Sarsfields withstand Glen Rovers fight back to win U16 Premier 1 HC title
30th September 2024: Sarsfields players celebrate after defeating Glen Rovers in the Rebel Óg under 16 Premier 1 HC final at Pairc Ui Rinn. Picture: Eddie O'Hare
With Sars five in front and the Premier 1 Hurling Championship final entering the final 15 minutes, the lingering feeling that the Glen would come back remained on Monday evening.
After a seven minute scoreless spell, Gavin O’Callaghan pointed from play to bring the gap down to four with 15 to go.
Two frees from Cathal Galvin put Sars ahead by six, but then Glen Rovers had their moment of magic.
From a close range free with eight minutes to go, O’Callaghan smashed it – and it flew into the net.
The atmosphere in Páirc Uí Rinn changed, and the northsiders could smell blood with only three in it.
Tom Huggins – who had been excellent for Sars assisted Galvin, but O’Callaghan chalked it off with a free.
Five minutes.
Adam Dunlea’s free was again cut out by Rovers, this time through Evan McGuckin – but their comeback hopes took a huge hit when Robert Buckley was shown a straight red card after an incident off the ball with less than two minutes to go.
There would be no Glen Rovers fightback this time.
Sarsfields made sure of that with another free from Galvin and a point from Dunlea, and they finished five point winners.
It was a battle – but Sars’ quality told, and the Premier 1 U16 Hurling Championship title is going to Riverstown.
The northsiders produced the perfect start – as Michael Tadhg Brosnan pointed with 12 seconds on the clock.
An excellent free from Gavin O’Callaghan went straight over the posts, before Cian O’Brien set up Conor Cunningham for a third Glen score inside five minutes.
As cool as you like – Dunlea picked out Huggins with an excellent long range pass, and the corner forward found his angle and popped it over the bar getting Sarsfields off the mark.
O’Callaghan added his second as Michael Tadhg assisted, but Cathal Galvin’s free showed Sars weren’t going anywhere.
Wing-back Derry Crowley pointed to leave it 0-4 to 0-3 in favour of the northsiders after 10 minutes, but Sars came to life.
Dunlea – who was instrumental in Sars’ MHC semi-final win over Ballincollig, picked out Huggins once more, and they were level for the first time.
By the 18th minute, Sars had moved four in front with Alex Maher pointing twice – the second an outstanding long range effort, while Huggins added his third and fourth scores.
An outstanding team move saw Alex Morley, Maher combine to set up Cormac Fennessy one-on-one from point blank range. Goal.
The following puckout was sent straight back to Glen’s Shane McCarthy, with Maher once again striking over.
Sars had now scored 1-6 without reply and led 1-10 to 0-5 after just 21 minutes, and were yet to hit a single wide.
That first wide wouldn’t come until the 30th minute, and by that point Rovers would have seven.
A couple of frees from O’Callaghan cut the deficit to six at half time.
Within a minute of the restart Michael Tadhg set up James O’Mahony for a point, but the heroics came at the other end when McCarthy made an outstanding stretching save to deny Galvin a second Sars goal after 34 minutes.
Morley added a much needed score for Sars, putting an end to a run of four wides, but Michael Tadhg responded – and so the gap returned to five.
But Sars held out despite the scare, and made sure there would be no Glen victory this time.
C Galvin (4 f), T Huggins 0-5 each, A Maher 0-3, C Fennessy 1-0, A Dunlea (f), A Morley 0-2 each, D Crowley, C McMahon 0-1 each.
G O’Callaghan 1-9 (1-5 f, 0-1 65), M T Brosnan 0-2, J O’Mahony, C Cunningham, E McGuckin 0-1 each.
C McCarthy; D Pomeroy, T O’Flynn (J-Cpt), O Hurley; E Considine, A Dunlea, D Crowley; S Sheehan, A Leahy; C McMahon, C Fennessy (J-Cpt), A Maher; T Huggins, C Galvin, A Morley.
R Dennehy for Fennessy (60), T Hurley for Morley (60+3).
S McCarthy; C Barrett, R O’Callaghan, C Burke (Cpt); R Buckley, K Cronin, L Woods; M T Brosnan, J Brosnan; J O’Mahony, C Cunningham, E McGuckin; C O’Brien, G O’Callaghan, C Turnbull.
K Foley for Turnbull (41), M Forde for O’Brien (48).
Niall Fahy (Brian Dillons)
App?
