Bride Rovers boss happy to take scenic route to Senior A Hurling semi-final this season

Welcome defeats don’t exist. That said, and with the benefit of hindsight of course, Bride Rovers falling to Watergrasshill in Round 3 of the Cork SAHC mightn’t have been the worst outcome in the world for the men from Rathcormac and Bartlemy.

Instead of extending their unbeaten group phase run to 12 games, progressing direct to the semis for a third consecutive year, and having to negotiate the month’s hiatus in competitive fare that comes with being parachuted straight into the last four, Bride Rovers lost to Watergrasshill, lost their almost four-year unbeaten group run, and lost their direct semis pass.

All, though, was far from lost.

Far more appetising than the month’s lay-off was the two-week gap to last Saturday evening’s quarter-final against Inniscarra and, following on from that win, the latest two-week gap that now confronts them to their semi-final assignment against Carrigtwohill on Saturday week.

Remember that in 2023 and 24, Bride Rovers unsuccessfully re-entered the championship after four weeks away from the spotlight.

This different approach and route to what is a fifth consecutive semi-final appearance, including as it does the reality check offered by Watergrasshill, could well help deliver a different outcome to the four previous penultimate round defeats.

“No one turned up against Watergrasshill. We were more or less qualified, but we weren't qualified. I don't know what it was, we can't put our finger on it,” Bride Rovers coach Steve Glasgow began.

“There's no such thing as a good defeat. But this group of players got to the semi-final the last four years. They got straight through to the semi-final on the last two occasions. They then had to go away looking for challenge games, whereas this time, we have had a very competitive quarter-final. There was no lull.

“We prepared well for this championship match and now we have another two-week block to prepare for our next championship match.” 

The same as there was a school bag full of learning in the nine-point defeat to Watergrasshill, there was plenty management and players will have gleaned from the eight-point quarter-final victory.

Seven players - Brian Roche, Adam Walsh, David Barry, goalkeeper Cian Hogan, Ronan O’Connell, Conleith Ryan and Kieran Kearney - contributed to a 1-11 to 0-3 lead by the 21st minute. Their movement and robustness saw scores rattled off at ease. That’s the pleasing element.

The less pleasing element was having that 11-point lead whittled down to two by the 11th minute of the second half. Scores were leaked too frequently and in the face of too little resistance. Key players were starved and disappeared from the equation.

STORM

“There was a period in the second half where Inniscarra brought it back to a couple of points and we were kind of a bit worried, but we weathered the storm, got our second wind, and got over the line,” Glasgow continued.

“We felt we left a lot out there in the opening half. There were some poor wides. We set the lads' targets, and they hadn't reached them by half-time, and we didn't reach them at full-time either. 

You won't get away with that against Carrigtwohill in the semi-final.” 

Inniscarra thrice came within two of Bride Rovers midway through the second period. Their comeback effort was halted when half-back Shane O’Connor hooked a Padraig Holland goal attempt that would have sent Inniscarra in front on 45 minutes.

“It was a big turning point,” Glasgow remarked. “A lot of people might say it was Brian Roche's goal that came after that in the second half, but that hook, he showed a lot of desire to get back and get the hook in, then he got the free out, which was a massive boost. We were gone up the other end in the blink of an eye. It all came together in the end. We are thrilled to bits.”