Patrick Horgan shines as Glen fighting spirit earns final place
Glen Rovers' Patrick Horgan shows his delight after scoring the last point against Sarsfields during the Co-Op Superstores Cork Premier SHC semi final at Pairc Ui Chaoimh . Picture: Eddie O'Hare
Right up to the final whistle there was very little to separate these two sides, but once again it was the fighting spirit of Glen Rovers that won out in this Co-Op Superstores Cork Premier SHC at Pairc Ui Chaoimh on Sunday.
Tied 1-15 to 0-18 with four minutes of regulation remaining, Patrick Horgan led from the front, the number 11 whipped over two points. And at the end of the day, his total 1-11 speaks for itself. In front of an attendance of 6,186, his goal straight from the restart was a stunning strike as well.
Sarsfields, who won a bye to the penultimate round, started well to go ahead 0-3 to nil after four minutes, free-taker Aaron Myers was on target and Jack O’Connor registered two from play.
Dean Brosnan settled the Glen with their opening score in the fifth minute and they were thankful to their captain and goalkeeper Cathal Hickey who denied Luke Hackett what looked like a certain goal.
Cian Darcy pushed Sarsfields three up. And what Hickey did at one end, Alan Kennedy did at the other when he saved a Patrick Horgan shot. Horgan rifled over the resultant ’65.
O’Connor showed his lightning speed to stretch the lead to three once again. Patrick Horgan had the final say before the water break, his side trailing 0-5 to 0-3.
The Blackpool side grew into the game, reeled off the next two points to edge ahead 0-6 to 0-5 on 22 minutes.
When O’Connor clipped over his fourth point, the teams were level for the first time, 0-6 apiece.
Two accurate hits from Cian Darcy and Myers put Sarsfields 0-8 to 0-7 ahead at the break.
Horgan’s goal put Ian Lynam’s side in the driving seat.
Sarsfields had the answer and replied with two Myers points. Deadlock three times more before the Glen pulled away again approaching the second water-break, 1-12 to 0-13 — one of these scores was an outrageous point from Simon Kennefick.
A Conor Dorris white flag put Glen Rovers in the ascendancy coming down the home stretch. But O’Connor edged Sarsfields in front six minutes from time, 0-18 to 1-14.
Horgan scored the final three points of the day, and all were decisive scores for last season's defeated finalists.
Sarsfields will rue a couple of late opportunities, but in truth the credit must go to the Glen defence with Stephen McDonnell and Robert Downey coming to the rescue.
It is a Glen Rovers/Midleton final - the last time these teams met in the decider was in 1991.
P Horgan (1-11, 0-5 frees, 0-1 65), D Brosnan and S Kennefick (0-2 each), A O’Donovan and C Dorris (0-1 each).
A Myers (0-8, 0-5 frees), J O’Connor (0-5), C Darcy (0-2), L Hackett, B Nodwell and K Murphy (0-1 each).
C Hickey (Capt); D Dooling, S McDonnell, A Lynch; B Moylan, R Downey, E Downey; A O’Donovan, D Noonan; D Brosnan, P Horgan, L Horgan; C Healy, S Kennefick, L Coughlan.
Subs: C Dorris for C Healy (46), E Murphy for L Coughlan (57).
: A Kennedy; C O’Sullivan, E Murphy, W Kearney; K Crowley, C Leahy, C Roche; C Darcy, D Kearney (Capt); J Sweeney, K Murphy, L Hackett; D Hogan, J O’Connor, A Myers.
Subs: C McCarthy for D Hogan (46), B Nodwell for L Hackett (52).
Diarmuid Kirwan (Éire Óg).
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