Aidan McCarthy leads Inagh-Kilnamona to dominant win over Glen Rovers

Munster Club SHC quarter-final: Glen Rovers (Cork) 1-14 Inagh-Kilnamona (Clare) 1-21

Aidan McCarthy guided Inagh-Kilnamona through a perfect Munster debut and amplified his hopes of a Clare recall in a seven-point triumph over Glen Rovers on Sunday.

Three weeks after lifting the Canon Hamilton Cup, their captain slotted 0-14 (four from play) for a deserved victory in front of 2,890 spectators at Páirc Uí Rinn.

Having dismantled one traditional hurling superpower, Inagh-Kilnamona can look forward to taking on another at home to Thurles Sarsfields in the semi-final.

The wide count of 10-4 weighted towards Inagh underlined the dominant nature of their exhibition against a Glen side that claimed the Cork title a fortnight ago.

“It was a great performance. We had three weeks to prepare and we needed them. We had an extended celebration,” said manager Eugene Cullinan.

“We needed to do that. It was our first county title. Once we got that off our chest, we could focus in on this game.

“In fairness to Glen Rovers, it was a very quick turnaround time for them. We realised we had that advantage and we drove it home. The start made all the difference.”

A late Glen change headlined the prematch team news. Michael Tadhg Brosnan isn’t yet old enough to play in the Cork senior championship, but the Munster and All-Ireland are governed by different rules.

The towering teenager, who featured for the Cork minors in 2025 and the Under-20s this year, was thrown into the fray at centre forward in place of Micheál Mullins, who was carrying a shoulder injury.

After the match, Tomás Mulcahy called on the Cork County Board to remove the ban on under-18s playing senior hurling for their clubs.

“It’s a crazy rule. It needs to be abolished,” he said. “I think we’re the only county in Ireland that has that rule; that a man can play in a Munster Club final, but he can’t play in a club championship.

“His brother Josh was actually a sub on the Cork development squad as well. Two guys who were involved with Cork under-20 and they can’t play senior hurling with their club.

“You see guys across the water and they’re playing World Cup finals at 16 and 17. We protect our players. We would look after them. We would mind those players.

“That’s not a reflection on the game today. Inagh-Kilnamona were better than us and we congratulate them.”

Robert Downey was detailed to mark David Fitzgerald, while Eoin Downey initially tagged McCarthy, but he shifted to centre back and later farther forward as the game began to turn against the Glen.

Brosnan displayed a neat pick-up to assist an early Patrick Horgan point. The Glen otherwise failed to steer their deliveries past deep-lying Inagh centre back James Hegarty, who is another out to catch Brian Lohan’s eye, and couldn’t match the Clare champions’ intense tackling.

“Their work rate, their hunger, their hurling, it was superb,” said Mulcahy. “We just couldn’t live with them today.

“They harried us, hooked us, blocked us. They ran. They chased. We were doing that to teams all year. We didn’t have that today in our tank.”

Inagh, playing with the wind, had 10 of the first 11 shots of the afternoon, converting seven. McCarthy fired the first four points before Fred Hegarty and the fit-again Conner Hegarty, capitalising on a poor puck-out, got in on the act.

The Glen couldn’t put together consecutive points in the opening half, while a huge Fred Hegarty score was followed by McCarthy punishing another Glen giveaway.

There were 10 points between the sides when David Mescall turned past Adam Lynch and spooned the sliotar for Fitzgerald to lash home.

But Horgan went for broke from a stoppage-time free, thumping the sliotar to the roof of the net for a 1-12 to 1-5 deficit.

Two further Horgan frees continued the Glen resistance after the break before showing a sharp touch to assist Lee Quilligan.

The second half was dominated by frees, although fine play by Seán Rynne helped to create an outstanding Mark Callinan point.

Half-time substitute Zach Lynch could’ve made it a one-score game, but Éamonn Foudy was equal to his drive.

Brosnan and Eoin O’Leary raised white flags, but the Glen never closed the arrears within four points. When they did get that close, Mulcahy felt they suffered from “a few questionable frees”.

Inagh came strong with the next three. Fitzgerald arrowed over an acute score before regaining the sliotar for McCarthy’s 12th.

The Glen went for goals down the stretch, with Foudy saving the best chance from a Horgan free.

GLEN ROVERS: C Hickey; E Varian, E Downey (0-1), A Lynch; L Horgan, L Coughlan, R Downey (0-1); R Dunne, C McCarthy; D Brosnan, MT Brosnan (0-1), L Quilligan (0-2); S Kennefick, P Horgan (1-8, 1-6f, 0-1 65), E O’Leary (0-1).

Subs: Z Lynch for McCarthy (h-t); B Moylan for Quilligan (45 mins); M Mullins for Brosnan (46).

INAGH-KILNAMONA: É Foudy; S Woods, K White, C Rynne; K Hehir, J Hegarty, D Cullinan; M Callinan (0-1), S Rynne (0-1); D Fitzgerald (1-1), K Guyler, F Hegarty (0-2); D Mescall (0-1), A McCarthy (0-14, 9f, one 65), C Hegarty (0-1).

Subs: J Mescall for S Rynne (1-4 mins, blood); J McCarthy for Hehir (45, inj); N Mullins for F Hegarty (48, inj); J Guyler for D Mescall (50); G Barry for C Hegarty (52); J Mescall for Guyler (60+2).

Referee: A Tierney (Tipperary).