The Northside and the West: A Premier Junior Final Odyssey

The stage is set in SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh, but the story began weeks ago, across the diverse hurling heartland of Cork. The final pits the storied Glen Rovers second team against the relentless Kilbrittain, a matchup forged in tight victories, last-gasp goals, and a shared history of white-knuckle drama.

Kilbrittain: The West Cork Surge

Kilbrittain arrived in the final as the championship scoring powerhouse. Group B was a showcase of their ability to hit the net and win battles in open play. They kicked off their campaign by overcoming Barryroe 0-22 to 1-15, setting an immediate marker. A crucial second-round victory over Cloughduv, 2-17 to 1-17, gave them momentum, which they used to dismantle Nemo Rangers 3-19 to 1-10 in a statement performance.

Their semi-final against Ballygarvan was a tense affair, a reminder that the West Cork side knows how to grind. The 1-17 to 0-18 victory was built on their impressive consistency, which saw them average 2-17 per game.

The Kilbrittain attack is a fearsome collective of nine scorers, orchestrated by the unerring accuracy of Mark Hickey. He has single-handedly accounted for 0-26 of their total, a tally built on flawless free-taking. Complementing his points are the goal threats of Conor Hogan (2-6), Luke Griffin (1-7), and Philip Wall (1-7), ensuring that Kilbrittain can deliver green flags when needed most.

Glen Rovers: The Greem, Black and Amber Resilience

Glen Rovers, carrying the immense weight of the Blackpool legacy, carved out a campaign defined by sheer resilience and clinical point-scoring. Their Group A journey was a tightrope walk. They started with a gritty, two-point win over St Catherine’s, 1-14 to 0-15. This was followed by a hard-earned draw against St Finbarr’s B (2-15 to 1-18), proving their ability to fight back. Glen Rovers sealed their semi-final passage in style, dispatching Meelin 1-25 to 0-18.

Their semi-final, a two-point victory over Cloughduv (1-18 to 0-19), was another tense affair, highlighting the team’s nerve—three of their four games were decided by two points or less. The Glen attack has a wide spread of 13 different scorers, but the bulk of their work rests on the shoulders of Evan Murphy (0-28), whose reliable free-taking is matched by the goal-scoring prowess of Shane Busteed (3-5) and the attacking spark of Calvin Healy (0-10). They come into the final with a highly respectable average of 1-19 per game.

The Final Narrative

Friday nights final is a collision between Kilbrittain’s goal-hungry power (6-75 scored) and Glen Rovers’ point-taking precision (5-72 scored) and experience in tight scrapes. The last time these two met, it ended in a penalty shootout thriller.

Under the lights, two great hurling traditions meet. Will the city side’s collective depth and the brilliance of Murphy and Busteed be enough? Or will the irresistible attacking surge of Mark Hickey and the powerful West Cork crew finally claim the cup? The story of the season is about to reach its unforgettable climax.

All You Need to Know About the Journey to Premier JHC Final