ON SENIOR SEMI-final day in Cork last Sunday week, the prior sense was that it was an occasion where favourites would prosper.
The consensus before the matches settled on the the recent title winners and the two teams packed with county players prevailing.
When that theory was tested, it passed successfully with Glen Rovers (15-point victors) and Imokilly (triumphing by six points) justifying their billing. There were plenty of ingredients to their victories but superior scoring power was at the heart of it for both.
And for this Sunday’s decider between the outfits that have won the last four titles – Glen Rovers in 2015 and 2016, Imokilly chasing three-in-a-row – it feels that the match can be distilled down to a battle between the attackers on show.
Cork’s two best inter-county forwards in recent years will be in opposition. Seamus Harnedy collected his second All-Star award last November, Patrick Horgan picked up his third on the same night. As a Hurler of the Year nominee Horgan is poised to win his fourth after his 2019 exploits and while Harnedy was not nominated this year, he remains a critical component of Cork’s flagship team.
Their influence extends to the local game in a natural manner. Harnedy has captained Imokilly to their last two championship wins. His father Sean is a selector with the team. The divisional concept is a significant one for him. His rise to the elite level of hurling from the lowly status of his junior club St Ita’s has been well-documented, Imokilly affords him the opportunity to ply his trade at senior level in Cork.
And Harnedy has delivered on county final day. Two years ago his goal after half-time was crucial in their win over Blackrock which ended a 19-year wait for glory. Last October he was in exceptional form, rampaging through the Midleton rearguard to notch 1-6 from play.
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Seamus Harnedy lifts the trophy after Imokilly's 2018 county final win. Oisin Keniry / INPHO
Oisin Keniry / INPHO / INPHO
Afterwards in Páirc Uí Chaoimh he spoke of how Imokilly’s progression helped ‘mend the wound’ that still existed from Cork’s painful 2018 exit at the hands of Limerick. This summer Cork’s season ended with another setback but the county senior scene has been a sanctuary once more with Harnedy clipped over 0-3 in that semi-final success over St Finbarr’s.
Horgan can relate to a major breakthrough at that level. When Glen Rovers sealed the deal at last four years ago, after an exhausting wait and several disappointments since 1989, Horgan shot 0-9 in their final win over Sarsfields. That represented a success at the third attempt for him after decider losses in 2010 and 2014.
His impact was even more pronounced in 2016 when they completed back-to-back crowns, amassing 0-12 overall and stringing together five points in succession late on when the game was on the line against Erins Own. He top-scored with 0-8 in the recent semi-final against Carrigtwohill.
Graham Callanan celebrates with Patrick Horgan of Glen Rovers after the 2016 county final. Cathal Noonan / INPHO
Cathal Noonan / INPHO / INPHO
But this match cannot be solely reduced down to a personal showdown between Horgan and Harnedy. They will likely wield a large influence yet they are aided and abetted by others.
Both forwards lines are loaded with firepower. In the case of Imokilly, Harnedy is not their leading marksman. Declan Dalton has filled that role, as free-taker and chief threat close to goal. It’s taken him a while to carve out that niche for himself with Imokilly.
He has moved between different positions, goalkeeper for the Cork minor side in 2015 and netminder as well for that first Imokilly title in 2017. That same season Dalton shot 1-12, including a last-minute bullet to win the game, for the Cork U21 side in a Munster semi-final against Waterford.
A knee injury stalled his progress last year and that curtailed him again into the spring before a couple of substitute run outs for John Meyler’s senior outfit this summer. Of late he has been in a rich vein of form with 1-9 in that semi-final against St Finbarr’s and 1-11 as Fr O’Neill’s were crowned Cork premier intermediate kingpins last Saturday night. Those returns have increased the clamour for Dalton to get greater senior exposure with Cork in 2020 but before that Sunday’s game will be a pivotal one for him with Imokilly, a team he will be ineligible for next year with a regrading in the Cork system set to see his club promoted.
Added to the Imokilly scoring mix is Paudie O’Sullivan and Brian Lawton, a pair with recent Cork senior experience, while William Leahy and Anthony Spillane, both who had spells on the fringes of Cork squads, completed the starting attack in their semi-final. Unbeaten in 18 championship games and with an average winning margin of nine points during that run, their scoring capacity has fueled Imokilly’s dominance.
Paudie O'Sullivan celebrates scoring a goal for Imokilly last year against Midleton. Oisin Keniry / INPHO
Oisin Keniry / INPHO / INPHO
Horgan may be their marquee name but Glen Rovers won’t just pin their hopes on his shoulders. Dean Brosnan was a member of the Cork senior squad in 2018, Simon Kennefick started for the U20 team in August’s All-Ireland final against Tipperary.
Dean Brosnan in action for Cork against Limerick in last year's Munster championship. James Crombie / INPHO
James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO
Conor Dorris had rattled off three points within three minutes of their semi-final success, he shot 2-1 in the 2016 Munster final against Clare’s Ballyea and has a wealth of experience. The long-serving David Cunningham hit the crucial goal in their quarter-final win over Newtownshandrum and Liam Coughlan has been a useful scoring asset.
With both outfits chasing their third final win this decade, it seems curious that it’s over three decades since they last crossed paths in the championship arena.
Sunday represents a clash with the most at stake. The profile of Harnedy and Horgan heightens the focus on both sides but this is a game that will likely to boil down to which aspect of Cork’s hurling attack – past, present or future – catches first most.
