Glen Rovers ease past Inniscarra with superb team display

The Glen's Robert Downey pucks the ball downfield during the Co-op SuperStores SAHC game against Inniscarra in Blarney. Picture: David Creedon

Cork SAHC: Glen Rovers 2-26 Inniscarra 1-12 

A stunning team display from Glen Rovers saw them ease past Inniscarra in a one sided Co Op Superstores Senior A hurling championship clash at Blarney on Sunday.

Helped by a 1-7 tally from Stephen Lynam, the Blackpool side brushed aside their opponents with relative ease, a win that has all but assured them a place in the knockout stages of this championship.

The Blackpool outfit went into the game without their ace forward Patrick Horgan but led by the inspirational Downey brothers Robert and Eoin they were seldom troubled by their Muskerry side.

The Glen captain Dean Brosnan led by example when breaking through the Inniscarra defence in the second minute and splitting the posts with relative ease.

Inniscarra went into the game without Cork senior captain Sean O’Donoghue and Liam Ryan and they amassed four wides in the opening six minutes.

After going seven minutes without a score, a Stephen Lynam free edged them two points ahead but in truth the Glen were making basic errors when in possession.  A brace of David Dooling points surged the Glen into a four point lead.

It took Inniscarra 14 minutes to open their scoring courtesy of a David O’Keeffe point.

Just when the Glen needed inspiration, Eoin O’Leary produced a moment of magic and extendedhis side's lead to five points.

Three unanswered points for the Glen and suddenly the lead was extended to eight points but again we had a mini-revival from Inniscarra with a couple of white flags.

On the rare occasion the Glen were under pressure they responded and Stephen Lynam was unlucky not to raise the opening green flag but corner back David Keane parried the ball to safety.

The energetic Lynam showed his class again but this time he was on target when taking a pass from Rhys Dunne and billowing the back of the net with precision.

Trailing 1-13 to 0-5 at the break Inniscarra needed huge improvement for the restart but they were punished with consecutive points.

Inniscarra were further punished just four minutes into the half when a tame high ball from Robert Downey into the square wasn’t dealt with and it dropped into the net.

The remainder of the half was all about the Glen staying in control and with Inniscarra only managing two points from play they looked likely to cause an upset.

Ballyhea will be Glen Rovers next opponents and surely the city side will have too much firepower the Avondhu outfit.

Scorers for Glen Rovers: S Lynam 1-7 (0-5f), S Kennifick 0-5 D Brosnan 0-4, S, B Moylan 0-4, E O’Leary 0-4, R Brosnan 1-0, R Brosnan, R Dunne (0-1 each).

Scorers for Inniscarra: J Enright 0-7 (0-6f, 65), S O’Mahony 1-1, D O’Keeffe 0-2 , M Murphy 0-2.

Glen Rovers: C Hickey; S McDonnell, E Downey, L Coughlan; B Moylan, R Downey, S McDonnell; R Dunne, L Horgan; E O’Leary, D Brosnan, M Dooley; S Lynam, G Mulcahy, S Kennifick.

Inniscarra: J O’Keeffe; D Keane, B O’Mahony, J O’Sullivan; S Sheehan, C O’Leray, J Enright; S O’Mahony, M Murphy; A McCarthy, A Doyle, C Lynch; F O’Leary, P Holland, D O’Keeffe.

Subs: C O’Leary for P Holland (45).

Referee: Brian Murphy (Carrigtwohill).