With a round of group games still to run, purchased and taken are four of the six progressing tickets in the top shelf Premier Senior grade. In this Group 1, all tension has been removed from the conversation. With a round still to run, the group is decided and done. Progressing are Sars and Glen Rovers. Eliminated and finished are Erin’s Own and Fr O’Neill’s. Suspense was an infrequent participant in this Sunday evening contest. The Glen were never led. Fr O’Neill’s never once stood level with their city opponents. From the 10th minute onward, the gap was never less than two. The gap was as close as two on just three occasions between the 10th minute and final whistle. Between the quarter-hour mark and 59th minute, the gap was never less than three. The Glen were never in trouble and yet they were never fully in the clear either. Fr O’Neill’s were always in contention and yet they never appeared capable of overtaking their opponents. Their inability to do so means back-to-back championship defeats and early elimination. For the Glen, backing up their opening round win over Erin's Own has them back in the knockout stages of the Premier senior grade for the first time since 2022. Their position was strong turning around for the second period. Having hurled into a notable breeze, Tomás Mulcahy’s men led 1-9 to 0-8 at the break. The goal was a sixth minute Patrick Horgan penalty following a foul on Eoin O’Leary. Horgan also accounted for five of their nine first-half white flags. Among their other contributors were midfielder Micheál Mullins and corner-forward Simon Kennefick. The latter was dangerous each time he was fed, the former continually broke lines and surged into enemy territory. Mullins and Kennefick were responsible for four of the Glen’s opening five points of the second period. The midfielder provided the opening pair. He was fouled for another. Kennefick swelled his own tally to three. At 1-14 to 0-11 in front on the three-quarter-hour mark and breeze in their corner, suspense appeared to have gone for an early shower. Credit to Fr O’Neill’s. They chiseled away. This Midleton venue was the scene of their Round 2 shock, at the expense of the Barrs, 12 months ago. They never stopped believing a repeat was possible. A Declan Dalton point from the sideline, a Dalton assist to sub Michael Wall, and a Kevin O’Sullivan point cut the margin to three. They would thrice more answer Glen white flags to bring the margin back to three. A foul on Peter Hassett and Dalton conversion on 60 minutes had them within two, 1-17 to 0-18, for the first occasion since the scoreline read 1-4 to 0-5 on 15 minutes. Suspense had a short stay. The Glen names, old and new, buried the comeback in the ground. Mullins manufactured his fourth point. Hoggie was fouled and fired over his ninth. Rob Downey plucked a Fr O’Neill’s restart from the clouds. They’ll be disappointed with just three points between the 45th and 60th minute. They’ll be delighted with how they reasserted control at the finish. With the suspended Dean Brosnan still to return, last year's Senior A champions will be stronger again for the knockout stages. Their intention now is to enter those knockout stages as group winners. County finalists Sars will have to be bettered to realise such. For Fr O’Neill’s, their second half surge required a green flag to properly unsettle the three-tone shirt. Their opportunity for that goal arrived eight minutes from time. A free was twice brought forward for dissent. It left Declan Dalton with a 20-metre strike dead straight in front of goal. Glen corner-back Adam Lynch deflected the free out for a 65. The reliance on Dalton was typically large. They hadn’t enough threats dotted elsewhere. Their bid for a second successive county quarter-final appearance is over. Scorers for Glen Rovers: P Horgan (1-9, 0-6 frees, 1-0 pen, 0-2 65s); M Mullins (0-4); S Kennefick (0-3); E O’Leary, S Lynam, L Quilligan (0-1 each). Scorers for Fr O’Neill’s: D Dalton (0-12, 0-8 frees, 0-2 65s); K O’Sullivan (0-3); John Millerick (0-2); R Cullinane, M Wall (0-1 each). GLEN ROVERS: C Hickey; A Lynch, D Dooling, L Coughlan; B Moylan, R Downey, E Downey; A O’Donovan, M Mullins; E O’Leary, P Horgan, R Dunne; S Kennefick, L Horgan, S Lynam. Subs: L Quilligan for L Horgan, C McCarthy for Dooling (both 45); J Brosnan for O’Donovan (53); D Wall for Lynam (55). FR O’NEILL’S: P O’Sullivan; M Millerick, D Harrington, E Motherway; M O’Keeffe, G Millerick, T Millerick; K O’Sullivan, R Kenneally; R Cullinane, P McMahon, Joseph Millerick; John Millerick, D Dalton, B Dunne. Subs: M Wall for Dunne (12 mins); P Hassett for O’Sullivan (14-15 temporary); P Hassett for Kenneally (58); R Kenneally for G Millerick (62, inj). REFEREE: W King.