Well, it’s finally here. Andy Dunne, Murray Kinsella and Gavan Casey make a call on Ireland’s World Cup quarter-final with New Zealand.
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Rebel stars - the key role Cork attackers will play with county hurling silverware at stake
ON SENIOR SEMI-final day in Cork last Sunday week, the prior sense was that it was an occasion where favourites would prosper.
The consensus before the matches settled on the the recent title winners and the two teams packed with county players prevailing.
When that theory was tested, it passed successfully with Glen Rovers (15-point victors) and Imokilly (triumphing by six points) justifying their billing. There were plenty of ingredients to their victories but superior scoring power was at the heart of it for both.
And for this Sunday’s decider between the outfits that have won the last four titles – Glen Rovers in 2015 and 2016, Imokilly chasing three-in-a-row – it feels that the match can be distilled down to a battle between the attackers on show.
Cork’s two best inter-county forwards in recent years will be in opposition. Seamus Harnedy collected his second All-Star award last November, Patrick Horgan picked up his third on the same night. As a Hurler of the Year nominee Horgan is poised to win his fourth after his 2019 exploits and while Harnedy was not nominated this year, he remains a critical component of Cork’s flagship team.
Their influence extends to the local game in a natural manner. Harnedy has captained Imokilly to their last two championship wins. His father Sean is a selector with the team. The divisional concept is a significant one for him. His rise to the elite level of hurling from the lowly status of his junior club St Ita’s has been well-documented, Imokilly affords him the opportunity to ply his trade at senior level in Cork.
And Harnedy has delivered on county final day. Two years ago his goal after half-time was crucial in their win over Blackrock which ended a 19-year wait for glory. Last October he was in exceptional form, rampaging through the Midleton rearguard to notch 1-6 from play.
Afterwards in Páirc Uí Chaoimh he spoke of how Imokilly’s progression helped ‘mend the wound’ that still existed from Cork’s painful 2018 exit at the hands of Limerick. This summer Cork’s season ended with another setback but the county senior scene has been a sanctuary once more with Harnedy clipped over 0-3 in that semi-final success over St Finbarr’s.
Horgan can relate to a major breakthrough at that level. When Glen Rovers sealed the deal at last four years ago, after an exhausting wait and several disappointments since 1989, Horgan shot 0-9 in their final win over Sarsfields. That represented a success at the third attempt for him after decider losses in 2010 and 2014.
His impact was even more pronounced in 2016 when they completed back-to-back crowns, amassing 0-12 overall and stringing together five points in succession late on when the game was on the line against Erins Own. He top-scored with 0-8 in the recent semi-final against Carrigtwohill.
But this match cannot be solely reduced down to a personal showdown between Horgan and Harnedy. They will likely wield a large influence yet they are aided and abetted by others.
Both forwards lines are loaded with firepower. In the case of Imokilly, Harnedy is not their leading marksman. Declan Dalton has filled that role, as free-taker and chief threat close to goal. It’s taken him a while to carve out that niche for himself with Imokilly.
He has moved between different positions, goalkeeper for the Cork minor side in 2015 and netminder as well for that first Imokilly title in 2017. That same season Dalton shot 1-12, including a last-minute bullet to win the game, for the Cork U21 side in a Munster semi-final against Waterford.
A knee injury stalled his progress last year and that curtailed him again into the spring before a couple of substitute run outs for John Meyler’s senior outfit this summer. Of late he has been in a rich vein of form with 1-9 in that semi-final against St Finbarr’s and 1-11 as Fr O’Neill’s were crowned Cork premier intermediate kingpins last Saturday night. Those returns have increased the clamour for Dalton to get greater senior exposure with Cork in 2020 but before that Sunday’s game will be a pivotal one for him with Imokilly, a team he will be ineligible for next year with a regrading in the Cork system set to see his club promoted.
Added to the Imokilly scoring mix is Paudie O’Sullivan and Brian Lawton, a pair with recent Cork senior experience, while William Leahy and Anthony Spillane, both who had spells on the fringes of Cork squads, completed the starting attack in their semi-final. Unbeaten in 18 championship games and with an average winning margin of nine points during that run, their scoring capacity has fueled Imokilly’s dominance.
Horgan may be their marquee name but Glen Rovers won’t just pin their hopes on his shoulders. Dean Brosnan was a member of the Cork senior squad in 2018, Simon Kennefick started for the U20 team in August’s All-Ireland final against Tipperary.
Conor Dorris had rattled off three points within three minutes of their semi-final success, he shot 2-1 in the 2016 Munster final against Clare’s Ballyea and has a wealth of experience. The long-serving David Cunningham hit the crucial goal in their quarter-final win over Newtownshandrum and Liam Coughlan has been a useful scoring asset.
With both outfits chasing their third final win this decade, it seems curious that it’s over three decades since they last crossed paths in the championship arena.
Sunday represents a clash with the most at stake. The profile of Harnedy and Horgan heightens the focus on both sides but this is a game that will likely to boil down to which aspect of Cork’s hurling attack – past, present or future – catches first most.
Well, it’s finally here. Andy Dunne, Murray Kinsella and Gavan Casey make a call on Ireland’s World Cup quarter-final with New Zealand.
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Glen Rovers imokilly Main men Patrick Horgan Seamus Harnedy Cork