'To get the goals the way he did, it was testament to the man': Mulcahy full of praise for Glen goalscorer Mullins

Glen Rovers' Micheál Mullins hammers home a goal past Midleton's Tom Dunlea. Pic; Eddie O'Hare

Glen Rovers manager Tomás Mulcahy was fulsome in his praise for two-goal hero Micheál Mullins after this semi-final.

Mullins had been an injury concern with a calf injury coming into the game but overcome it with aplomb and stuck his two goals with precision.

“Maybe people would have said, ‘Why aren't you playing a wing-back, or why aren’t ye playing him in midfield?’ 

We were kind of looking for a different focal point up front in terms of a bit of strength, but hurling and aggressiveness, and kind of stopping defenders coming up, particularly if they were going sharp with puck-outs, that we would actually kind of put the press on and hold them back there. I thought he was tremendous at that.

“To get the goals the way he did today, it was testament to the man. He was struggling, there was nothing left in the tank, but he still got there, and he was back down the field at the end to pick up another ball as well. Great character.

“I think Ducky (coach Donal O’Rourke) said before the match, he's been our best player in the championship for the last two years in terms of where he was at. 

"Last year he was very good, this year he's been absolutely brilliant, so we’re delighted to have him.” 

For Glen Rovers to qualify for a PSHC final three years after they were relegated means a huge amount to Mulcahy. There’s a game to be won, of course, but it’s been a heck of a journey to get back to a first decider in five years.

“They love the jersey they're playing for. I take it back three years ago, I said to the people this was my worst day in sport, when we were relegated out here against Kanturk, and I never felt so hurt after any game than I did that day, and I kind of made up my mind that I'd stay around with the team, and that we'd come and try and go and get up from relegation, and we did that.

“Even last year in the quarter-final, we felt ourselves we were better than Midleton. We were seven points up, I think, with 20 minutes to go. We were a point up into injury time, and we still got caught by two points in the end, and fair play to Midleton, but we were very confident coming down here that we'd continue to do what we did in our last couple of matches.” 

A date with St Finbarrs on Sunday week is enticing for all sorts of reasons and might be a chance for Mulcahy to get one back on them after their last final in 1988 when The ‘Barrs won by eight and he captained The Glen. 

“It’s going to be a great occasion. The Glen and The ‘Barrs, the history, the tradition, let's look forward to the next two weeks, and get a big crowd.”