Premier SHC: Midleton fight back to beat Glen Rovers and book semi-final spot
Seán O'Meara of Midleton holds possession despite the attentions of Glen Rovers' Micheál Mullins during Friday's Co-op SuperStores Premier SHC quarter-final at Páirc Uí Rinn. Picture: Jim Coughlan
A third consecutive Co-op SuperStores Premier SHC semi-final place awaits Midleton after they produced a strong comeback to overcome Glen Rovers at Páirc Uí Rinn on Friday night.
Trailing by five points at half-time, the Magpies fell seven behind early in the second half but managed to regain a foothold in the game when Cormac Beausang scored his second goal of the contest. Having got level by the 56th minute, Midleton were behind again as the Glen’s Simon Kennefick sent over two points in the space of a minute – however, they were the city side’s only scores of the last quarter and Midleton had another surge.
Sub Luke O’Farrell halved the deficit and then, after good Eoin Moloney defending had denied Stephen Lynam at the other end, the ever-industrious Mikey Finn was fouled, Conor Lehane levelling with his ninth point of the night.
Extra time was on the minds of the sizeable crowd at the Boreenmanna Road venue but Midleton ensured there would be no need for it. O’Farrell pointed again to put them ahead for the first time since late in the first half and from the puckout, a turnover led to another replacement, David Cremin being fouled, Lehane converting again as the clock moved past 64 minutes.
There was time for one last Glen attack and Jake Brosnan was fouled – Patrick Horgan had earlier sent a free to the net as part of a haul of 2-9 but this time he couldn’t find the right connection and Midleton cleared, the final whistle confirming their progress to a meeting with Blackrock.
The Glen had led from the moment Horgan rifled a free to the net in the 24th minute.
The county star’s fifth point had levelled at 1-7 on 24 minutes when the city side were awarded a free from where the ball landed following a late foul. There was a long delay as referee Wayne King attended to some administrative work and perhaps that relaxed Midleton minds – either way, Horgan opted for a low driven effort and, as in the group game against Sarsfields at the same venue, he was rewarded.
At half-time, the Glen led by 2-10 to 1-8, with the teams’ exit for the dressing-rooms accompanied by a few scuffles that led to a yellow card each prior to the start of the second half.
A strong Micheál Mullins run from the throw-in helped to extend that lead to six and they were seven ahead, 2-13 to 1-9, as Horgan landed his ninth following build-up play from Rhys Dunne and Simon Kennefick.
By the 41st minute, Midleton were back to within six but they still needed something – they got it when Eoin Moloney won a good ball at midfield and fed Tommy O’Connell, who in turn handpassed to Cormac Beausang, who scored his second goal of the game: 2-14 to 2-11.
The Glen missed chances to push on again, while Lehane’s points, along with a good contribution from Killian McDermott, helped Midleton to stay in touch before the late push.
Earlier, Horgan had already opened the scoring from a free when he deftly collected an Eoin Downey delivery and worked himself into a shooting position before firing a low shot beyond county colleague Brion Saunderson.
The goal gave the Glen an early cushion but nice points from Finn and wing-back Ross O’Regan gave Midleton a foothold. It was 1-3 to 0-3 when Midleton won a sideline in the left half-forward area and Killian McDermott’s quick puck set Cormac Beausang away – having worked his way in along the endline, he poked a low shot home from a tight angle to level.
Much of the rest of the first half was entertaining without sparking to life as the sides broke even, but the latter spell of the half saw the Glen establish some daylight, with Conor McCarthy excellent in the full-back line for them.
A Micheál Mullins point followed and by the interval, they were five to the good. It would grow to the seven early in the second half, but Midleton were never beaten.
C Lehane 0-10 (0-8 f), C Beausang 2-1, K McDermott 0-3, R O’Regan, L O’Farrell 0-2 each, M Finn 0-1.
P Horgan 2-9 (1-6 f), S Kennefick 0-3, M Mullins, E O’Leary 0-2 each, L Horgan 0-1.
B Saunderson; C Smyth, E Moloney, T O’Leary Hayes; L Dineen, T O’Connell, R O’Regan; S O’Meara, M Finn; C Walsh, C Lehane, K McDermott; P White, C Beausang, A Quirke.
D Cremin for Walsh, L O’Farrell for Quirke (both 40), E McGrath for O’Meara (49), P Connaughton for White (51), S O’Sullivan for Smyth (57).
C Hickey; C McCarthy, A Lynch, L Coughlan; B Moylan, E Downey, R Downey; A O’Donovan, M Mullins; L Horgan, D Brosnan, R Dunne; S Kennefick, P Horgan, E O’Leary.
J Brosnan for O’Donovan, L Quilligan for Dunne (both 50), S Lynam for D Brosnan (57).
W King (Banteer/Lyre).
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