Kilbrittain 0-22

Glen Rovers 2-15

NOEL HORGAN REPORTS

HAVING opened in whirlwind fashion, Kilbrittain finished the first half two points adrift of Glen Rovers in the Co-op SuperStores Premier Junior Hurling Championship final.

It meant their character and resolve was put to the test, but they rose to the challenge in fine style to register a victory they richly deserved on the overall run of the play.

Erratic shooting, which saw them accumulate eight wides, was unquestionably a factor in their failure to build on their bright start in the first half at Páirc Uí Chaoimh on Friday evening.

They were denied an early goal as well, with Glen custodian Ben Heffernan foiling an effort by Mark Hickey at the expense of a 65, which Hickey converted to open the scoring inside a minute.

Hickey was out of luck with another goal chance in the second half – his rasping drive flew inches wide of the target in the 36th minute.

Kilbrittain's Mark Hickey receives the man-of-the-match award.

For all that, Kilbrittain still managed to lead by four points before the Glen’s Evan Murphy rifled home what amounted to a consolation goal from a close-in free with virtually the last puck of the match.

Kilbrittain manager Joe Ryan agreed it was a bit deflating going in at half time two points down, but he was confident the players would respond positively on the resumption.

‘There has been a similar trend in all our games this season in that we play quite well, and then, for some reason, our efficiency and decision-making lets us down a bit. But I knew the lads could perform, and that a good start in the second half would get us back on track, because we showed in the first half we could trouble the Glen backs,’ he said.

It was easy to appreciate where Ryan was coming from, given the ease with which Kibrittain carved out the chances and picked off the scores during the opening exchanges.

Luke Griffin (2), Conor Hogan, midfielder Sean Sexton and Mark Hickey all chipped in with quality scores from play as Kilbrittain scorched into an 0-6 to 0-1 lead with little over five minutes gone.

That they tacked on just four points for the rest of the first half was due in part to inaccuracy, but also to the fact that the Glen gradually got their act together.

Aided by scores from midfielder Josh O’Donovan, Mark Hickey and Ronan Crowley, Kilbrittain remained favourably positioned, leading by four points, after 22 minutes, but their fortunes dipped alarmingly nearing half time.

A brilliant strike by midfielder Gearoid Mulcahy nudged the city side ahead for the first time in the 27th minute. After Philip Wall equalised for Kilbrittain, late points from Mulcahy and Conor Dorris enabled the Glen to lead by 1-9 to 0-10 at the interval.

Dorris was the Glen’s most impressive attacker before the break, but he was forced to exist on scraps once Kilbrittain’s half-back line – comprising Aaron Holland, Thomas Sheehan and Colm Sheehan – began to establish control in the second half.

Sean Sexton and especially Josh O’Donovan gave them an edge too at midfield, while Mark Hickey and Philip Wall always moved menacingly up front.

An inspirational point from Wall, preceded by a Hickey score from a free, gave Kilbrittain the start they desired in the second half. They regained the lead, 0-13 to 1-9, through Ronan Crowley in the 35th minute.

Kilbrittain celebrate their fantastic victory over Glen Rovers in the Co-op Superstores Premier Junior Hurling Championship final at Páirc Uí Chaoimh.

After the teams shared the next four scores, Philip Wall gathered a puck-out by Kilbrittain goalkeeper David Desmond before racing in from the right wing to pop over a point, and the South-West side looked ready to ease to safety at the three-quarter mark.

As the plucky losers stuck doggedly to the task, however, Kilbrittain didn’t shake them off until the last ten minutes when Josh O’Donovan landed a brace of excellent points, and substitute Conor Ustionowski also did his bit to increase the pressure on the Glen.

More than anything else, the marksmanship of man-of-the-match Mark Hickey from frees was instrumental in signposting Kilbrittain’s path to a first county hurling title success since they were crowned intermediate kingpins in 2010.

In his first season at the helm, Ballinascarthy native Joe Ryan is entitled to take a bow, and he believes Kilbrittain can make their presence felt at intermediate A level next year.

‘This victory will give the lads a lot of confidence, so I don’t see why we can’t build on it,’ he said, adding that the immediate target is the Munster club championship.

‘We’ll be creating a bit of history in that we’ll be the first team from the club to represent Cork, so we’ll be giving it our best shot,’ he revealed.

Scorers

Kilbrittain: M Hickey 0-9 (6f, 1 65); P Wall, J O’Donovan 0-3 each; R Crowley 0-3 (1f); L Griffin 0-2; C Hogan, S Sexton 0-1 each.

Glen Rovers: G Mulcahy 1-3; E Murphy 1-3 (f); C Dorris 0-4; S Busteed, F O’Driscoll, C Healy, S O’Sullivan, D Tynan 0-1 each.

Kilbrittain: D Desmond; D Considine, J Hurley, E O’Neill; A Holland, T Sheehan, C Sheehan; S Sexton, J O’Donovan; M Hickey, L Griffin, R Crowley; B Butler, P Wall, C Hogan.

Subs: D Harrington for Butler (53), C Ustianowski for Griffin (48), T Harrington for Hogan (61).

Glen Rovers: B Heffernan; Z Lynch, G Marshall, D Dunlea; D Coughlan, D Noonan, A O’Sullivan; G Mulcahy, F O’Driscoll; G Kennefick, K McCarthy-Coade, C Healy; C Dorris, E Murphy, S Busteed.

Subs: D Tynan for Kennefick (inj, 20), C O’Brien for O’Sullivan (52), J Corkery for Noonan (50), E O’Sullivan for Healy (55), D Long for Busteed (56).

Referee: K O’Sullivan (Valley Rovers).