Division 1 HL: Carrigtwohill earn life saving point after brilliant battle with Glen Rovers
Carrigtwohill's Sean Walsh gets past Glen Rovers' Adam Lynch, during their SHL clash at Carrigtwohill. Picture: David Keane
It finished level – but for Carrigtwohill, it felt like a win. The single point earned on Sunday night ensures they can no longer be caught by Carrigaline, confirming their safety in the RedFM Division 1 Hurling League.
Seán Walsh’s equalising free in the 59th minute brought the sides level for the sixth and final time. Glen Rovers had two late chances through Diarmuid Wall from distance, but he couldn’t find the target.
Walsh top-scored with 1-10, but this result was built on Carrig’s defensive grit. Jay Horgan was outstanding. When Seán de Búrca went off with a serious injury in the first half, Horgan was shifted to centre-back and was immense.
His standout moment came in the 49th minute. Carrig led by two. Glen were surging. Luke Horgan broke through on goal – but Horgan timed his intervention perfectly, won the ball and halted the threat.
De Búrca’s injury meant Cian O’Riordan took Horgan’s place at wing-back. He was superb. David Joseph, making his first appearance for their seniors, was fouled for two frees and was excellent at corner-back. He crucially intervened in injury time to stop a Glen winner.
It was a monumental team effort. Carrig were five clear after 54 minutes. Rovers roared back, and not for the first time. Dean Brosnan got one. Then Wall found substitute Stephen Lynam, who rifled a shot into the far corner via the post, mirroring the Glen’s earlier second goal – a Brosnan finish in the 46th minute after being set up by Fiachra O’Driscoll.
Wall added a free and suddenly the sides were level again – 1-20 to 3-14 after 57 minutes. O’Driscoll then set up Luke Horgan to put Glen one ahead, but once more, Seán Walsh stood up.
His goal had come earlier, in the 40th minute. Daniel Murnane cut through the Glen defence. The ball broke in a scramble. Seán O’Sullivan shot. Cathal Hickey saved. It fell to Walsh. Instictively, he flicked the rebound through his legs and into the net. The celebrations ensued.
That goal sparked a purple patch for Carrig. They went from one to seven points clear, with scores from Mark O’Connor – his third from play in an impressive performance – and further points from Walsh (free) and Daniel Nolan.
But the Glen never go away. Lynam’s point. Brosnan’s goal. Then Micheál Mullins with a booming effort. Suddenly, the gap was down to two by the 47th minute, with more drama still to come.
The first half had been far more subdued. Overshadowed by de Búrca’s injury – it was 0-9 to 1-6 at the break. The Glen’s major coming from Luke Horgan. A soft chance conceded by Carrig, punished by a rasping finish from Horgan in the 14th minute. At that stage Carrig led 0-6 to 1-2, having punished the Glen for five early wides. Rovers would ultimately rack up 18 wides and five short.
But the second half brought a championship-like intensity – and for Carrig, the stakes were every bit that high. They needed a result to survive.
And they got it.
S Walsh 1-10 (0-4 f), M O’Connor 0-3, T Hogan, D Nolan, P Walsh 0-2 each, L Gosnell, D Murnane 0-1 each.
D Brosnan 1-3, L Horgan 1-2, D Wall 0-5 (0-3 f), S Lynam 1-1, L Quilligan, M Mullins, A O’Donovan, D Coughlan 0-1 each.
S Devlin; B Twomey, A Walsh Barry, D Joseph; J Horgan, S de Búrca, D Murnane; J Oke, D Nolan; P Walsh, T Hogan, C O’Riordan; L Gosnell, S Walsh, M O’Connor.
S O’Sullivan for de Búrca (22 inj).
C Hickey; Z Lynch, A Lynch, L Coughlan; D Coughlan, C McCarthy, M Mullins; J Brosnan, A O’Donovan; R Dunne, D Brosnan, M Dooley; D Wall, L Horgan, L Quilligan.
S Lynam for Dooley, F O’Driscoll for A Lynch (inj) (both 38), G Mulcahy for O’Donovan (44), C Healy for J Brosnan (46).
Cathal McAllister (Aghada)
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