Gritty Glanmire get their act together in second-half

Glanmire 3-11 Carrigaline 2-11

Carrigaline were the dominant force in the opening proceedings but the ease with which they allowed Glanmire to gain the initiative after the changeover will haunt them for some time.

Playing very slick football Carrigaline, with a splendid morale-boasting goal from corner forward John Mullany in the fifth minute, lorded the free-flowing opening sequences in a most impressive manner.

With Pat Ryan excelling up front and captain Mark Hopkins successfully converting long-range frees, Glanmire managed to stay in touch, but a great late burst which yielded three injury time points from Daniel Twomey, skipper Peter Murphy and Eoin O’Sullivan launched Carrigaline into a comfortable 1-6 to 0-4 lead at the interval.

When midfielder Eoin Murphy increased Carrigaline’s advantage to six points seconds after the resumption Glanmire were left with a mountain to climb, but to their immense credit they rose to the daunting challenge.

Taking full advantage of Carrigaline’s weaknesses at the back, Glanmire with two snap goals from corner forwards James Murphy and Daniel Molden in the space of three minutes, came thundering back to level the game in the 38th minute.

It was a stunning turnabout and with their confidence now soaring, Glanmire crashed their way to the front with a second goal from Murphy and two pointed frees from Hopkins. Now five points adrift, it was Carrigaline’s turn to show the stuff they were made off.

Carrigaline rallied magnificently and a goal from wing forward Ken O’Keeffe in the 53rd minute left only a point between them and was anybody’s guess at this stage of the incident-packed proceedings which of the two would go on and win.

Glanmire made the first constructive push with two points in quick succession from Pat Ryan and substitute Paudie Meaney, but Carrigaline responded with two of their own from Mullany and Ken O’Keeffe.

However, in injury time Carrigaline agonisingly failed to get on level terms and two points in the final seconds from James Murphy and Brendan O’Connell brought the curtain down gloriously on an exhilarating triumph for Glanmire.

Scorers for Glanmire: J. Murphy 2-1; D. Molden 1-0; M. Hopkins 0-4 (0-3 from frees; 0-1 from 45): P. Ryan 0-3; F. O’Reilly, P. Meaney and B. O’Connell 0-1 each.

Scorers for Carrigaline: J. Mullany 1-2; K. O’Keeffe 1-2 (0-1 from free); B. O’Keeffe 0-2 (0-1 from free); E. O’Sullivan 0-2 (0-2 from frees); D. Twomey, P. Murphy and E. Murphy 0-1 each.

GLANMIRE: B. O’Donnell; S. Knowles, P. Hanley, D. O’Regan; F. O’Reilly, D. O’Connell, C. Mulvihill; M. Cussen, R. Ryan; B. O’Connell, John Murphy, M. Hopkins; James murphy, P. Ryan, D. Molden.

Sub: P. Meaney for O’Reilly.

CARRIGALINE: T. Harris; K. Forbes, N. Hayes, K. Blake; G. Dillon, T. Burke, E. O’Sullivan; N. Murphy, E. Murphy; K. O’Keeffe, P. Murphy, E. O’Keeffe; J. Mullany, D. Twomey, B. O’Keeffe.

Sub: D. Fleming for E. O’Keeffe.

Referee: D. Fleming (Blackrock).