Jack O'Connor typified all that was good about Sars against Slaughtneil

There can be absolutely no denying that Jack O’Connor was the pivotal figure of a rip-roaring second half in the All-Ireland Senior Club hurling semi-final in Newbridge on Sunday, as he had his paw prints all over Sarsfields’ famous win over Slaughtneil.

He struck four priceless points from play to help lead his club to Croke Park, but he was also involved in winning dirty ball he had no right to win and was also involved in a controversial incident where he was lucky to just receive a yellow card.

In the 38th minute the Derry champions were winning by one when O’Connor went for a hook on the Slaughteil wing-back by the sideline, but instead connected with the helmet. Sars fans' hearts would have been in their mouths as referee James Owens had a word. He reached for his pocket. 

What colour was he rooting for? The yellow emerged. Sighs of relief all round from the travelling Glanmire supporters.

That incident took place during Sarsfields worst period in the game, as they added only one Aaron Myers free between the start of the second half until the 43rd minute, a period which saw them going from one up at the break to three points down. They were struggling, and Slaughtneil were looking the likely winners at that point.

INSTANT

Needing a change, the Munster final hero Shane O’Regan was sprung in the 41st minute, and he had an instant impact by embarking on a typically direct run that resulted in the free that Myers converted to end a lengthy scoreless spell for Sars.

This score signalled the beginning of Sars’ best spell in the game, with Myers bagging their first score from play of the half in the 45th minute, with O’Connor immediately tagging on another to bring the Corkmen to within one.

Both sides were being wayward with their shooting at this juncture, but step up that man O’Connor, who displayed his inter-county class by going on a slaloming run in the 51st minute before brilliantly slotting to level affairs.

This set the stage for O’Regan to do his party piece a minute later, as he split the posts to give his side a lead they would never surrender.

In these kinds of matches, played at this time of year, it is never just about the scores, with O’Connor providing arguably the moment of the match in the 54th minute when he chased an opponent down fully 30 yards to get the faintest of flicks in what resulted in a turnover for Sars. 

It is the kind of hunger that cannot be coached and is the type of work-rate that should be shown to every young player as an example to follow.

The game had loosened up now, and therefore it was no surprise that Cathal McCarthy was beginning to be more and more influential, with him pointing in the 56th minute in a move where the experienced Conor O’Sullivan showed how ice cool he can be in possession down the other end of the pitch.

Sars’ valuable two-point lead was wiped out by the 59th minute thanks to two soft frees, which meant an Aaron Myers special from the right sideline was required to give Sars the lead once more.

Liam Healy and Shane McGuigan then swapped points before Cathal McCarthy showed his superior fitness levels and class, two minutes into injury time, as he collected the ball deep in his half, burnt his man for pace and won a free. With the advantage, he just stuck it over the bar from the left sideline anyway.

SURVIVED

This gave Sars the feared two-point lead in the last moments of a GAA match and they probably should have suffered the agony of grabbing defeat from the jaws of victory as Slaughtneil centre-forward Mark McGuigan somehow flashed his close-range shot over Ben Graham’s crossbar, when everyone in Newbridge was expecting the net to billow.

It was some let-off, but given their display in the last twenty minutes it was a stroke of luck that Sars probably deserved, as they now march on to an All-Ireland meeting with Dublin’s Na Fianna in the New Year.