Patrick Horgan and Simon Kennefick hit goals against Fr O'Neill's to secure Glen Rovers' top-tier status
Patrick Horgan in action for Glen Rovers against full-back Dan Harrington, Fr O'Neill's, in the Division 1 Hurling League. Picture: Larry Cummins
Glen Rovers had to battle to the wire before securing a crucial win over Fr O’Neill’s in the RedFM Division 1 HL in damp conditions at the Glen Field on Saturday.
The result secured their top-tier status for next season, with Cork legend Patrick Horgan once again leading their scoring with a 1-4 tally. Simon Kennefick got their other goal and while Mark O'Keeffe landed 0-5 from play for their East Cork side, they were shorthanded without their three Cork players.
Both sides went in threatened by relegation, and in the opening seven minutes, shared six points.
The Glen struggled for the next 13 minutes as they failed to register a score in this period, while Kevin O’Sullivan, who ended with an impressive 0-13, gave his side a three-point lead. However, in the 24th minute, he was denied a goal when through one-on-one as Glen keeper Cathal Hickey produced a magnificent save.
The Glen responded to the wake-up call and a superb Dean Brosnan point in the 26th minute brought the teams level again. Horgan showed his experience when striking an unstoppable 20-metre free to the corner of the net, having had a previous attempt saved.
Simon Quilligan and Horgan finished with points as the Glen went in at the break commanding a five-point lead, 1-10 to 0-8.
On the restart, O’Neill’s almost found the back of the net but Hickey parried the sliotar out for a 65 that O’Sullivan duly converted. The energetic Mark O’Keeffe added another point before Simon Kennefick found his range with a white flag for the home side.
The Glen's defending was rock solid in the second half, with Conor McCarthy and Liam Coughlan leading the way with grit and determination.
The striking of O’Sullivan kept the Ballymacoda outfit within distance but they were punished with a clinical Glen goal with 10 minutes remaining.
A high ball was caught by Horgan 30 metres from goal and a classy offload found Kennifick, whose finish was sublime to push the hosts up by five points.
The closing minutes were frantic as Fr O’Neill’s pounded the Glen with a number of high balls into the square but their defence stood tall.
In the end, Tomás Mulcahy and his coaching staff will be happy that their depleted side finally put back-to-back wins together in this league campaign.
P Horgan 1-5 (1-4 f, 0-1 65), S Kennefick 1-1, L Quilligan, D Brosnan 0-3 each, M Dooley, D Wall, G Mulcahy 0-1 each.
Fr O’Neill’s: K O’Sullivan 0-13 (0-8 f, 0-3 65), M O’Keeffe 0-5, T Millerick 0-1.
C Hickey; L Coughlan, E Varian, C McCarthy; F O’Driscoll, L Horgan, A O’Donovan; G Mulcahy, R Dunne; S Kennefick, D Brosnan, L Quilligan; D Wall, P Horgan, M Dooley.
K Kelleher for M Dooley (h-t), Z Lynch for D Wall (58).
J Swayne; M Millerick, D Harrington, R Kenneally; J O’Neill, T Millerick, E Motherway; K O’Sullivan, John Millerick; R Cullinane, P McMahon, M O’Keeffe; C O’Leary, P Steel, M Wall.
R Hansard for T Steel (h-t), T O’Donoghue-Brosnan for P McMahon (h-t), C Abernethy for C O’Leary (inj 40).
Colm Lyons (Nemo Rangers).
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