Glenroe suffer Premier IHC relegation after dramatic draw with Effin

GLENROE’S seven-season stay in the Lyons of Limerick Premier Intermediate Hurling Championship came to an end with a 1-19 apiece draw with Effin in Kilfinane on Saturday.

Semi-finalists at the grade in 2020 and ‘21, the men in green and black were clinging onto their second tier status in recent years, and have eventually made the dreaded drop.

With promising young players coming through the ranks, the Glen will be hopeful of a return to this grade in the coming years but it will no doubt be a difficult winter for the 2019 IHC champions.

They survived a relegation playoff last season and finished in seventh place in the table in the previous two seasons - but this was one dogfight too many in this south Limerick derby.

Dejection for Glenroe, but there were no joyous scenes for the victors.

Yes, they could have been dragged into the relegation battle but they came into this game with semi-final ambitions. Those hopes were dashed as Blackrock’s big win over Granagh-Ballingarry ended their ambitions of a semi-final place.

But it was the other end of the table that became their focus at Michael Fox Memorial Park. Effin needed a last-gasp free from Patrick O’Donovan to earn a share of the spoils in this game and confirm Premier IHC survival.

Any tension over the 65th-minute strike were gone once referee Kieran Guina moved the ball to a more central position for dissent on the Glenroe part.

Playing with a strong breeze at their backs, the men in green and black scored four of the game’s first six points. Darren Frewen (2), Liam Dennehy and Cathal Dennehy with the early scores. Having won a relegation play-off last year and their sister club Ballylanders winning relegation finals in each of the last three years, another great escape was on the cards.

But Effin hit the first real hammer blow. A strong run from O’Donovan led to a cross-field pass to Tommy Quaid. From 21 yards out, the experienced sharpshooter made no mistake firing past David McCarthy.

Points from Quaid, Cillian O’Riordan and Ruairi O’Connor kept them ahead throughout the half but Glenroe stayed in touch.

A pair of scores from Cathal Dennehy followed by Frewen and Liam Dennehy levelled the game approaching the interval.

However, two O’Donovan frees late in the half meant that Adrian Barrett’s side, despite playing against the breeze, led at the change of ends.

However, they were dealt a blow when Limerick goalkeeper and their center back Nickie Quaid was unable to take the field in the second half after suffering an injury late in the first half.

Despite this, they started the half well with O’Donovan and Ewan Dillon getting early points.

Dillon struck three from play in the second half.

Frees from Frewen kept Glenroe in touch and this perseverance paid off when they levelled the game in the 42nd minute. With Effin unable to clear the ball, Ciaran Kelly pulled first time on a ball and finished it into the back of the net.

Frewen and Daniel Murphy added points putting them three up midway through the second period.

But if was Effin who refused to lie down. After coming so close to winning this title 12 months ago, a relegation playoff this year seemed unthinkable.

Dillon, O’Donovan and O’Connor levelled the game with consecutive scores in a tense finish under what was becoming heavy rainfall.

Liam Dennehy thought he won it with a fine score late on. But there was one last twist as O’Donovan was able to knock over a seventh point to condemn Glenroe to intermediate hurling for 2027.

SCORERS - EFFIN: Patrick O’Donovan 0-7 (5f); Tommy Quaid 1-1; Ewan Dillon 0-3; Jack Quaid, Fergal O’Connor, Cillian O’Riordan and Ruairi O’Connor 0-2 each; GLENROE: Darren Frewen 0-10 (6f); Ciaran Kelly 1-1; Cathal Dennehy and Liam Dennehy 0-3 each; Daithi Dennehy and Daniel Murphy 0-1 each.

EFFIN: Ryan O'Neill; Robert Cagney, Alan Byrne, Mark Mullins; Paul Treacy, Nickie Quaid, Brian Clifford; Ruairi O'Connor, Fergal O'Connor; Ewan Dillon, Patrick O'Donovan, Cathal Canning; Cillian O'Riordan, Jack Quaid, Tommy Quaid; Sub: Pierce O’Kelly for N Quaid (h-t).

GLENROE: David McCarthy; Daniel Murphy, Pa Holian, Darren Carroll; Kyle McCarthy, Stephen Walsh; Eoghan Fitzgerald; Shane O'Donoghue, Brian O'Connell; Ciaran Kelly, Darren Frewen, Liam Dennehy; Daithi Dennehy, Cathal Dennehy, Oisin Browne; Sub: Oisin Browne for Kelly (52 mins).

Referee: Kieran Guina (Feohanagh-Castlemahon).