Late goal seals Glen Rovers' place in Premier Junior Hurling final with win over Cloughduv

Glen Rovers 1-18 Cloughduv 0-19

Glen Rovers are through to the Co-op Superstores Premier JHC final after beating Cloughduv at Páirc Uí Rinn on Friday night.

It took a late goal from sub Dylan Long to seal the victory, sending the Glen's second team into final of the grade for the first time.

Cloughduv took the lead in the second minute when Mark Verling scored from a long-distance free. They missed a couple of easy chances to increase their lead before Aodh Twomey got their second to double their advantage.

Gearoid Mulcahy got the Glen off the mark, with Mark Walsh replying at the other end as Cloughduv led by 0-3 to 0-1 after eight minutes. Calvin Healy set up Fiachra O’Driscoll to put one between the sides and with 10 minutes gone Evan Murphy had the Glen back on level terms, 0-3 each.

A free from Murphy put his side ahead for the first time and Gearoid Mulcahy pointed to put two points between them. A free from Verling and Glen Kennefick score made it 0-6 to 0-4.

Eoghan Clifford and Aaron Elliott both were on target to see the sides level again before another Verling free put Cloughduv back in front, 0-7 to 0-6, after 18 minutes. Another Verling free put Cloughduv two up, before the Glen missed a number of easy chances to equalise.

Murphy reduced the deficit before the Glen had keeper Ben Heffernan to thank as he saved magnificently to deny Verling a goal.

Walsh pointed from the breaking ball, with Murphy replying at the other end, to make it 0-9 to 0-7. Aidan O’Leary pointed for Cloughduv but two late points from Murphy and Shane Busteed saw only one between them at half-time, 0-11 to 0-10.

Donagh Coughlan had the Glen level in the first minute of the second half as they now had the wind at their backs.

Two minutes later and they were in front again when Murphy pointed from a 65, before scores from Calvin Healy and another from Murphy put them 0-14 to 0-11 in front.

Kennefick added to their tally as they hit five without reply with 37 minutes gone.

Odhran O’Driscoll and Eoin McNabola replied for Cloughduv to put two between them after 44 minutes: 0-15 to 0-13. Again, the Glen responded with Heffernan scoring from a long-distance free and Healy adding another to put four between them.

O’Leary and Verling replied for Cloughduv, before Dale Tynan, just on as a sub, pointed for the Glen.

With five minutes to go there was only one between the sides, thanks to Twomey and Brian Verling, before the latter had them level, 0-18 each.

With three minutes to go the Glen put a bit of breathing space when Healy set up Dylan Long for a goal, 1-18 to 0-18. Marcus Verling pulled a point back for Cloughduv but time ran out as the Glen ran out deserving winners.

Scorers for Glen Rovers: E Murphy 0-7 (0-1 f, 0-1 65), D Long 1-0, G Mulcahy, G Kennefick, C Healy 0-2 each, F O’Driscoll, S Busteed, D Coughlan, B Heffernan (f), D Tynan 0-1 each.

Cloughduv: M Verling 0-6 f, A Twomey, M Walsh, S O’Leary, B Verling 0-2 each, E Clifford, A Elliott, A O’Leary, O O’Driscoll, E McNabola 0-1 each.

GLEN ROVERS: B Heffernan; Z Lynch, G Marshall, D Dunlea; D Coughlan, D Noonan, A O’Sullivan; F O’Driscoll, G Mulcahy; C Healy, K McCarthy Coade, S Busteed; N Goulding, E Murphy, G Kennefick.

Subs: C Dorris for N Goulding (40), D Tynan for G Kennefick (48), D Long for A O’Sullivan (53),

CLOUGHDUV: S O’Donoghue; J Moynihan, P O’Driscoll, L Kelleher; O O’Driscoll, E Clifford, M O’Leary; M Walsh, A Elliott; B Verling, A Murphy, M Verling; S O’Leary, A Twomey, A O’Leary.

Subs: E McNabola for A Elliott (h-t), O McDonald for A O’Leary (43), C Canty for A Murphy (53),

Referee: Pa O’Driscoll (Bride Rovers).