Glen Rovers overcome Blarney to make swift return to top-tier of Cork hurling
SWIFT RETURN: Glen Rovers' Patrick Horgan is tackled by Blarney's Alan McEvoy. Pic: Eddie O'Hare
Glen Rovers returned to the top grade of hurling at Cork at the first attempt as they had too much class for Blarney in SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh this afternoon.
As ever, Patrick Horgan was central to their success with the great man hitting 2-6 while another great warrior, captain Dean Brosnan hit 0-4 from centre-forward.
Horgan’s second goal, five minutes into the second half, was the defining score of the game.
Brian Moylan had traded scores with Cathal Hegarty just after half time to leave the Glen leading by 1-11 to 0-4 after playing with the wind in the first half. Horgan then broke onto a long delivery from Rob Downey before finishing brilliantly past Paul Hallissey.
Halfway through the second half they had stretched that lead to 2-13 to 0-8 and things looked to be going according to plan.
However, there was a kick in Blarney. Cathal McCarthy cracked home a superb goal after good work from Cian Barrett and when Barrett and Mark Coleman hit the next three points between them, there was suddenly only five in it, 2-13 to 1-11 with ten minutes remaining.
However, Brosnan was in no mood to let things slip. He hit two rousing points either side of a Padraig Power point for Blarney while Simon Kennefick missed a chance to wrap things up when he cracked a bullet off the post.
Kennefick pointed with his next possession though, and substitute Lee Qulligan then finished things off with a quickfire 1-1.
Blarney peppered the Glen square looking for a miracle, but all they got was another Power point, as the day belonged to the Glen.
The Glen played with the aid of Storm Ashley in the opening half, but playing with the gale brought its own complications with a number of deliveries bobbling harmlessly over the endline. They led by 0-3 to 0-1 after ten minutes, with Brian Moylan’s opening score supplemented by a couple of frees from Horgan while Shane Barrett was on target for Blarney.
Two more points from Horgan, one from play and one from a free, along with a fine effort from Mark Dooley then stretched the Glen lead to 0-6 to 0-1 at the end of the opening quarter.
Horgan was in the mood, and when he was fouled while baring down on goal, he wasn’t happy to settle for a point from the resultant free. He applied enough topspin to deceive Paul Hallissey, and his side had a lead worthy of the elements.
He followed it up with another point of play before Eoghan Kirby and Barrett had back-to-back points for a Blarney side who were counting the seconds to the half time whistle.
Dean Brosnan then announced his arrival into the game with a brace that sandwiched a tidy score from Stephen Lynam to leave the Glen leading by 1-10 to 0-3 at the short whistle.
And there was no stopping them from there.
P Horgan (2-6, 1-4 frees), L Quilligan (1-1), D Brosnan (0-4), B Moylan (0-2, 0-1 free), L Coughlan, S Kennefick, M Dooley and S Lynam (0-1 each).
S Barrett (0-4, 0-2 frees), C McCarthy (1-0), M Coleman (0-3, 0-2 frees), P Power (0-2), D Hanlon, C Hegarty, E Kirby and C Barrett (0-1 each).
C Hickey; A Lynch, E Downey, S McDonnell; B Moylan, R Downey, D Dooling; R Dunne, L Coughlan; S Kennefick, D Brosnan (c), M Dooley; S Lynam, P Horgan, E O’Leary.
L Horgan for Dooley (51), L Quilligan for Lynam (54), D Noonan for Dunne (60).
P Hallissey; A McEvoy, C Power, S Crowley; P Crowly, D Hanlon, M Coleman (c); O Hegarty, C Hegarty; D McSweeney, S Barrett, E Kirby; C Barrett, P Power, C McCarthy.
S Mulcahy for Kirby (38), S Mullane for C Barrett and C Dunlea for McSweeney (both 59), D Murphy for Crowley and J O’Keeffe for C Hegarty (both 61).
Wayne King (Banteer)
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