Ravenous Sars stun Ballygunner to claim thrilling Munster hurling title

Substitute Shane O'Regan claimed 2-3 in a dramatic last quarter as raging favourites Ballygunner were out-battled by the ravenous Cork representatives.

"Beyond the forty or so of us in the group I don't think anyone in the country gave us a chance, but the players have been unbelievable," Sars manager Johnny Crowley told TG4 afterwards.

Sars lost to the same opposition by 17 points in the provincial championship last year but completed a remarkable turnaround, giving Cork a first provincial hurling title in the grade in 16 years.

It also completed a clean sweep of provincial hurling titles for the county, following Saturday's win for Watergrasshill in the IHC final and Russell Rovers' victory in the junior decider.

If the results of the general election are playing out along expected lines, this was one result that couldn’t be placed anywhere near the expected category.

Equally unexpected was the game-changer and match-winner of this Munster Club hurling final. Shane O’Regan, a transferee from neighbouring Watergrasshill in recent years, was taken off at half-time in October’s Cork county final defeat. He lost his starting spot for the subsequent Munster semi-final win over Feakle.

Introduced approaching the three-quarter mark here, he struck his opening point on 48 minutes. It was Sars’ first score in eight minutes and re-established the three-point advantage they held for much of the third quarter.

O’Regan would add a stunning 2-2 in the subsequent 11 minutes. He finished with 2-3 beside his name for the 20 minutes he spent on the field. He and his teammates finished as Munster champions. The club’s first Munster final appearance finished in a historic victory.

For Ballygunner, this was not how Sunday was supposed to transpire. The second All-Ireland title most had chalked them down for will not now transpire. Their 11-game winning run in Munster has not reached 12. Their bid for a fourth consecutive Munster crown has not materialised. They’ve failed to take outright pole position at the head of the provincial roll of honour.

Another demoralising setback for this group in their quest to establish themselves as one of the great club hurling sides.

They can have no complaints. They were outhurled and outfought. Basics, but basic which their opponents executed significantly better.

Ballygunner never led. They were level only once. They were never within the minimum throughout a second half where Sars threatened to toss away their dominance. That was until Shane O’Regan arrived.

The chants of ‘Rego, Rego, Rego’ rang out from the Ryan Strand before, at, and after the finish.

The 1-11 to 1-8 interval scoreline was a rare sight. Ballygunner behind. And behind throughout that opening 32 minutes.

There were many comparisons to Ballygunner’s defeat to St Thomas’ in last December’s All-Ireland semi-final. The most obvious was the aggression tabled by Sars and the turnovers it fed.

A Cian Darcy turnover led to Sars’ fourth point on three minutes. It was the fourth consecutive point of a perfect start for the Cork representatives. Less than two minutes later, Daniel Kearney turned over Ronan Power, Luke Elliott fed Jack O’Connor, and his burst through the unmanned centre finished with a green flag waving.

Sars 1-4 to 0-1 in front. Nobody saw this happening.

Their work ethic never relented. On 10 minutes, O’Connor got in his hurl to send the sliotar 10 metres back the field as Peter Hogan wound up for the posts. Daniel Kearney pointed from the turnover. And on and on it continued.

Where their opening quarter against Feakle last time out was so mired by misses, Sars went 1-5 from their opening six shots here.

The attempted cuteness of their defence wasn’t having the same success of their shooting. Bryan and Eoghan were pulled for off-the-ball fouls in the opening 11 minutes, both men picking up yellow cards for their infringements. Conor O’Sullivan was similarly penalised later in the half, albeit he escaped yellow.

A slew of Pauric Mahony frees steadily grew the Ballygunner total after overcoming the initial shock of their opponents’ blitzkrieg start.

Dessie Hutchinson became only their second contributor on 13 minutes, what was his first clean possession of the game. That in itself spoke torrents of how the opening quarter had looked at the consensus script and thought, nah, let’s do something different.

Dessie’s second involvement was to bring the champions within the minimum. On 17 minutes, he caught Peter Hogan’s delivery, ahead of Conor O’Sullivan, and buried. Patrick Fitzgerald brought the level at 1-7 apiece thereafter.

The consensus that Ballygunner had weathered the early storm and setback was again made a mockery of. Ballygunner didn’t score again from play for the remainder of the half. Sars came with four on the hop. Luke Elliott, Daniel Hogan, Jack O’Connor, and Cathal McCarthy, after yet another intercept and turnover, restored their earlier lead.

Patrick Fitzgerald and Pauric Mahony’s accuracy brought the four-in-a-row chasing Waterford men within two on five occasions in the second period. There was none of the usual energy or enterprise to bring them closer again.

O’Regan’s first goal on 55 minutes to move Sars 2-18 to 1-16 ahead involved an inordinate amount of steps. His second, four minutes later, was a piece of intricate beauty. Luke Elliott to Cathal McCarthy to Rego. Cork's first Munster club crown since Newtownshandrum in 2009 was on the way.

The Ulster champions next, Croke Park now an hour from their grasp. From county final disappointment to a winter of unexpected delight.

Scorers for Sarsfields: S O’Regan (2-3); D Hogan (0-5, 0-3 frees); J O’Connor (1-2); D Kearney (0-4); L Elliott (0-2); C Darcy, B Murphy, Cathal McCarthy, Colm McCarthy (0-1 each).

Scorers for Ballygunner: P Mahony (1-8, 1-7 frees); P Fitzgerald (0-5); D Hutchinson (1-2); C Sheahan, P Leavey, K Mahony, C Power (0-1 each).

SARSFIELDS: 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 Myers (44); K Murphy for Colm McCarthy (50); E O’Sullivan for Sweeney (59); C Leahy for Kearney (61).

BALLYGUNNER: S O’Keeffe; I Kenny, B Coughlan, T Foley; H Ruddle, Philip Mahony, R Power; C. Sheahan, P Leavey; M Mahony, Pauric Mahony, P Hogan; P. Fitzgerald, K Mahony, D Hutchinson.

Subs: C Power for Hogan (44); S O’Sullivan for Power (53); C Tobin for M Mahony (57); A O’Neill for T Foley (60).

Referee: J Murphy (Limerick).