Sarsfields' All-Ireland club final appearance is the stuff of dreams for O'Sullivan

At 35, and with three kids at home, the defender is on the brink of his greatest achievement in his 17th season as a senior club hurler.

O'Sullivan, who lined out for Cork in the 2013 All-Ireland finals against Clare, backed himself from a young age to hurl for the Rebels. He felt winning county titles with Sars was doable too, eventually winning five of them.

But matching Newtownshandrum's All-Ireland club title success exactly 20 years ago was something he figured was 'just so far beyond belief'.

"Growing up, I remember going to watch Newtown and supporting them when they beat Dunloy in '04," said O'Sullivan. "I went away thinking, 'Yeah, it's absolutely possible for me to grow up and to win a county with Sarsfields and it's possible for me to play for Cork'. But honestly, never in my wildest dreams did I think it would be possible to get to an All-Ireland final with Sars. It's just so far beyond belief.

"I was in with Cork for 10 years, from 2009 until 2019 overall. Again, I always kind of thought to myself, 'Yeah, I'll play with Cork when I'm older, I'll play with Sars. I could win a county.' But an All-Ireland final with the club? I just didn't think in my wildest dreams that was possible."

That Sars have done it after the most difficult year in the club's history has made it even more memorable.

It's only 14 months ago since the club's Riverstown facilities were devastated by Storm Babet and just a matter of weeks since they lost the 2024 county final heavily to Imokilly.

"It's mad, it really is a fairytale when you think about it," said O'Sullivan. "I remember the week of the floods so well last year; senior county final on the Sunday, storm on the Wednesday, senior camogie final the following Sunday. It was just a crazy week.

"When you think about what the club has gone through, our whole journey since then, going training in different pitches. It's definitely hardened us and galvanised us. I think the last 10 minutes in the win over Slaughtneil, how we dug in, that was probably a function or an outcome of all the hardship we've had to go through. It definitely came out in our hurling."

Sars came from three points down in the final quarter to win by one in Newbridge last Sunday.

O'Sullivan was joined on the pitch by his young family afterwards.

"I have three little boys," he said. "It's tough going but they get the best out of me at home because I'm happy out, playing with Sars. That's the way I look at it. People always say, 'Jesus, how do you do both? But you wouldn't be as good at home if you weren't out playing hurling and it's the same the other way, you wouldn't be as good playing hurling if you didn't have that support at home."