Premier SHC: Sarsfields into final after extra-time win over Imokilly
Sarsfields players celebrate the equalising goal against Imokilly' during the Co-op SuperStores Cork Premier SHC semi-final at Páirc Uí Chaoimh. Picture: Eddie O'Hare
SARSFIELDS are into the Co-op SuperStores Cork Premier SHC final for the first time since 2015 after a dramatic extra-time win over Imokilly at Páirc Uí Chaoimh on Sunday.
Trailing by 0-18 to 0-14 with 63 minutes on the clock, they managed to force extra time as Aaron Myers’ point was followed by a goal at the death from Luke Elliott.
In the first additional period, they pushed on, with Cathal McCarthy – nominally a corner-back but revelling in the open space – scoring three points as they enjoyed a 1-20 to 0-20 advantage at the halfway point.
Imokilly did come back to within a point four times in the second half thanks to the free-taking of sub William Leahy but Sars, through McCarthy (two) and sub Shane O’Regan stayed in front. After Leahy’s last point in the 83rd minute, Imokilly’s Ciarán Joyce won the puckout and was fouled, allowing the champions of 2017, 2018 and 2019 one more chance.
From somewhere near Ringaskiddy, goalkeeper Eoin Davis’s free into the wind had the distance but just lacked direction and Sars held out.
The Riverstown side had started like a train. The opening six minutes yielded four unanswered points for them, with roving full-forward Colm McCarthy setting them on their way while Jack O’Connor, Aaron Myers and Cian Darcy all landed good efforts too.
They might have even had a seven-point advantage when Daniel Hogan forged an opening but, rather than continuing on himself, he laid off to James Sweeney, whose shot was blocked.
While Diarmuid Healy opened the Imokilly account, Sars were as impressive out of possession as they were with the ball, applying strong pressure to generate turnovers. With the wind behind them, the scores continued to come – Colm McCarthy set up O’Connor to make it 0-5 to 0-1 with a fine point and Bryan Murphy’s long-range score had them five ahead.
Mike Kelly and Séamus Harnedy helped Imokilly to make their arrears more manageable and, though Killian Murphy had Sars 0-7 to 0-4 in front with a point after another turnover, Sars’ fluency was not at the levels it had been earlier.
Imokilly took advantage. A super individual point from Diarmuid Healy was followed by a pair of Kelly frees. After Colm McCarthy scored for Sars, Brian Lawton’s point from distance had it a one-point game again as half-time approached but opportunities to level were not availed of – they had 10 first-half wides. Aaron Myers’ free, Sars’ first from a dead ball, left it 0-9 to 0-7 at half-time
Myers extended the lead to three on the resumption and the next four points were shared evenly, with little to suggest that Sars’ supremacy would be shaken. Indeed, they almost moved six ahead in the 39th minute as O’Connor’s pace gave him sight of goal from the left and, from a very tight angle, his shot came back off the post.
Even though Imokilly did reply to that with Mike Kelly’s fifth, Myers’ fourth put Sars 0-13 to 0-10 ahead with 19 minutes of normal time remaining. They would only add two more white flags in that period as Imokilly drove on.
Points from Mike Kelly and Bill Cooper in the 43rd minute made inroads and they were level as Seán Desmond intercepted a loose Sars sideline cut and fired over.
Jack Leahy put them ahead for first time and Kelly added a free but other opportunities were not capitalised upon. Even so, as Cooper, Harnedy and Barry Lawton fired over, they were 0-18 to 0-14 to the good as the game moved into injury time.
Myers gave Sars some hope with a free and, when they won a free out on the right, Cathal McCarthy dropped the ball in and, after a huge scramble, Elliott touched the ball home.
Sars had earned a second chance and they took it in extra time.
A Myers 0-7 (0-2 f, 0-2 65), Cathal McCarthy 0-5, L Elliott 1-0, K Murphy, B Murphy, Colm McCarthy, J O’Connor 0-2 each, C Darcy, S O’Regan, D Hogan 0-1 each.
M Kelly 0-7 f, W Leahy 0-4 f, D Healy, S Harnedy 0-3 each, Barry Lawton, B Cooper 0-2 each, Brian Lawton, J Leahy, S Desmond, E Davis (f) 0-1 each.
D McCarthy; P Leopold, C Leahy, Cathal McCarthy; B Murphy, E Murphy, L Elliott; K Murphy, D Kearney; J O’Connor, C Darcy, D Hogan; A Myers, Colm McCarthy, J Sweeney.
L Hackett for Sweeney (half-time), S O’Regan for Darcy (44), C O’Sullivan for Hogan (52), W Kearney for K Murphy (56, injured), B Nodwell for W Kearney (60, injured), Sweeney for Hackett (71), Hogan for Sweeney (73, injured), D Long for D Kearney (80).
E Davis (St Catherine’s), D O’Leary (Watergrasshill), M Russell (Aghada), C O’Brien (St Ita’s); J Cronin (Lisgoold), C Joyce (Castlemartyr), T Wilk (Cobh); B Cooper (Youghal), S Hegarty (Dungourney); D Healy (Lisgoold), S Harnedy (St Ita’s), Brian Lawton (Castlemartyr); M Kelly (Castlemartyr), S Desmond (Watergrasshill), J Leahy (Dungourney).
Barry Lawton (Castlemartyr) for Russell (10, injured), W Leahy (Aghada) for Kelly (60), J McCarthy (Dungourney) for Brian Lawton (70), K Wallace (St Catherine’s) for O’Leary (77), J Stack (Castlemartyr) for Desmond (80).
S Stokes (Tullylease).
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