Division 1 HL: Luke Horgan inspires Glen Rovers to four-point triumph over holders Sarsfields
Sarsfields' Jack O'Connor in action during the Red FM Division 1 Hurling League match between Sarsfields and Glen Rovers at Riverstown. Picture: David Creedon
Four-in-a-row chasing Sarsfields wobbled, and a Patrick Horgan-less Glen Rovers took full advantage to claim a four-point victory at Riverstown on Friday evening.
Winners of the last three RedFM Divison 1 Hurling League titles and with eight of the starting team that pipped Midleton in last year’s county championship final lining out, they packed bite. But still came up short.
The northsiders were the last team to beat Sars in a league matchup – doing so in round three of last year’s competition – and they were full value for it again here.
The hosts had started stronger but Rovers were never further than two, and that’s what the northsiders’ lead was at the interval; 0-13 to 0-11.
At no point had the gap between the teams been more than two points in that first half. The same was true again on the resumption when Cian Darcy had the margin back down to one with 40 minutes played.
It was then that the Glen nosed ahead. Mark Dooley leapt and clawed, handpassed it over the top to Rhys Dunne. He bolted. Just before pulling the trigger he squared to Lynam, and it was never in doubt.
Sars slapped back as they had done all evening. They even almost found a route through for goal when Jack O’Connor and Daniel Hogan set up Shane O’Regan, but Ben Heffernan made a stellar stop to keep the Glen lead intact.
As Lynam tacked on another white flag from the counter, that lead moved to five, 1-18 to 0-16 with 15 to go.
The hosts would get within two, but never closer. Hogan and O’Connor on target either side of Killian Murphy, but Dean Brosnan and the outstanding Luke Horgan responded.
Eoghan Murphy and Mark Dooley tangled out of possession with five minutes on the clock, and after an earlier, bigger skirmish minutes prior, referee Canice Walsh flashed two red cards, easing the tension. Sars tried desperately late on, but two sloppy wides and a close-range free saved by Zach Lynch would not suffice. And in stark contrast to their start to the game.
Earlier, Sars had been faultless in front of the posts. They didn’t register a miss until the 21st minute, while Jack O’Connor had 0-4 tallied within 10 minutes of the ball being thrown in.
Despite converting each of their first eight attempts, the hosts still trailed by one. The Glen harried and harassed their opponents all evening, and both Horgan and Lee Quilligan were immense down Sars’ left flank, combining for eight scores from play.
Kevin Crowley and Eoghan Murphy did well in defence for the hosts, Brosnan was busy as always for the Glen. But when they took the goal, they never relinquished control.
J O’Connor 0-6, D Hogan 0-5 (0-2 f), L Elliott, K Murphy, C Darcy 0-2 each, B Nodwell, S O’Regan, C McCarthy 0-1 each.
S Lynam 1-7 (0-4 f), L Horgan, L Quilligan 0-4 each, D Brosnan 0-3, R Dunne, D Wall, M Dooley 0-1 each.
D McCarthy; D English, K Crowley, C Roche, S McNamara; E Murphy, L Elliott; K Murphy, B Nodwell; J O’Connor, D Hogan, C Darcy; L Hackett, S O’Regan, Colm McCarthy.
S King for Nodwell, R O’Brien for Hackett (both 47).
B Heffernan; E Varian, A Lynch, L Coughlan; L Horgan, B Moylan, D Noonan; C McCarthy, J Brosnan; L Quilligan, D Brosnan, R Dunne; D Wall, S Lynam, M Dooley.
F O’Driscoll for Wall (HT), Z Lynch for Noonan (43), G Mulcahy for J Brosnan (47), C Healy for Lynam, C Connolly for A Lynch (inj) (both 58), D Coughlan for Dunne (60+1).
C Walsh (Nemo Rangers)
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