Premier SHC: Glen Rovers battle back to keep campaign alive
Eoin Downey, Glen Rovers, takes on Lorcan O'Neill, Kanturk, in the Co-Op Superstores Premier SHC at Castletownroche. Picture: Jim Coughlan.
Glen Rovers live to fight another day – but it was a close-run thing.
Castletownroche had already been the site of Charleville’s win over Sarsfields this year and as time ticked down on Sunday evening, it looked like Kanturk would prevail.
Down by 3-9 to 0-14 at half-time, the Duhallow side had battled back in the second half, claiming the lead with a 47th-minute penalty from Brian O’Sullivan. When the midfielder pointed a 65 to make it 1-24 to 3-16 with five left, it brought his own personal tally to a prodigious 1-15 but it was to be their last score.
Before the game, a minute’s silence was held for the late Jimmy Lynam and the Glen honoured him in the best way. They drew level as Micheál Mullins was fouled for a Patrick Horgan free and then the county panellist provided the assist for Horgan’s sixth and first from play. In between, Paul Walsh had pulled off a heroic block on a Mullins goal effort.
Horgan had his hands full with the challenge of Tommy Walsh throughout while, at the other end, Robert Downey got the better of his duel with inter-county team-mate Alan Walsh and, as the clock moved into the red, he made a vital intervention.
When Lorcan O’Neill claimed the break from Grantis Bucinskas’s puckout, an avenue to goal suddenly opened up and he drove forward but Downey managed to effect the turnover without committing a foul. A Liam Coughlan clearance later and Simon Kennefick had the Glen in front; then sub Dave Noonan’s block on an Ian Walsh effort led to a similar counter-attack that ended with Eoin O’Leary securing the victory.
The upshot of it all is that the Glen join Kanturk on two points, with a game against relegation-battling Fr O’Neills to come, while their opponents must regroup for a must-win game against Blackrock.
In terms of a response to the Rockies loss though, the manner of the win will hearten the northsiders and it was fitting that Kennefick and O’Leary should supply the game-winning scores as they ensured that Horgan had support on the scoreboard and it was their first-half goals that gave them the lead.
Kanturk did a lot right in that opening half, with Ryan Walsh superb at left half-back while O’Sullivan started as he meant to go on, shooting them into a 0-5 to 0-2 lead before the first Glen goal – Kennefick showing lovely control from a Mullins sideline cut before deftly finishing.
A second goal arrived on the quarter-way mark as Cathal Hickey’s puckout was perfectly aimed to Mullins; while he was arguably fouled as he made his way goalwards, O’Leary made that debate moot as he fired home for a 2-5 to 0-7 lead.
After O’Sullivan’s sixth point, things got better for the Glen as Rhys Dunne’s diagonal pass was perfect for O’Leary to take and flash a shot to the net.
The Glen’s efficiency was underlined by the fact that their first wide wouldn’t arrive until the 26th minute but Kanturk kept their heads and Colin Walsh was instrumental as they reeled off three points on the trot coming up to the break to keep them in touch.
A pair of O’Sullivan frees halved the deficit on the restart – the Glen of the view that the calls against them were softer than vice-versa, though when they did receive a scoreable free, Horgan opted to go low and Bucinskas saved.
The middle period of the second half was blow for blow and it was still 3-13 to 0-20 when Colin Walsh’s good catch opened things up for him but his tame shot was kept out by Hickey. They were within one thanks to his brother Paul, though, and then when another Colin Walsh catch led to a pass to Liam O’Keeffe in space, he was fouled for a penalty.
O’Sullivan’s strike was emphatic and the lead was back with them, 1-21 to 3-13, then doubled through Colin Walsh, set up by his sibling Ryan.
Then, another twist as Dean Brosnan’s pass to Eoin O’Leary saw him challenged by Bucinskas before his shot was deflected wide – initially, referee Ciaran O’Regan signalled another penalty but, following consultation, a 65 was ordered.
Horgan sent that over and followed with a free, O’Sullivan fired over a sideline before the Glen’s Dave Noonan marked his arrival with a point to cut the lead to a point.
O’Sullivan replied again with the 65 that followed a Rob Downey-Alan Walsh tussle and the Glen faced elimination but they dug deep to do what they had to.
E O’Leary 2-3, P Horgan 0-7 (0-5f, 0-1 65), S Kennefick 1-4, D Brosnan 0-3, C McCarthy 0-2, D Noonan 0-1.
B O’Sullivan 1-15 (1-0 penalty, 0-9f, 0-1 65, 0-1 sl), P Walsh, A Walsh, C Walsh 0-2 each C Noonan, D O’Connell, L O’Neill 0-1 each.
C Hickey; A Lynch, R Downey, E Varian; L Horgan, E Downey, L Coughlan; R Dunne, C McCarthy; D Brosnan, M Mullins, L Quilligan; S Kennefick, P Horgan, E O’Leary.
M Dooley for Quilligan (39), D Noonan for Dunne (52), B Moylan for McCarthy (59).
G Bucinskas; J McLoughlin, T Walsh, C Mullane; L McLoughlin, D Browne, R Walsh; B O’Sullivan, C Noonan; L O’Neill, P Walsh, D O’Connell; L O’Keeffe, A Walsh, C Walsh.
M Healy for Mullane (19, injured), I Walsh for O’Sullivan (29-30, 45-46, both temp), I Walsh for L McLouhglin (52), R Sheahan for L O’Keeffe (53), J Fitzpatrick for C Walsh (60-60+1, temp).
C O’Regan (Ballyhea).
App?
