Catherine's edge Glen Rovers to book Cork Premier JHC final spot

The Imokilly side will play the winners of Saturday’s other semi between Barryroe and Erin’s Own.

CHASE: Eoghan O'Riordan of St. Catherine's gallops clear of Glen Rovers' Conor Dorris in Riverstown on Friday night.

Cork Premier JHC semi-final: St Catherines 2-11 Glen Rovers 0-13.

A Cork Premier JHC final spot is in the bag for St Catherine’s after a crucial second-half goal spirited them free of a stubborn challenge from Glen Rovers’ second-string.

Catherine’s will play the winners of Saturday’s other semi between Barryroe and Erin’s Own. With the Glen club still licking their wounds after their seniors’ relegation, this performance will offer some comfort with regard to their strength down the ranks.

It was nip-and-tuck in the first half with both outfits trading magnificent scores from range. St Catherines’ Sean O’Donoghue was leading the charge for his men with six points, but in almost everything he did, Glen full forward Conor Dorris matched him in every way. notching seven points to keep his side in the contest throughout. His accuracy from the dead ball arose from the East Cork men's occasional lack of discipline in defence.

Catherine’s keeper Eoin Davis was called into action on a couple of occasions in the first half. Twice the Glen's Rhys Dunne was clean through on goal and twice Davis pulled off massive saves to deny him. With less than a minute to go before the break, Darragh Morrison played a ball across the square to Kevin Barry in space and he put the ball away with aplomb, giving Catherine’s a three point lead at the short whistle at 1-7 to 0-7.

The second period was nip and tuck but the crucial moment came in the 54th minute when Eoin Condon found himself in space on the edge of the Glen area. The substitute composed himself and smashed it past Ben Heffernan to end hopes of a Glen revival.

Scorers for St. Catherines: S O’Donoghue (0-6, 1f), K Barry and E Condon (1-0 each), S Cotter (0-3, 1f), K O’Donoghue and R Galvin (0-1 each).

Scorers for Glen Rovers: C Dorris (0-7, 5f), B Heffernan (0-2, 2f), L Quilligan (0-2), R Dunne and S Busteed (0-1 each).

ST. CATHERINES: E Davis; E Wallace, E O’Riordan, F O’Connell; C Hegarty, O Fitzgerald, L O’Connor; K Wallace, S Cotter; B Mulcahy, R Galvin, S O’Donoghue; K Barry, D Mangan, D Morrison.

Subs: M Mulcahy for B Mulcahy (HT), W Leamy for D Morrisson (40), E Condon for O Fitzgerald (48), C Neville for F O Connell (55), K O Donoghue for K Barry (55).

GLEN ROVERS: B Heffernan; G Marshall, B Murphy, E Varian; J Mulcahy, F O’Driscoll, C O’Sullivan; G Kennefick, D Coughlan; D Murphy, R Dunne, A Lordan; S Busteed, C Dorris, L Quilligan.

Subs: G Mulcahy for J Mulcahy (HT), E Murphy for G Kennefick (HT), C Martin for C O’Sullivan (47), E O Neill for A Lordan (56).

Referee: Michael O’Mahony.