Sars edge tense clash to become first Cork All-Ireland senior finalists in 18 years
Club All Ireland Final Return: Newtownshandrum Cork ©inpho/ben Picture: First Rebels Sarsfields To Reach Since An Shc 2006 Brady In The Are
Sarsfields will be Cork’s first representatives in an All-Ireland senior final since 2006 following a tense tussle in Newbridge this afternoon.
It wasn’t expected to be anything else against this more-than-doughty Slaughtneil team whose captain Mark McGuigan could have won it at the death only to blaze the ball over the bar from point-blank range.
For the second game in a row, Sarsfields’ timing was perfect. They had been outplayed in the early part of the second half but they rose to the finish. They trailed up to the 52nd minute when the inspirational Jack O’Connor sent over his fourth point.
A minute later and provincial final hero Shane O’Regan put Sarsfields into the lead.
They doubled that in the 57th minute only for a brace of Cormac O’Doherty points to tie matters going into additional time. However, Aaron Myers and substitute Liam Healy were able to put Sarsfields back into control.
Shane McGuigan’s third point narrowed the gap to the minimum once more but replacement Cathal McCarthy then landed a vital score. More drama followed when O’Doherty teed up Mark McGuigan for a goal but his shot flew over the bar and so Sarsfields matched Newtownshandrum’s feat of 18 years ago.
The game appeared to be turning in Slaughtneil’s favour in the third quarter. From one point down, they built up a three-point lead. Brendan Rogers drew a third yellow card-earning free from a Sarsfields defender and Slaughtneil’s radar from distance was sharper.
Sarsfields went 11 minutes without a score between a couple of Myers’ frees. When Myers looped one over from play in the 46th minute to reduce the difference to two points, it was the Munster champions’ first point from play in 24 minutes. O’Connor sent over the next couple of scores and the initiative had shifted again before that absorbing finish.
A frenzied first half was littered with mistakes across the board. The freetakers struck five wides between them – three for O’Doherty, two for Daniel Hogan – and the execution of tackles and passes left a lot to be desired too. It was winter hurling at its rawest and compounded by the stakes at play made for a error-strewn if exciting period.
Sarsfields’ best patches came in the opening seven minutes – when they outscored Slaughtneil 0-3 to 0-1 and Colm McCarthy, despite taking too many steps, had a goal attempt denied by Oisín O’Doherty inside the opening 20 seconds – and between the 21st and 25th minutes as they reeled off four points without reply.
Backed by a good breeze, they would have wanted to be ahead at the break but their advantage was marginal, 0-8 to 0-7. While they did well to stem Rogers’ influence, they were giving up frees too easily, especially in the first quarter.
O’Doherty had four converted frees to his name by the 17th minute and the latter two put Slaughtneil ahead on each occasion. Cormac O’Sullivan was manning his area admirably but too often colleagues were being sucked into making unnecessary infringements.
Down 0-4 to 0-5, Sarsfields found their groove starting with Hogan’s third free in the 22nd minute. O’Connor sent over his second point in the following minute before Bryan Murphy landed a well-worked effort from close to the sideline.
Another Hogan free for a foul on Cian Darcy pushed Sarsfields three up but Slaughtneil saw out the half with two points.
A. Myers (0-5, 2 frees); D. Hogan (frees), J. O’Connor (0-4 each); Cathal McCarthy (0-2); B. Murphy, S. O’Regan, L. Healy (0-1 each).
C. O’Doherty (0-9, 8 frees, 1 65); Shane McGuigan (0-3); Shéa Cassidy, E. Cassidy, M. McGrath, R. Ó Mianáin, M. McGuigan (0-1 each).
B. Graham; C. O’Sullivan (c), P. Leopold; B. Murphy; C. Roche, L. Elliott, E. Murphy; Colm McCarthy, Cathal McCarthy; D. Hogan, D. Kearney, C. Darcy; A. Myers. J. O’Connor, J. Sweeney.
S. O’Regan for J. Sweeney (42); C. Leahy for P. Leopold (44); K. Murphy for E. Murphy (50); L. Healy for D. Kearney (57).
O. O’Doherty; Seán Cassidy, F. McEldowney, P. McNeill; Shane McGuigan, C. McAllister, R. Ó Mianáin; J. Cassidy, M. McGrath; B. Rogers, M. McGuigan (c), Sé McGuigan; C. O’Doherty, Shéa Cassidy, E. Cassidy.
C. McKaigue for R. Ó Mianáin (51); G. Bradley for M. McGrath (56); P. McCullagh for J. Cassidy (58).
J. Owens (Wexford).