Fintan O'Toole
Reports from SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh
Glen Rovers 2-20
St Finbarr’s 0-23
TWO SECOND-HALF strikes to the net by Eoin O’Leary settled this Cork senior hurling decider in favour of Glen Rovers against city rivals St Finbarr’s.
O’Leary raised green flags in the 37th and 54th minutes, those scores enabling him to claim the man-of-the-match award, and more crucially shaping this title win for Glen Rovers.
Lee Quilligan watches on from the sidelines towards the end of the match. David Ribeiro
David Ribeiro
Three years after they plunged through the relegation trapdoor, Glen Rovers have fought back to reach the summit of Cork club hurling once more. They rebounded to take their place in the top tier again at the close of 2024, and this success marks a first premier senior title since 2016.
O’Leary’s tally of 2-2 from play was instrumental, while Patrick Horgan amassed his customary valuable return in front of goal, shooting over 11 points overall with three of those from play. Midfielder Rhys Dunne also caught the eye, rifling over three scores from play.
Patrick Horgan. DAVID RIBEIRO
DAVID RIBEIRO
The Glen’s victory was achieved due to a powerful and clinical second-half showing. St Finbarr’s had tapped into their best play leading up to half-time, spearheaded by Brian Hayes who thundered into the game in the second quarter.
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Glen trailed 0-12 to 0-10 at the interval but two frees from Horgan early in the second half wiped out the deficit they faced. Then O’Leary pounced as he evaded the St Finbarr’s rearguard to cut in from the left wing, race in along the endline and bat to the net from a narrow angle.
THE GLEN STRIKE FOR GOAL 🔥
Eoin O'Leary is too cute for the Barr's backs 👏
#ClubberTV https://t.co/mIptryNr9P
That provided Glen Rovers with a lead they would not subsequently relinquish. St Finbarr’s cut the gap to two points on five occasions yet their comeback hopes never received the boost of a levelling score. Their prospects were hit further with six minutes remaining of normal time as Dunne’s delivery found O’Leary totally unmarked near goal, and he drilled his shot home, pushing Glen clear 2-18 to 0-19.
St Finbarr’s tried to salvage the game. Hayes, after a slow-burning start to the game was terrific in the second quarter as he picked off three points from play, but the Downey brothers at different stages policed him well in the second half. The scoring inspiration for St Finbarr’s was sourced through Ethan Twomey after the interval as he raided from his midfield position to clip over five points from play.
Glen Rovers' Eoin O'Leary and St Finbarr's Sean Daly. DAVID RIBEIRO
DAVID RIBEIRO
The last of those efforts proved the final score of the game, placing St Finbarr’s three adrift. They launched one late attack deep in injury-time, in search of Hayes or William Buckley to prove their goalscoring saviour. Buckley came close to breaking clear but the Glen Rovers defence scrambled and cleared their lines.
Earlier in the second half when the game was delicately poised, Cathal Hickey had denied Hayes initially and then John Wigginton-Barrett as they chased a goal to break the game open. The Glen finished the game with a clean sheet, one of the trends that was vital in securing the honours.
Brian Hayes, referee Wayne King, and Adam Lynch. David Ribeiro
David Ribeiro
Scorers for Glen Rovers: Patrick Horgan 0-11 (0-8 frees), Eoin O’Leary 2-2, Rhys Dunne 0-3, Dean Brosnan 0-2, Simon Kennefick 0-1, Micheál Mullins 0-1.
Scorers for St Finbarr’s: Ben Cunningham 0-6 (0-5 frees), Ethan Twomey 0-5, William Buckley 0-3, Brian Hayes 0-3, Sam Cunningham 0-2, Ciarán Doolan 0-1, Cian Walsh 0-1, Ricky Barrett 0-1, Aidan Barry 0-1.
Glen Rovers
1. Cathal Hickey
4. Eoin Varian, 6. Robert Downey, 3. Adam Lynch (captain)
5. Luke Horgan, 7. Eoin Downey, 2. Liam Coughlan
8. Rhys Dunne, 9. Conor McCarthy
11. Dean Brosnan, 12. Micheál Mullins, 10. Lee Quilligan
13. Simon Kennefick, 14. Patrick Horgan, 15. Eoin O’Leary
Subs
19. Brian Moylan for Quilligan (37)
18. David Noonan for McCarthy (54)
17. Adam O’Donovan for Dunne (60)
St Finbarr’s
1. Shane Hurley
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O'Leary goals secure Cork senior final win for Glen Rovers against St Finbarr's
Glen Rovers 2-20
St Finbarr’s 0-23
TWO SECOND-HALF strikes to the net by Eoin O’Leary settled this Cork senior hurling decider in favour of Glen Rovers against city rivals St Finbarr’s.
