Glenmore 0-17; Mullinavat 0-17.
John Power at Mooncoin GAA Grounds.
Mullinavat and Glenmore shared the spoils after an absorbing and hard-fought encounter in the opening round of the 2026 St Canice’s Senior Hurling League at Mooncoin GAA Grounds on Sunday. In a contest that ebbed and flowed throughout, neither side deserved to come away empty-handed, with the final whistle confirming a 0-17 apiece draw after an hour of quality championship-style hurling.
There was a sense of déjà vu surrounding the fixture. When the neighbours met in last season’s Senior Hurling Shield Final they could not be separated after normal or extra time, with Glenmore eventually emerging victorious following a dramatic penalty shootout. Thankfully for both sets of supporters there was no need for such late drama on this occasion, with each team collecting a valuable league point to begin their campaign.
Mullinavat enjoyed the better of the opening half, making the most of the favourable conditions and producing some excellent passages of hurling. They struck the first blow through the outstanding Ger Malone, who was in exceptional form throughout the opening period. Malone accounted for eight of his side’s twelve first-half points, four of them from open play, displaying remarkable accuracy from placed balls and in general play.
His brother Michael also made a valuable contribution, firing over two excellent points from play, while Oisin Knox and Conor Walsh each added a point as Mullinavat steadily built an advantage. Their defence also impressed, restricting Glenmore’s opportunities from open play and ensuring the Vegas men held a deserved 0-12 to 0-8 lead at the interval.
Although trailing by four points, Glenmore remained firmly in contention thanks largely to the accuracy of Ian Byrne. The sharpshooter converted five frees during the opening half and rarely missed an opportunity to punish Mullinavat infringements. Darragh Hartley, Ger Aylward and Jason Cody all chipped in with important scores from play to keep Glenmore within striking distance before the turnaround.
With a stiff breeze at their backs after the restart, Glenmore looked a different side and gradually began to eat into the Mullinavat advantage. Charlie Phelan opened their second-half account before Michael Malone replied for Mullinavat. Ian Byrne then landed another free after Ger Malone had converted from a placed ball at the opposite end, ensuring the gap remained manageable.
The momentum was beginning to swing in Glenmore’s favour and between the 36th and 41st minutes they enjoyed their best spell of the afternoon. Byrne continued to lead the charge, splitting the posts twice, one from a free, while Jack Dollard produced one of the scores of the game with a magnificent effort from almost 80 metres. Suddenly the deficit had been reduced to a single point, with Mullinavat clinging to a slender 0-14 to 0-13 advantage.
The Vegas men responded well to that period of pressure. Oisin Knox steadied nerves with a well-taken point before Byrne again replied for Glenmore. Mullinavat then enjoyed another purple patch, stretching their lead back to three points through fine scores from Conor Walsh and Padraig Gahan on the 50th and 51st minutes.
It looked as though Mullinavat might have done enough to secure victory, but Glenmore refused to yield. A major turning point arrived in the 55th minute when they were awarded a penalty after a goalmouth scramble. It presented the perfect opportunity to draw level or even take the lead, but Mullinavat goalkeeper Seán Fitzpatrick came to his side’s rescue with an excellent save that preserved their advantage and lifted the large Mullinavat support.
Rather than allowing the missed opportunity to derail them, Glenmore responded superbly. Ian Byrne once again demonstrated his class by converting two outstanding two-point frees from distance, while Jason Cody added a superb point from around 50 metres between Byrne’s efforts. Those three scores proved enough to erase Mullinavat’s lead and leave the sides level at 0-17 apiece entering the closing stages.
Both teams had opportunities to snatch victory during the three minutes of added time. Mullinavat pushed forward in search of a late winner, while Glenmore also created promising openings, but determined defending and a touch of fatigue ensured neither side could find the decisive score.
When referee brought proceedings to a close, there was little argument with the outcome. Mullinavat will be pleased with their first-half display and the scoring exploits of Ger Malone, while Glenmore can take great encouragement from the manner in which they battled back, with Ian Byrne producing an outstanding personal performance throughout.
A share of the spoils was a fair reflection of an entertaining contest that showcased the quality both sides possess. Mullinavat now turn their attention to a Round Two meeting with Thomastown, while Glenmore face another stern examination against Bennettsbridge as the league campaign gathers momentum.
SCORERS
GLENMORE: Ian Byrne 0-11(0-8 frees), Jason Cody (0-2), Charlie Phelan, Jack Dollard, Darragh Hartley, Billy Reid (0-1 each).
MULLINAVAT: Ger Malone (0-9, 0-5 frees), Michael Malone (0-3), Ousin Knox (0-2), Conor Walsh (0-2), Padraic Gahan (0-1).
TEAMS
GLENMORE: Eoin Murphy Darragh Vereker, Eoin Aylward, Richie Hennessy, Darragh Hartley, Shane Murphy, Billy Reid, Jack Dollard, Tomás Mullally, Colm Roche, lan Byrne, Jason Cody, Dean Croke, Charlie Phelan, Ger Aylward. Substitute: Ethan Phelan for Colm Roche.
MULLINAVAT: Seán Fitzpatrick, Eoin Dempsey, Tom Aylward, Robin Davis, George O’Connor, Pádraig Dempsey, Padraic Gahan, Michael Malone, Joe Gahan, Conor Walsh, Ger Malone, Conor Power, Conor Duggan, Oisín Knox, Liam Fennelly. Substitutes: Brian Phelan for Conor Power, Adam Mansfield for Conor Duggan, Bill Dempsey for Conor Walsh.
Referee: Gavin Quilty (Slieverue).
