Liam Healy snatches U21 hurling crown for Sars after dramatic finish against Midleton

Sarsfields 2-17 Midleton 0-22

SARS were crowned Cork County U21 Premier 1 Hurling champions after they defeated Midleton in an extraordinary final at the Páirc Uí Chaoimh 4G.

The 2017 winners were trailing by two points deep into injury time but a stunning goal from full-forward Liam Healy snatched the crown from Midleton, who also narrowly lost last season.

Midleton opened the scoring inside the opening couple of minutes as Garan Manley fired over from a free but Sars equalised almost immediately thanks to Daniel Hogan.

The Magpies retook the lead a minute later as a brilliant catch from the excellent Tommy O’Connell allowed him to pick out his fellow midfielder Sam Quirke and he duly split the uprights from distance.

But following that frantic opening, Sars grabbed control of proceedings and led by the lethal Healy they hit five of the next six points to lead 0-6 to 0-3 at the end of the first quarter.

The two talented sides soon swapped three overs apiece before Midleton showed their quality and inspired their own full-forward Garan Manley, they scored four without reply to lead at the half time break, 0-10 to 0-9.

Sars hit 10 wides in that first period and that looked like it was going to cost them as their rivals added two more after the restart thanks to Kian Farmer.

But they showed their quality as Healy, Hogan and Graham raised three white flags in succession to level on 35.

They remained level on 47 but this time it was 0-15 each although Midleton were in the ascendancy.

The black and whites scored the next three points but Sars responded in that time with the opening goal from captain Jack O’Connor to ensure they remained tied.

Midleton thought they had won it in the closing stages as they scored four points to their opponent’s two but Healy found the far bottom right corner in stoppage time.

Scorers for Sarsfields: L Healy 1-9 (0-3 f, 0-1 65), D Hogan 0-5, J O’Connor 1-1, B Graham 0-2.

Midleton: G Manley 0-10 (0-7 f), T O’Connell 0-5 (0-1 f), K Farmer 0-3, S Quirke, P O’Brien, S O’Meara and R O’Reagan 0-1 each.

SARSFIELDS: C Looney; D Barry, K Crowley, K Walsh; S O’Driscoll, K Roche, K Murphy; C Darcy, J O’Leary; B Graham, J O’Connor, D Allen; D Hogan, L Healy, C McCarthy.

Subs: D Walsh for D Allen (h-t), A Hackett for J O’Leary (49), S Garvey for S O’Driscoll (56).

MIDLETON: A Power; C O’Brien, S O’Sullivan, A Daly; E Moloney, S O’Leary Hayes, C Gunning; S Quirke, T O’Connell; K Finn, S O’Meara, R O’Reagan; K Farmer, G Manley, P O’Brien.

Subs: A Mulcahy for K Finn (36), T O’Sullivan for P O’Brien (50).

Referee: Joe Larkin (Ballinora).