Watch: Harnedy goal helps Imokilly secure historic three-in-a-row
A Séamus Harnedy goal in first-half injury-time proved to be the vital score as Imokilly created history in Páirc Uí Rinn this afternoon as they completed the three-in-a-row in the Cork SHC.
It capped a mad six minutes of added time as the divisional outfit stretched their lead from two points to six as they twisted the knife on a courageous Glen outfit.
The Glen made a great fist of reeling them in and had the gap back to two points heading into the third quarter through the free-taking of Patrick Horgan and the hard work of their midfield and half-back line.
They could never quite get the second goal that they needed though the Imokilly goal did lead a charmed life in the dying embers of the game as Robert Downey was pushed top the edge of the square.
Shane O’Regan Óg struck for tapped over the insurance point deep into added time but the champions will be thankful for the contributions of Bill Cooper, John Cronin and Declan Dalton while Harnedy showed his class when it mattered.
The first-half was a tempestuous affair with four yellow cards issued by Nathan Wall but in between all the niggle, a game of hurling was trying to break out. Imokilly led by 0-4 to 0-2 after ten minutes with Paudie O’Sullivan, Seamus Harnedy, Bill Cooper and Declan Dalton all on target whiole Liam Coughlan and Dave Noonan found the mark for the Glen.
They then took the lead when Don Cronin planted a rocket past Darragh O’Callaghan following a smart pass from Adam O’Donovan.
However, Declan Dalton responded immediately, striking a 21-yard free to the net in the twelfth minute. The play became broken after that as both sides got to know one another before Patrick Horgan finally put an end to the madness with a free to leave the minimum between them.
It went for tit for tat after that and when Dalton and Horgan exchanged scores as the clock struck thirty, the Glen would have been reasonably happy as they trailed by 1-7 t0 1-5.
Unfortunately for them, however, in the six minutes of added time Imokilly made hay, hitting 1-3.
Seamus Harnedy struck for that crucial goal after a stray puck-out and though Horgan did manage two points for the Glen, they faced an uphill task at the break, trailing by 2-10 to 1-7.
It all meant Imokilly deservedly won their fifth title while the Glen must try and re-group for the Munster club campaign.
D Dalton 1-7 (1-4 frees, 0-1 ’65), S Harnedy 1-2, B Cooper 0-3, A Spillane, P O’Sullivan, W Leahy, S Hegarty and S O’Regan Óg 0-1 each.
P Horgan 0-11 (0-8 frees), D Cronin 1-0, D Brosnan 0-2, D Noonan, L Coughlan and C Dorris 0-1 each
D O’Callaghan (Watergrasshoill), K Histon (Cobh), C Barry (Castlelyons), G Millerick (Fr O’Neill’s), S Hegarty (Dungourney), M Russell (Aghada), J Cronin (Lisgoold), B Cooper (Youghal), M O’Keeffe (Fr O’Neill’s), B Lawton (Castlemartyr), S Harnedy (St Ita’s), A Spillane (Castlelyons), P O’Sullivan (Cloyne), D Dalton (Fr O’Neill’s), W Leahy (Aghada).
S O’Regan Óg (Watergrasshill) for O’Keeffe (53 mins), J Stack (Castlemartyr) for Leahy (60 mins).
C Hickey, S McDonnell, D Dooling, C Healy, R Downey, B Moylan, D Noonan, D Cronin, A O’ Donovan, D Brosnan, P Horgan, D Cunningham, C Dorris, S Kinefick, L Coughlan.
A Lynch for Cunningham (52 mins), D Busteed for Kennefick (56 mins), D Tynan for Coughlan (59 mins).
Nathan Wall (Ballincollig)
