Glen Rovers 0-18
Argideen Rangers 0-13
TOM LYONS REPORTS
THIS was the proverbial game of two halves and Argideen Rangers were left to rue a terrible opening 20 minutes before going on to dominate proceedings to a large degree after the break.
Unfortunately, the Timoleague men, who had lost their opening round to St Finbarr’s and now find themselves in a battle for survival in the grade, were unable to bridge the big gap they had allowed to open up in the first half of this Co-op Superstores premier junior hurling championship game in a wet Riverstick on Friday evening.
Argideen were all at sea in that opening quarter, outsped, out-hurled and out-fought and their only reply to Glen’s eight points came from two pointed frees from John Michael O’Callaghan, who was to account for ten of their 13 points over the hour. This lack of penetration up front was to cost them the game in the second half, when they had played themselves back into contention. Five points from play during the hour was well short of what was needed to win on the night.
‘We were very proud of the lads in the second half but, a bit like the last day, we left ourselves with too much to do,’ said a disappointed Argideen mentor Jim Foley. ‘We didn’t come with the same intensity in the first half as we did in the second and with the breeze in the first half, we just weren’t composed enough, hitting too many wides. We felt under pressure coming into the game and maybe that showed in our play.’
As the Glen’s momentum slowed in the second quarter, Argideen began to get a foothold in the game and they answered the Glen’s four points with three of their own, all from O’Callaghan, including their only point from play in the first half. Dorris continued his impeccable free-taking with two points, while Shane Busteed and Lee Quilligan added two more. It was 0-12 to 0-5 at half-time, with a glimmer of hope for the West Cork men despite playing against the breeze in the second half.
Whatever was said to the lads in maroon at half time certainly worked as they re-emerged a changed outfit in the second half. With Matthew Lawton outstanding at centre back, well supported by Gerry Crowley and Bill Fleming, and with the O’Donovan brothers, Cathal and Darragh, playing their hearts, they had quick scores from the hard-trying Paudie Butler, Cathal O’Donovan and O’Callaghan, free, following an opening score from Glen’s top scorer Conor Dorris.
Points from Dorris (free) and Quilligan had the Glen ahead by 0-15 to 0-8 at the end of the third quarter but, gallantly, Argideen upped the pressure even more in the last quarter. Three O’Callaghan frees and one from play, in answer to a single free from Dorris, had the gap down to a manageable four points with five minutes left.
However, the goal that might have written a different result, never looked like coming and late points from Quilligan and Dorris copper fastened a deserved win for the city side.
‘We’re now in a situation where we’re facing a tough third game against St Catherine’s. We must restore pride, we must get points on the board. It’s a different situation now, it’s a relegation battle,’ Jim Foley added.
Scorers
Glen Rovers: Conor Dorris 0-10 (8f); Lee Quilligan 0-4; Evan Murphy 0-3; Shane Busteed 0-1.
Argideen Rangers: John Michael O’Callaghan 0-10 (8f); Cathal O’Donovan, Conor Lehane, Padraig Butler 0-1 each.
Glen Rovers: Ben Heffernan; Calvin Healy, Gavin Marshall, David Dunlea; Donagh Coughlan, Ben Murphy, Adam O’Sullivan; Fiachra O’Driscoll, Zach Lynch; Lee Quilligan, Evan Murphy, Adam Lordan; Shane Busteed, Cian Martin, Conor Dorris.
Subs: Cathal O’Brian for A Lordan (ht), Danny Murphy for S Busteed (57).
Argideen Rangers: John Sheehan; Bill Fleming, Gerry Crowley, Fergal Walsh; Daniel Hurley, Matthew Lawton, Darragh Holland; Cathal O’Donovan, Conor Lehane; Seán Walsh, John Michael O’Callaghan, Darragh O’Donovan; Billy Foley, Padraig Butler, Finbarr Butler.
Subs: Seán Maxwell for B Foley (ht), Joe Murphy for F Butler (50), Charlie Dineen for Darragh O’Donovan (55).
Referee: Willie Wallis (Midleton).