John Horgan on hurling: Great to see Glen Rovers back on top but Barrs will recover

Ascension Sunday for Glen Rovers, one of the country's most decorated clubs, they are back on the mountain top of Cork hurling again.

Down through the decades this club has a treasure chest full of memories of golden days when they reigned supreme as undisputed kingpins on the senior stage. County titles galore are locked away in that memory bank, all of them and quite rightly so too celebrated in the great hurling homes of Blackpool.

However, the circumstances of this latest title are much different because just a few short years ago in 2023 they were not even participating in the premier senior grade, being demoted to the second tier, their darkest day surely.

But in that darkness the message was loud and clear, the Glen would not be down for long, the recovery mission began almost immediately.

And at around half five last Sunday afternoon that recovery mission was completed, their age-old rivals from the other side of the Lee, the Barrs had to give way to a better team.

Yes, the Glen are fully deserving of their 28th county title, the Premier Cork SHC winners for 2026.

Just a puck of a ball separated the great rivals, the two green flags raised by them proved to be the difference.

Both goals were delightfully executed by Eoin O'Leary, the undoubted star of the show, the man of the match with Patrick Horgan just a short distance away in second place, proving again that he is still one of the best club hurlers in the county. Between those two they put 2-13 on the scoreboard, a huge contribution to this Glen triumph.

But in the Glen it has always been a collective effort, every panel member donates to the cause, the cause that has always endured in Blackpool. Arguably, this was one of their finest county final victories, all of them are worth their weight in gold but coming from where they were on that relegation Sunday, this one has to be extra special. And the fact that a decade has passed since their last adds the almond icing to the top of the cake.

We have mentioned a couple of names already who put in sterling displays and added to those are many more starting with their last line of defence, Cathal Hickey, he remains an outstanding keeper denying Brian Hayes and John Wigginton Barrett in quick succession.

When the opposing team fails to penerate for a goal at the other end immense credit must go to the defensive unit and that was very much the case here, all six defenders led by the Downey brothers playing their part.

In last Friday's column we mentioned how important roles lesser marquee names might play and in the Glen colours, Rhys Dunne made a significant mark with three fine points from open play and what about Dean Brosnan still going so strong.

Some of the finest club hurlers that this writer has witnessed down the years wore Glen Rovers colours, Finbarr O'Neill, Mick Lane, Patsy Harte, Jackie Daly, Ian Lynam, to mention just a few of so many, the players that money could not buy, all clubs have them.

Frustrating

The Barrs will be bitterly disappointed that the cards did not fall for them, some wayward shooting, particularly in the second half did not help.

In saying that, the Glen were wide of the sticks on a number of occasions in the opening half.

Ethan Twomey, taking up from where he left off in the semi-final against Kanturk made a large contribution, particularly in the closing 30 minutes when he rifled over some superb points, scores that has surely catapulted him very much back into the Cork conversation again.

Brian Hayes split the posts a couple of times as did William Buckley and Sam Cunningham whose brother Ben put in some good work as well.

The Barrs, similar to the Glen recovered very well after a losing start to the campaign at the group stage and going through to the final day of the season must be noted. Right now, of course, that will be of little consolation.

It was a final that would not be in the classic category but it was not a poor final either and the fact that it was in the balance throughout kept us fully tuned in.

Tomás Mulcahy is a name so synonmous with all things good in the Glen and his contribution was immense alongside the rest of the management.

In interviews last week he revealed that being demoted was one of the worst days of his life and maybe a lesser man would have walked away.

He didn't, proud Glen men don't do that sort of thing and getting them back up at the first attempt was vitally important.

The pathway to greater riches had been opened wide and last Sunday the final destination had been reached.

A span of 38 long years had passed without a collision of these two great clubs coming together on the final day.

And let's face it, with absolutely with no disrespect to the other great Cork hurling clubs, an all city final carries a significance all of its own.

Almost 20,000 souls were in the stadium last Sunday, that is a whopping attendance for a final. That figure was, of course, was made up of many supporters from Ballincollig and Dungourney in the curtain-raiser and we'll go into that game in detail later in the week.

Mention must be made too of the work that had to be put in in such a short space of time in having the pitch and markings ready in the aftermath of the big rugby game.

And what a fine job was done, the pitch itself in pristine condition which has to be a priority all the time.

SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh is now stadium that we should all be proud of despite the financial burden that it has brought.

That in time will be erased and it's great days like last Sunday that will help do just that.

At the end of all sporting events it's very much all about the winning team, the justified celebrations are all theirs and the Glen did that in style before they headed back over the Christy Ring bridge en route to their fine complex high up on the northside of the city.

The Glen is a proud land with proud people and they are now worthy representatives of the county in the forthcoming Munster Club Championship.

They have a couple of them stored away since the 1970s and have no doubt, they'll have a right go to add another one and boost Cork's very poor record in recent times apart from Sarsfields great triumph in 2024 when they defeated Ballygunner in the final.

As tough as the Cork championship is to win, Munster is equally if not more difficult.

It's the Glen's turn again to have a rattle at it and their unified approach to everything they set their sights on will carry them along way.

For the first time in a decade, the Cork hurling world belongs to Glen Rovers, the summit has been reached again and well done to them.