Sars finish with a flourish to earn rare Cork victory in Munster SHC

For only the second time since 2009, a Cork team has won a Munster Club senior hurling championship fixture. For only the second time since 2009, a Cork team will compete in the Munster Club senior final.

That’s the bigger picture.

The bigger picture doesn’t much bother Sars. For them, history made. Their first Munster club victory at the sixth attempt since 2008. A first ever Munster senior final coming up in two weeks' time.

How they might fare against  the might of Ballygunner can wait a couple of hours. Cork victories and Sars victories in the Munster Club are so rare that they are to be fully appreciated.

When Steven Conway, Shane McGrath, and Eoin Tuohy rolled off three in succession to bring Feakle level at 1-17 apiece on 46 minutes, the momentum was travelling in the other direction to the breeze and billowing at Feakle’s back.

The Sars response was faultless. They did not let their opponents raise another flag. They themselves raised eight white flags in succession. It was a carbon copy of the Cork decider’s final quarter. Except this time it was Sars on the right side of a storming finish.

Aaron Myers, Jack O’Connor, and Cathal McCarthy rained in points from every vantage point of Páirc Uí Chaoimh. Myers’ personal tally reached 1-6 from play. McCarthy and O’Connor struck four apiece.

More than their attacking prowess, Sars’ pace rose to the surface in that one-sided final quarter. They charged into the opening pockets of space, tiring Feakle men trailing in their wake.

Sars rung the changes from the county final defeat to Imokilly. A new goalkeeper and new full-back among the changed personnel.

Ben Graham came in between the sticks for his first ever senior championship start. He immediately influenced at either end. The new No.1 assisted for at least 1-1 and also made two important first-half stops to prevent Oisín Donnellan and Steven Conway goals.

Cathal McCarthy was another of the three changes. His first championship start of 2024. He was their sole contributor from play in a difficult opening 14 minutes for the home side.

It was a difficult opening 19 minutes for the home side. Nine wides and a further white flag attempt short. Playing into the strong breeze, Sars enjoyed no shortage of possession or opportunities. But the same as the first half of the county final, when they also faced the elements, their radar was off. Way, way off.

The visitors and Clare champions had no such issues locating the target. Oísin O’Connor marked their arrival on Leeside within seven seconds. A pair each from Shane McGrath (both frees) and Oisín Donnellan had Feakle 0-5 to 0-1 in front on eight minutes.

From there to the break, though, the greater assertion came from the blue corner. They outgunned the opposite corner 1-11 to 0-6. They’d have outgunned them by a far more significant amount was it not for the aforementioned wastefulness.

Aaron Myers delivered the semi-final’s opening goal on 18 minutes. Fielding cleanly a Ben Graham delivery, he held off the attention of three yellow shirts to squeeze the sliotar past Quilligan. He followed with a point, the 1-1 part of a 1-3 burst to take the Cork representatives from two behind into a lead of 1-7 to 0-6.

Myers finished the half with 1-2 from play. He’d have finished the half with 2-2 were it not for a superb Eibhear Quilligan save. Sars finished the half 1-12 to 0-11 in front.

An Eoin Tuohy point and converted Eibhear Quilligan penalty within three minutes of the restart had it level. They would be level thrice more. Then came the Sars acceleration.

A change from the usual November script concerning Cork’s senior hurling representatives in Munster. Cork will have a team in the Munster Club senior final for the first time since Glen Rovers lost to Ballyea in 2016.

A change for Sars too. Thoughts of Ballygunner can wait until tomorrow.

Scorers for Sars: A Myers (1-6); D Hogan (0-6, 0-5 frees, 0-1 ‘65); Cathal McCarthy, J O’Connor (0-4 each); P Leopold, L Elliott, D Kearney, Colm McCarthy, S O’Regan (0-1 each).

Scorers for Feakle: S McGrath (0-7, 0-5 frees); S Conway, O Donnellan (0-3 each); E Quilligan (1-0 pen); E Tuohy (0-2); E Noonan, O O’Connor (0-1 each).

SARS: B Graham; C O’Sullivan, E Murphy, P Leopold; B Murphy, C Roche, L Elliott; Colm McCarthy, Cillian McCarthy; D Kearney, D Hogan, C Darcy; A Myers, J Sweeney, J O’Connor.

SUBS: S O’Regan for Sweeney (49 mins); E O’Sullivan for Kearney (56); C Leahy for L Elliott (57) 

FEAKLE: E Quilligan; A Hogan, E Daly, O Clune; K Bane, C Smyth, E Tuohy; R O’Connor, E Noonan; O Donnellan, S McGrath, S Conway; O O’Connor, M Daly, P Daly.

SUBS: R Beale for P Daly (48); O McGann for O’Connor (52); F Donnellan for Daly, G Hanrahan for Noonan (both 60); E Madden for Bane (62).

REFEREE: T Walsh (Waterford).