Diarmuid Wall hits 3-6 as Glen Rovers claim Premier 1 MHC title

A superb second half display from the Glen put this game to bed and in doing so denied Douglas a double-double in hurling and football

TOP OF THE TREE: Glen Rovers players celebrate becoming the 2023 Premier 1 Minor Hurling Champions following their win over Douglas in the final played at Páirc Uí Rinn. Pic: Howard Crowdy

Cork Premier 1 MHC final

Glen Rovers 4-11 Douglas 3-7

A second Rebel Óg Premier 1 MHC title in three years for Glen Rovers at Páirc Uí Rinn on Monday night. And a fantastic display from their hugely influential captain Diarmuid Wall who scored a massive 3-6. It was his third goal in stoppage time that capped a spectacular display from the deserving winners.

They had already beaten Douglas in the group, and this victory denied the southside club a double-double in hurling and football.

It turned out to be the Glen’s superb second-half that eventually put this game to bed.

They couldn’t have asked for a better start when Wall grabbed the opening goal after he took everyone by surprise and blasted a close-in free low to the net after six minutes. Soon after he added a free from further out the field.

Douglas were wasteful - shooting seven wides in the first-half alone, including a few placed balls, but Ronan Dooley landed a couple of frees and there was one from play by Cathal Hallahan that left them trailing 0-3 to 1-4 on 20 minutes.

Then, a long ball from Donnacha Reddington was collected by skipper Dooley - lined out at full forward - who sidestepped his marker to fire a brilliant goal.

Glen centre-back Conor McCarthy landed two inspirational points, but Douglas bounced back once more when Dooley bagged his second goal from an almost impossible angle on the right end line - an absolute rocket to the far top corner to give his side the lead for the first time by a single point.

But it was Wall again with a trio of points, who ensured a slender half-time advantage for Glen Rovers, 1-8 to 2-3.

Twenty-six seconds after the restart, the control was back with Douglas when Cathal Hallahan kicked the sliotar past Josh Goulding. Within a two-minute spell they were two up.

The teams could never get too far away from each other, and when Cian Walsh fetched from Scott Lawlor, he buried his side’s second goal to regain the lead.

Another accomplished strike from Wall made it 3-9 to 3-5.

With eight minutes remaining, they were five ahead.

And it got much better for them with Wall sweeping home his third, and the Glen’s fourth goal, in stoppage.

They did finish with 14 players when substitute Craig Hughes saw red deep in stoppage. But it mattered little at that late stage.

The win is a timely boost for the Glen Rovers club, making sure the underage conveyor keeps on churning.

Scorers for Glen Rovers: D Wall (3-6, 1-4 frees), C Walsh (1-0), C McCarthy (0-2), J Brosnan, G O’Callaghan and M T Brosnan (0-1 each).

Scorers for Douglas: R Dooley (2-2, 0-2 frees), C Hallahan (1-2), J O’Brien, S Sheedy and D O’Connell (0-1 each).

Glen Rovers: J Goulding; J Murphy, O O’Connell, M Gayfor; C Connolly, C McCarthy, K Cronin; J Brosnan, M T Brosnan; A Clifford, D Wall (Capt), G O’Callaghan; J O’Sullivan, C Walsh, S Lawlor.

Subs: E McGuckin for A Clifford (40), C Hughes for G O’Callaghan (47), L Dunlea for J O’Sullivan (63), C Wall for S Lawlor (64), D Heffernan for C Walsh (65).

Douglas: M Kelly; J Mouret, B O’Hehir, C O’Donoghue; O Haynes Barry, D Reddington, D MacPhaidín; S Sheedy, J O’Brien; C Hallahan, R Dooley (Capt), D Murray; T Lucas, M O’Brien, D Taaffe.

Subs: C Fitzgerald for T Lucas (half-time), D O’Connell for D Murray (47), F Gallagher for D Taaffe (56), S O’Sullivan for J Mouret (57), D O’Sullivan for C O’Donoghue (62).

Referee: Patrick O’Mahony (Kilbrittain).