Premier SHC: Glen Rovers see off Midleton to set up Barrs showdown

Glen Rovers: 2-21 

Midleton: 1-18 

Glen Rovers are back in the Co-Op SuperStores Premier SHC final for the first time since 2021 after overcoming Midleton at SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh on Sunday evening.

The city side avenged last year’s quarter-final loss to the Magpies and will now face St Finbarr’s in a tasty decider. A first final between those two since 1988.

Tomás Mulcahy’s outfit won this semi-final by six points, driven on by Patrick Horgan, who finished with 0-11. They were hungrier, more efficient and found the big scores at the key moments, with Micheál Mullins bagging two goals.

Robert Downey’s tussle with Conor Lehane was central to securing the victory for the northside outfit.

The early loss of Tadhg O’Leary-Hayes to injury hurt Midleton, but they were beaten by the better team on the day.

David Cremin pointed for Midleton after two minutes following good work from Conor Lehane, but a pair of trademark Patrick Horgan frees settled Glen Rovers.

The sides traded points before another Horgan free gave the Glen a 0-4 to 0-2 cushion after eleven minutes.

They were the better team early on, with Rhys Dunne providing energy in midfield. Eoin O’Leary, a Horgan placed ball and a Lee Quilligan effort opened up a deserved five-point lead.

Midleton had plenty of possession but were wasteful. Another Horgan free kept the Glen in control, 0-8 to 0-2 after 21 minutes.

Ross O’Regan produced arguably the score of the game — over the shoulder near the sideline — to end a 14‑minute drought, quickly followed by a Cormac Walsh boomer.

The sides traded efforts, 0-9 to 0-5, before Lehane pointed after drifting out from full-forward to good effect.

Midleton enjoyed their purple patch approaching half-time. Alex Quirke was denied a certain goal by a cracking Cathal Hickey save. 

The Magpies then hit three of the last four points of the half, with influential wing-back Cormac Walsh landing two of them (three in total), leaving his side just one down at the break, 0-10 to 0-9.

Lehane levelled seconds into the new half, but a bit of class from Mullins yielded a crucial score as he was allowed to run and finish low into the corner, 1-10 to 0-10 after 32 minutes.

Luke Horgan extended the lead to four before a fortuitous Midleton goal arrived as Paul Connaughton’s effort sneaked in from an acute angle.

The Glen responded well, hitting two of the next three points to lead 1-13 to 1-11. A pair of Horgan frees pushed the margin to four.

Midleton had the wind but forced things too much, with wayward shooting and poor decision-making.

The sides swapped white flags before Connaughton pointed — a chance that might have been a goal. A Lehane effort left two in it with ten minutes to go, 1-16 to 1-14.

Scores were exchanged again before Mullins struck his second goal after 54 minutes, another tidy finish, 2-17 to 1-15.

Simon Kennefick pointed before the Glen should have had a third goal, but Patrick Horgan missed a penalty, mishitting his effort wide. It would have put the game to bed with four minutes left.

They tacked on two quick-fire points to lead 2-20 to 1-15 entering added time.

Midleton subs Cormac Beausang (twice) and Pa White pointed, but Dean Brosnan hit his third point to seal a six-point win.

Midleton lost Tommy O’Connell to a late red card as things got heated.

Scorers for Glen Rovers: P Horgan 0-11 (0-9 f), M Mullins 2-0, D Brosnan, S Kennefick 0-3 each, E O’Leary 0-2, L Quilligan, L Horgan 0-1 each.

Midleton: C Lehane 0-7 (0-3 f), P Connaughton 1-3, C Walsh 0-3, C Beausang 0-2, R O’Regan, P White, D Cremin 0-1 each.

GLEN ROVERS: C Hickey; L Coughlan, R Downey, E Varian; L Horgan, A Lynch (c), E Downey; R Dunne, C McCarthy; D Brosnan, L Quilligan, M Mullins; S Kennefick, P Horgan, E O’Leary.

Subs: B Moylan for L Quilligan (51), D Noonan for C McCarthy (59).

MIDLETON: B Saunderson; T Dunlea, E Moloney, T O‘Leary-Hayes; C Walsh, T O’Connell, S O’Sullivan; M Finn (c), K McDermott; S Quirke, A Quirke, R O’Regan; P Connaughton, C Lehane, D Cremin.

Subs: E McGrath for T O’Leary-Hayes (4, inj), P White for S Quirke (33-35, temp), P White for K McDermott, C Beausang for R O’Regan (both 44), L O’Farrell for S Quirke (51), C Morley for P Connaughton (59).

Referee: C O’Regan (Ballyhea).