick, S Lynam, C Egan.
C Walsh for C Egan (h-t), D Coughlan for J Kennefick (39), E O’Sullivan for C Connolly (54),
Pat Lyons, Bishopstown.
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