Valley Rovers stun Glen Rovers to win U21 A quarter-final

Valley Rovers 0-20 

Glen Rovers 1-15 

An outcome to catch most by surprise – and even for the few who might have dared to call it, not one would have predicted Valley Rovers to lead from first minute to last. Yet, that’s exactly what unfolded in Páirc Uí Chaoimh’s 4G on Saturday, as the Carrigdhoun champions toppled Glen Rovers in the County U21 A Hurling Championship quarter-final.

This was no smash and grab, Valleys earned every inch of it. They hunted in packs, pressed high on puckouts, and turned those Glen puckouts into scores. Their work rate was relentless, their shape disciplined.

The Glen, by contrast, were flat. The dominance that powered their city final demolition of Blackrock was nowhere to be found. By the time the interval whistle blew, they were 10 points in arrears and fortunate it wasn’t more.

Granted, the Glen played that first half against a strong diagonal breeze. A breeze that eased in the second. But take nothing from the sheer steel shown by Valleys here.

The Innishannon outfit were kept scoreless for the first 13 minutes of the second half, Evan O’Shea’s answer on 43 coming after Valleys had hit four wide and one short.

In that time, though, the Glen were only able to trim three points off the deficit, two coming from Gavin O’Callaghan frees.

But when Rhys Dunne’s long delivery was broken by Cian Walsh, Stephen Lynam swept up the loose ball and struck beyond Matthew Kelleher. With 17 minutes left to play, it was game on, 0-15 to 1-7.

After O’Shea frees had restored a seven-point cushion, the Glen nearly cut open Valleys once more, Josh Brosnan sending Conor McCarthy through – the two swapping roles from a first half where Brosnan was up front and McCarthy was at centre-back – for a goal chance that Kelleher turned around for a 65.

O’Callaghan made no mistake, but Valleys raised the next two white flags to leave the margin at eight, seven minutes to go. Then the turbulence crept in.

The Glen pressed up, forced errors, and O’Callaghan turned every infringement into a point for the northsiders.

By the 58th minute, they were within four, Kevin Kelleher’s point their first score from play since the goal. A stunning free from O’Shea on the hour gave Valleys breathing room, which had evaporated in 20 seconds when McCarthy hit back for the Glen.

And when O’Callaghan tacked on two more frees deep in stoppage time, the gap was down to three. Valleys needed one big moment to stem the tide, and they got it.

A stray pass forced Zach Lynch to chase. Hot on his tail were Anthony Slattery, Donnacha O’Connell and Matthew Woods. It was Slattery who got the flick on Lynch, forcing a turnover and winning the sideline.

And it was celebrated like a goal.

When referee Wayne King’s whistle blew, the Valleys reaction was a cocktail of elation and disbelief. It was a result no one had seen coming, but one they had earned in every sense.

From the outset, Valleys’ intent was unmistakable. The Carrigdhoun champions had the Glen pinned back for nearly the entire first half, keeping them to one score for a 17-minute spell. They rattled off nine of the first 10 points to lead by eight after just 15 minutes, while Cian Johnson was superb at wing-back – making two key blocks.

Two came from the tireless Joe Twohig, with several more carved from turnovers on Glen puckouts. The northsiders’ only early highlight was a wonderful effort from Michael Tadhg Brosnan.

By half-time the gap was 10, and though the Glen improved after the interval, the damage had been long done. They left themselves with far too much to do and paid the price.

Valleys march on to face Shandrum in the semi-final.

Scorers for Valley Rovers: E O’Shea 0-13 (0-9 f), K Dart O’Flynn, J Twohig 0-2 each, S Ryan, E Guinane, D Carthew 0-1 each.

Scorers for Glen Rovers: G O’Callaghan 0-8 (0-7 f, 0-1 65), S Lynam 1-0, C McCarthy 0-2, D Wall (f), MT Brosnan, Jake Brosnan, K Kelleher, R Dunne 0-1 each.

VALLEY ROVERS: M Kelleher; T McGrath, C O’Sullivan, N Daly; C Johnson, E Guinane, A Slattery; M Woods, S Ryan; D O’Connell, E O’Shea, J Twohig; E Gagley, D Carthew, K Dart O’Flynn.

Subs: H O’Sullivan for Carthew (48), E O’Sullivan for Twohig (53-54 temp), E O’Sullivan for Gagley (60).

GLEN ROVERS: B Heffernan; O O’Connell, Z Lynch, E Varian (c); MT Brosnan, C McCarthy, F O’Driscoll; Jake Brosnan, R Dunne; E O’Sullivan, D Wall, Josh Brosnan; G O’Callaghan, E O’Leary, S Lynam.

Subs: K Kelleher for Wall, C Walsh for E O’Sullivan (both HT).

Referee: W King (Banteer/Lyre)