'It was disrespectful, distasteful, and that hurt our lads': Sars delight at upsetting the odds against Gunners

What O’Regan neglected to tell us during our on-field chat in the aftermath of his stunning bench contribution and his team’s stunning upset was that he only landed back into the country on Thursday after time away.

Unusual Munster final preparation, but not a jot of harm it did him.

“He came back and he was biting,” said Sars coach Diarmuid O’Sullivan. “We’ve been waiting for Shane to explode. Thankfully, today was the day he decided to give that performance.” 

O’Regan had a fine club season in Cork. That was up until county final afternoon. He was whipped at half-time in the defeat to Imokilly and lost his spot for the subsequent Munster semi-final.

Here, he was introduced on 44 minutes for Aaron Myers. The sliotar hadn’t hopped for Myers, a forward who fashioned 1-6 in the semi-final win over Feakle. The sliotar hopped several times for the man replacing him.

O’Regan registered his opening point on 48 minutes to shove Sars 1-16 to 1-13 in front. He added two more across the next three minutes, their lead now four-strong.

His 55th minute goal, after a wholly illegal number of steps, sent them five in front. His second goal, four minutes later, was a piece of intricate beauty involving Luke Elliott and Cathal McCarthy that shoved them into an uncatchable seven-point advantage.

It sealed a famous and first Munster Club final win for the beaten Cork finalists, even if dethroned Ballygunner did pinch a late 1-2 to inject a degree of nervousness into the finish.

O’Regan, an All-Ireland U20 winner with Cork during the delayed 2020 season, transferred from Watergrasshill to Sars in early 2022. A transfer not without noise. It was initially refused, not to mind being raised more than once at county board meetings.

At some point before his untimely passing in June of last year, Sars legend Teddy McCarthy told O’Regan that he’d be absolutely fine once he let his hurling do the talking.

The noise yesterday came from the Ryan Stand. The chants of ‘Rego, Rego, Rego’ rang out before, at, and after the final whistle.

“I heard them, they were nice chants,” said O’Regan. “There was different chants there a couple of weeks ago, but these are the best ones, these are the ones that mean the most to me.

“This is incredible, it's an incredible feeling. Especially to be here with my best friends, my family. I can't even put it into words how much these people mean to me. Surrounded by this club, it's just the best thing that ever happened to me. It's the best decision I ever made.” 

Daniel Kearney spoke of their game-changer and match-winner having had “a tough season on and off the team”. Kearney also spoke of their 9/1 long odds coming into the game. Odds that Diarmuid O’Sullivan took a very dim view of.

“Absolutely no one gave us a chance,” remarked the winning coach. “When the bookies make Ballygunner 1/14 on and Sars 9/1 outsiders, it was disrespectful, distasteful, and that hurt our lads more than the county final. It’s the constant lack of respect we have been getting, so we knew we’d a performance burning and building. Today is testament to that.” 

Their start made a mockery of the pre-match consensus. 1-5 from their first six shots. A six-point lead after six minutes. A level of aggression tabled that bore uncanny resemblance to the successful St Thomas’ approach that took down Ballygunner in last year’s All-Ireland semi-final.

The same as that semi-final, Ballygunner were uncomfortable in the heat being turned up. Cian Darcy forced a turnover for Daniel Hogan’s opener. Daniel Kearney turned over Ronan Power for Jack O’Connor’s early goal. O’Connor had two outstanding interruptions on Peter Hogan and Conor Sheahan later in the half for a pair of white flags.

The champions’ off-colour complexion was captured early. Dessie Hutchinson didn’t have his first possession until the 13th minute. His goal, four minutes later, and Patrick Fitzgerald’s subsequent point had the four-in-a-row Munster chasers level at 1-7 apiece.

It was the sole occasion they were level. They never once led. Sars responded to stalemate being achieved by throwing over four on the spin and holding their opponents scoreless for 12 minutes.

In front by 1-11 to 1-8 at the break, Sars’ marginal second half dominance wasn’t shaking Ballygunner or their quest for the outright lead atop the provincial roll of honour. That was until O’Regan’s arrival and stunning announcement.

A 21-point swing on last year’s 2-20 to 0-9 Munster quarter-final mismatch. Unexpected and unreal was Cork's first Munster club crown since Newtownshandrum in 2009.

The Ulster champions up 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 Foley (60).

Referee: J Murphy (Limerick).