Premier JHC: Glen Rovers' second team ready to handle the semi-final pressure

Ben Murphy doesn’t beat around the bush when it comes to Glen Rovers’ Co-Op SuperStores Premier JHC semi-final tonight.

The club’s second team take on Cloughduv in Páirc Uí Rinn with throw-in at 7.30pm. You would think the pressure would be on Glen Rovers’ opposition given they got demoted from the grade above last year.

Murphy has plenty of experience and has two top-tier hurling medals having been a key player in the Glen’s 2015 and ’16 success.

This is it now for the famed Blackpool outfit with the Premier Senior team out after defeat to Midleton at the quarter-final stage a fortnight ago.

“Well, I suppose it has been challenging,” Murphy says of the last couple of weeks around Glen Rovers.

“Midleton just caught us in the end unfortunately, but it’s the job now of the second team to drive it on.

“We know the club is on a low ebb at the moment and the Premier Junior side is the only team left to represent the club.

“So we’re definitely going to do everything we can to go on and win the county.

“We are under no illusions though. We saw Cloughduv in their quarter-final game and they were impressive.

“They had a difficult year last year. Maybe they were down one or two players that they might have back. We expect them to be. It’s going to be a very, very difficult game.” 

There’s a nice age profile on the Glen Rovers second team and Murphy hopes that will be key.

“We believe that with the young fellas we have, and we have a very young team, that we hope that this is a stepping stone for them to go on and play senior with the Glen for many years to come.

“They’re all in their early 20s. I’m at centre-back, if you add up the ages of the two fellas either side of me, they still wouldn’t match my age.

“So I’m definitely the elder statesman on the team and there's a few more too. It’s nothing but young fellas around me. What better way to drive on and play senior in the next couple of years and to know what it’s like to win a big competition in Cork than to start off by winning a Premier Junior title.” 

Glen Rovers’ second string haven’t been too far away in recent years at this level.

“It’s definitely the job of a few of us to bring on the younger fellas on Friday night. But in the last couple of years, a couple of these fellas have played in county semi-finals and quarter-finals at Premier Junior level.

“We’re in no doubt that we have the ability. It’s just to go out and perform against Cloughduv.” 

Murphy knows the pressure is always on when you wear the famous Glen Rovers jersey. They are relishing going up against their fancied opposition.

“Cloughduv are favourites, but I actually wouldn’t say the pressure is off us. I’d say the opposite to be honest. I’d say the pressure would have been off if the first team were still going and all the focus would be on them.

“We’d slip under the radar then. But with the seniors out, we’ll have all the senior players coming to watch us.

“So I see the pressure being on us to represent the club on behalf of the only team left in championship.”