McCarthy shines again as Clare champs have too much for Glen Rovers
Aidan McCarthy of Inagh Kilnamona is dispossessed by Robert Downey of Glen Rovers during the AIB Munster Club Senior Hurling Championship quarter-final match between Glen Rovers and Inagh-Kilnamona at Páirc Uí Rinn in Cork. Photo by Brendan Moran/Sportsfile
Aidan McCarthy’s tremendous form continued in Páirc Uí Rinn as he posted 14 points to send Inagh-Kilnamona into a Munster Club SHC semi-final against Thurles Sarsfields.
In front of a 2,890 crowd, Glen Rovers were second best for almost the entirety of this quarter-final where Inagh-Kilnamona’s work-rate was outstanding.
Glen Rovers twice came within four points of their opponents in the third quarter but McCarthy’s marksmanship was ensuring Inagh-Kilnamona retained a cushion.
Eoin O’Leary’s first point brought The Glen to within four again in the 50th minute but David Fitzgerald’s second score followed it and then Fitzgerald put in the spade work to assist McCarthy’s fourth point from play.
Patrick Horgan attempted a second goal from a placed free in the 57th minute but the ball was kept out and Luke Horgan’s 65 went wide of the mark.
Prior to throw-in, Micheál Mullins’ absence was revealed and while one of The Glen’s best championship players was a loss from the start (he came off the bench in the second half), his teenage deputy Michael Tadhg Brosnan, who was ineligible to play in the PSHC, had a heartening first half.
Inagh-Kilnamona’s use of the breeze in that period was efficient enough, 1-12 coming off 19 scoring attempts. Glen Rovers’ return was 1-5 points from nine. The wind was one factor, their inability to get beyond Kevin Hehir and James Hegarty, who were tucking in to sweep, another.
Patrick Horgan’s additional time goal from a close-range free, a venomous hit struck with an abundance of top spin to best Eamonn Foudy, gave them some solace going into the half-time break.
Otherwise, the scoreboard and statistics would have made for sobering reading. The gaps in front of Glen Rovers’ full-back line were surprisingly large given the Downey brothers were among its sentries. Although the half didn’t lack intensity, the number of frees coloured not just the game but some of the players’ behaviour.
There are few club hurlers who can boast McCarthy’s form at present and he posted three of Inagh-Kilnamona’s four points inside the first seven minutes, two of them from frees.
Inagh-Kilnamona led by 0-7 to 0-1 by the 12th minute. Rob Downey and Horgan struck back with points but the margin widened to eight by the 23rd minute when Eoin Varian’s slack sideline gifting McCarthy his seventh point.
Fred Hegarty had a brace of points to his name by that stage and David Fitzgerald found the net in a trademark on-running role in the 26th minute. Kealan Guyler sent a short stick-pass into David Mescall who fed the inter-county veteran.
It ballooned Inagh-Kilnamona’s advantage to 10 points before Horgan’s goal provided a lifeline to a Glen Rovers team who were largely living on scraps.
P. Horgan (1-8, 1-6 frees, 1 65); L. Quilligan (0-2); R. Downey, L. Quilligan, M.T. Brosnan, E. O’Leary, E. Downey (0-1 each).
A. McCarthy (0-14, 9 frees, 1 65); D. Fitzgerald (1-1); F. Hegarty (0-2); C. Hegarty, D. Mescall, S. Rynne, M. Callinan (0-1 each).
C. Hickey; L. Coughlan, E. Varian, A. Lynch; L. Horgan, E. Downey, R. Downey; R. Dunne, C. McCarthy; D. Brosnan, M.T. Brosnan, L. Quilligan; S. Kennefick, P. Horgan, E. O’Leary.
Z. Lynch for C. McCarthy (h-t); B. Moylan for L. Quilligan (45); M. Mullins for M.T. Brosnan (46); Z. Lynch for C. Guyler (60+2).
E. Foudy; S. Woods, K. White, C. Ryan; K. Hehir, J. Hegarty, D. Cullinan; M. Callinan, S. Rynne; D. Fitzgerald, A. McCarthy (c), K. Guyler; D. Mescall, C. Hegarty, F. Hegarty.
J. Mescall for S. Rynne (temp, 2-4); J. McCarthy for K. Hehir (45); N. Mullins for F. Hegarty (inj 48); J. Guyler for D. Mescall (50); G. Barry for C. Hegarty (52).
A. Tierney (Tipperary).
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