Brilliant Glen cruise to victory

Glen Rovers 2-13 Na Piarsaigh 1-5

With their outstanding defence, in which right half back Paul O’Brien played a starring role, holding Na Piarsaigh scoreless for 40 minutes, a supremely confident Glen Rovers side won this one-sided contest with consummate ease.

All credit to the Glen for taking maximum advantage of their opponents’ glaring inadequacies, but if ever a side pressed the self-destruct button, it was this Na Piarsaigh team.

Three wides from scoreable frees in the opening five minutes proved to be the catalyst for an almost unbelievable disappointing performance by Na Piarsaigh, while the exemplarary Glen lads took their scoring opportunities with aplomb and were almost out of sight at half time when they led 1-7 to 0-0.

The Glen, with full forward Barry Corcoran and team captain Graham Callanan unerring in their free-taking duties, were two points to the good before corner-forward Diarmuid Dorris got the final touch to a long delivery from wing forward Gavin Moylan in the 10th minute.

Na Piarsaigh hit 10 wides to their opponents’ three in that nightmare first-half. John Gardiner did his utmost to steady the sinking ship but two Glen points from Barry Corcoran, who converted a free, and Gavin Moylan, immediately after the resumption powered the Glen into an unassailable lead.

With a mountain to climb Na Piarsaigh never looked likely of staging a comeback even after John Gardiner broke their duck with a point from a ‘65’ in the 40th minute.

Na Piarsaigh did manage to tack on two further points but the Glen killed off any semblance of a revival from their northside neighbours when substitute David Busteed stroked home his side's second goal in the 52nd minute.

Tensions ran high at times and there were three brief flare-ups involving several players but only one yellow card was issued to Na Piarsaigh substitute Gavin Pepper by referee Derry Murphy.

Na Piarsaigh, who scored just two points from play over the hour, managed to score a consolation goal five minutes from the end when John Gardiner billowed the Glen net with a cracking shot from a 20-metre free.

But the Glen, now comfortably in the winner’s enclosure, were already celebrating a most accomplished and prestigious victory over their great rivals.

Scorers: Glen Rovers: D. Dorris 1-2; D. Busteed 1-0; B. Corcoran 0-6 (0-6 from frees); G. Callanan 0-4 (0-3 from frees; 0-1 from 65); G. Moylan 0-1.

Na Piarsaigh. J. Gardiner 1-2 (1-1 from frees; 0-1 from 65); S. O'Sullivan, ABrady and A. O'h-Ailpin (free) 0-1 each.

GLEN ROVERS: D. Hourihan; N. Horgan, S. Óg O’Donovan, E. McCarthy; P. O'Brien, D. Cunningham, L. Leahy; G. Callanan, K. McCarthy; D. Cronin, D. Coggin, G. Moylan; D. Dorris, B. Corcoran, S. Hackett, Subs. D. Busteed for Hacket; A. Dunlea for Leahy; S. O’Brien for Goggin.

NA PIARSAIGH: B. O'Leary; D. O'Callaghan, D. Hickey, C. Hourigan; G. Morrissey, J. Gardiner, T. MacGregor; S. O’Sullivan, T. Miller; P. O’Sullivan, S. O’Sullivan, C. O'Mahony; M. Twohig, S. O h-Ailpin, A. O’h-Ailpin. Subs. G. Pepper for Mac Gregor; MacGregor for Miller; A. Brady for Twohig.

Referee: D. Murphy (St. Vincent’s).