Micheál Mullins shines for Glen Rovers against Carrigaline with Eoin O'Leary in deadly form
Glen Rovers' Micheál Mullins and Carrigaline's Kevin O'Reilly rise for the ball at the Glen Field. Picture: David Creedon
A much-improved second half from Glen Rovers saw off a brave Carrigaline challenge in the Red FM Senior Hurling Division 1 league clash at the Glen Field.
On a beautiful evening for hurling, the Blackpool outfit, after getting outmuscled in the first half, increased the physicality and movement to take over.
Not for the first time this season has Eoin O’Leary shown his eye for goal and finishing with a 2-9 tally once again showed his class from start to finish.
Indeed, the Glen had plenty of class performers but another two to stand out were Cork senior hurling panelist Micheál Mullins and Conor McCarthy. Mullins, who was injured in the latter stages of Cork's league campaign, is a huge addition for the Glen and his performance at centre-back was right from the top drawer.
McCarthy, who has graduated from minor this season, gave a wholehearted display and it's surprising he's not involved with the Cork U20s.
The teams were evenly matched in the opening exchanges as Carrigaline despite going down two points after four minutes responded with consecutive white flags from Reece McCarthy and Brian Kelleher.
The Glen responded to the wake-up call and pushed on with O’Leary showing a terrific turn of pace to split the posts in the 10th minute and give his side a three-point lead.
The physical power of Carrigaline kept them within striking distance but O’Leary punished them eight minutes later with a quality goal. After producing a classy catch, he turned his man and billowed the back of the net with ferocious power.
The free-taking and striking of Carrigaline’s Brian Kelleher was exceptional in the opening 30 minutes and his sixth point ensured his team went in at the break trailing by just a goal, 1-10 to 0-10.
Whatever Tomás Mulcahy and his Glen coaching staff said at the break worked the oracle as they hurled like a team possessed on the restart. Glen stalwart Brian Moylan opened with a point in their first possession although Carrigaline were unlucky to be denied a certain goal when a David Drake shot was parried to safety by Cathal Hickey.
Suddenly the Glen took over and with Mullins marshalling their defence they chalked up seven unanswered points. McCarthy was dominating centre-field and when he played his captain Dean Brosnan in on goal his shot hit the roof of the net with sheer power.
It was fitting in the closing minute O’Leary would finish with a green flag as a four-man sweeping move was rewarded with a stunning goal.
Carrigaline, who hurl at Premier Intermediate, competed to the wire once more but can have few complaints against a Glen side who are showing improved maturity in this league campaign.
E O’Leary 2-9 (0-6 f, 0-1 65), D Brosnan 1-3, D Wall 0-4 (0-2 f), R Dunne 0-3, C McCarthy 0-2, M Dooley, B Moylan, D Noonan, D Coughlan 0-1 each.
B Kelleher 0-9 (0-7 f), D Drake 0-2, E Desmond 0-2, R McCarthy, H Andrews 0-1 each.
C Hickey: A Lynch, E Varian, L Coughlan; F O’Driscoll, B Moylan, M Mullins; A O’Donovan, C McCarthy; R Dunne, D Brosnan, J Brosnan; D Wall, M Dooley, E O’Leary.
D Coughlan for F O’Driscoll (h-t), D Noonan for D Brosnan (49), G Mulcahy for B Moylan (55).
C McCarthy; D King, S Williamson, D Stack; H Andrews, K Kavanagh, C Vaughan, R Kelleher, P Mellett; R McCarthy, E Desmond, B Kelleher; D Drake, K O’Reilly, C O’Farrell.
C Kearney for P Mellett (40), S Andrews for K O’Reilly (48), T Vaughan for R Kenneally (51).
Niall Fahy (Brian Dillons).
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