RedFM Hurling League final: Sarfields always on top as they retain title

Sarsfields 1-24 

Charleville 1-15 

Last year’s league and championship double winners Sarsfields kept up their winning run as they claimed the RedFM Hurling League Division 1 title at Páirc Uí Rinn on Saturday evening.

While they finished second to Charleville in the regular section of the league – and were beaten the by the Avondhu side – they were always on top here, establishing a 1-15 to 0-6 half-time lead that was never likely to be eroded.

The goal came from Shane O’Regan in the final minute of normal time, a crashing effort to the net, but they had been threatening and it had taken good defending from Jack Buckley to deny Hogan and while Robert Carrol had needed a strong block on the same player. Buckley also made an intervention when Darcy might have found the net.

Still, Sars’ long-range shooting allowed to continue to build the lead, with Conor O’Sullivan and Eoghan Murphy both on target in the latter stages of the half. The goal had them 1-15 to 0-5 in front before Cagney reduced the deficit slightly as the sides retired.

Charleville, having rejigged their team considerably, were improved after the restart and had the first three points of the second half through David Forde, Conor Buckley and Andrew Cagney but even then they were still nine behind before Hogan landed his seventh point of the night for Sars.

From there, they slowly pulled further ahead but Charleville did grab a 47th-minute goal through sub DJ Collins after an Alan Dennehy free broke. That made it 1-20 to 1-12 but it was as close as they were to come.

Points by Colm McCarthy and Shane O’Regan had Sars ahead by 1-24 to 1-13, when they won they were awarded a penalty on 57 after a foul on Sweeney. Hogan went for goal but Cian Collins saved well. Simon Gleeson and David O’Riordan had the last two points for Charleville but Sars’ supremacy was not in doubt.

In the first half, midfielder Cian Darcy had Sars in front with a point immediately after the throw-in and, though Conor Buckley did level soon after, it was the last time the sides were level.

Sars were sharp in attack, with James Sweeney a valuable outlet in the half-forward line while Ben Nodwell dropped deep to good effect.

They were soon into a 0-5 to 0-2 lead, though Charleville were disappointed to see a Danny O’Flynn effort, which would have made it 0-3 each, ruled out as the ball was deemed to have gone out of play beforehand.

Daniel Hogan’s frees helped Sars to further extend the lead and it was 0-8 to 0-2 when Darcy got his second point in the 13th minute. Points from Charleville’s Tim Hawe and Andrew Cagney did help to stem the flow somewhat, 0-9 to 0-5 after 17 minutes, but the North Cork side wouldn’t score again until Cagney’s injury-time free. By that stage, Sars had added an unanswered 1-6 to firmly tighten their grip.

Scorers for Sarsfields: D Hogan 0-10 (0-9f), S O’Regan 1-1, Colm McCarthy 0-3, J Sweeney, P Leopold, C Darcy 0-2 each, D Kearney, B Nodwell, E Murphy, C O’Sullivan 0-1 each.

Charleville: A Cagney 0-5f, D Forde 0-3, DJ Collins 1-0, C Buckley, T Hawe 0-2 each, D O’Riordan (0-1f), A Dennehy, S Gleeson 0-1 each.

SARSFIELDS: D McCarthy; C O’Sullivan (Capt), K Crowley, C Roche; B Murphy, E Murphy, P Leopold; C Darcy, J O’Leary; D Kearney, D Hogan, J Sweeney; B Nodwell, Colm McCarthy, S O’Regan.

Subs: D Long for Kearney (47), D English for Crowley (54), E O’Sullivan for Nodwell (56), D Roche for E Murphy (58), Cillian McCarthy for O’Regan, K Walsh for C Roche (both 60).

CHARLEVILLE: C Collins; F Cagney, J Buckley (Capt), D Butler; O O’Connell, A Dennehy, R Carroll; D O’Flynn, D Casey; G Kelleher, A Cagney, C Buckley; J O’Brien, D Forde, T Hawe.

Subs: DJ Collins for O’Brien (half-time), D O’Riordan for Casey (46), M Kavanagh for Kelleher (53), S Gleeson for O’Connell (54), B O’Connell for Carroll (60).

Referee: I McCarthy (Bandon).