O’Leary raised green flags in the 37th and 54th minutes, those scores enabling him to claim the man-of-the-match award, and more crucially shaping this title win for Glen Rovers.
Three years after they plunged through the relegation trapdoor, Glen Rovers have fought back to reach the summit of Cork club hurling once more. They rebounded to take their place in the top tier again at the close of 2024, and this success marks a first premier senior title since 2016.
O’Leary’s tally of 2-2 from play was instrumental, while Patrick Horgan amassed his customary valuable return in front of goal, shooting over 11 points overall with three of those from play. Midfielder Rhys Dunne also caught the eye, rifling over three scores from play.
The Glen’s victory was achieved due to a powerful and clinical second-half showing. St Finbarr’s had tapped into their best play leading up to half-time, spearheaded by Brian Hayes who thundered into the game in the second quarter.
Glen trailed 0-12 to 0-10 at the interval but two frees from Horgan early in the second half wiped out the deficit they faced. Then O’Leary pounced as he evaded the St Finbarr’s rearguard to cut in from the left wing, race in along the endline and bat to the net from a narrow angle.
That provided Glen Rovers with a lead they would not subsequently relinquish. St Finbarr’s cut the gap to two points on five occasions yet their comeback hopes never received the boost of a levelling score. Their prospects were hit further with six minutes remaining of normal time as Dunne’s delivery found O’Leary totally unmarked near goal, and he drilled his shot home, pushing Glen clear 2-18 to 0-19.
St Finbarr’s tried to salvage the game. Hayes, after a slow-burning start to the game was terrific in the second quarter as he picked off three points from play, but the Downey brothers at different stages policed him well in the second half. The scoring inspiration for St Finbarr’s was sourced through Ethan Twomey after the interval as he raided from his midfield position to clip over five points from play.
The last of those efforts proved the final score of the game, placing St Finbarr’s three adrift. They launched one late attack deep in injury-time, in search of Hayes or William Buckley to prove their goalscoring saviour. Buckley came close to breaking clear but the Glen Rovers defence scrambled and cleared their lines.
Earlier in the second half when the game was delicately poised, Cathal Hickey had denied Hayes initially and then John Wigginton-Barrett as they chased a goal to break the game open. The Glen finished the game with a clean sheet, one of the trends that was vital in securing the honours.
Scorers for Glen Rovers: Patrick Horgan 0-11 (0-8 frees), Eoin O’Leary 2-2, Rhys Dunne 0-3, Dean Brosnan 0-2, Simon Kennefick 0-1, Micheál Mullins 0-1.
Scorers for St Finbarr’s: Ben Cunningham 0-6 (0-5 frees), Ethan Twomey 0-5, William Buckley 0-3, Brian Hayes 0-3, Sam Cunningham 0-2, Ciarán Doolan 0-1, Cian Walsh 0-1, Ricky Barrett 0-1, Aidan Barry 0-1.
Glen Rovers
1. Cathal Hickey
4. Eoin Varian, 6. Robert Downey, 3. Adam Lynch (captain)
5. Luke Horgan, 7. Eoin Downey, 2. Liam Coughlan
8. Rhys Dunne, 9. Conor McCarthy
11. Dean Brosnan, 12. Micheál Mullins, 10. Lee Quilligan
13. Simon Kennefick, 14. Patrick Horgan, 15. Eoin O’Leary
Subs
St Finbarr’s
1. Shane Hurley
4. Seán Daly, 6. Damien Cahalane, 3. Jamie Burns
22. Eoghan Finn, 2. Ciarán Doolan, 5. Conor Cahalane
7. Cian Walsh, 8. Ethan Twomey
10. John Wigginton Barrett, 11. Ben Cunningham, 12. Jack O’Kelly
13. William Buckley, 14. Brian Hayes (captain), 15. Sam Cunningham
Subs
Referee: Wayne King (Banteer)
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