Glen Rovers dig out minor hurling win over Carrigaline

Carrigaline 0-15 Glen Rovers 0-18

Glen Rovers got their Cork ETB Premier 1 MHC campaign off to a winning start at Carrigaline last night.

If the Glen thought they were going to have it easy, then they soon found out that this was going to be far from a soft game. Credit to Carrigaline, they played some magnificent hurling over the hour, led by the likes of Gavin O’Brien, Eoghan Ahern and Ronan Murphy.

But when a side needed their big players late on they stood up for the Glen. Michael T Brosnan and his cousin, Josh, burst into the game, helped by others like Conor Cunningham.

Michael Forde opened the scoring for the Glen straight from the start, with Charlie Hanratty equalising for Carrigaline from a free. Evan McGuickin put the Glen back in front, with Luke Jordan replying at the other end in a lively start to the game.

Robert Buckley set up James O’Mahony for the Glen’s third point, with Cillian Murphy replying from the restart, to make it 0-3 each after nine minutes. Michael T Brosnan pointed from a free for the Glen, but again Carrigaline responded straight from the restart, this time Brian McCarthy scoring.

Brosnan and Forde pointed for the Glen before Carrigaline had their keeper to thank. Forde went through on goal, but Thomas Laverty saved superbly to deny him.

Hanratty pointed from a free for Carrigaline, with O’Mahony keeping the Glen ahead. Ronan Murphy pointed a long-distance free for Carrigaline, to make it 0-7 to 0-6 in the Glen’s favour after 22 minutes.

The Glen then had their keeper, Shane McCarthy, to thank as he saved from Jordan to keep his side in front.

Two frees from Hanratty put the home side in front, with Brosnan also on target from a free to make it 0-8 each as half time approached.

With the last shot of the half Hanratty pointed to see Carrigaline lead by one at the break, 0-9 to 0-8.

Hanratty increased their lead at the start of the second half, with Michael T Brosnan replying for the visitors.

A 65 from Murphy and a point from Jordan made it 0-12 to 0-9 in Carrigaline’s favour with 40 minutes gone.

But the Glen upped their game when they needed to with Forde, McGuckin and Ryan Creen all scoring to put them back on level terms.

A 65 from Brosnan put them in front, with Cillian Murphy replying to level it again, 0-13 each.

Hanratty put Carrigaline back in front, before the Glen finished strongly to take the points.

McGuckin levelled it, before a Brosnan free put his side back in front. Two more frees from him made it 0-17 to 0-14 with two minutes to go.

Hanratty pulled a point back, but Michael T Brosnan got the last score of the tie to secure the points for his side, 0-18 to 0-15.

In the other game in the group, Na Piarsaigh hit five goals to beat Ballincollig in a cracker. 

Scorers for Carrigaline: C Hanratty 0-8 (0-7 f), Cillian Murphy, R Murphy (0-1 65, 0-1 f), L Jordan 0-2 each, B McCarthy 0-1.

Glen Rovers: M T Brosnan 0-9 (0-6 f, 0-1 65), M Forde, E McGuckin 0-3 each, J O’Mahony 0-2, R Creen 0-1.

CARRIGALINE: T Laverty; D Carroll, J Scannell, J Cremin; D Ó Beolain, R Murphy, G O’Brien; O Lynch, E Ahern; C Buckley, C Hanratty, Conor Murphy; L Jordan, B McCarthy, Cillian Murphy.

Subs: J Murphy for J Cremin (48), J O’Grady for O Lynch (55).

GLEN ROVERS: S McCarthy; C Singelton, C Burke, K Foley; R O’Callaghan, C Cunningham, L Woods; J Brosnan, C O’Brien: J O’Mahony, M Brosnan, E McGuckin; R Creen, R Buckley, M Forde.

Subs: J Murray for M Forde (black card sub 17m), J Murray for C O’Brien (h-t), J Barry for R Buckley (58).

Referee: Patrick O’Mahony, Kilbrittain.