Christy O'Connor on Sarsfields v Na Fianna: Sars one step from immortality but must grasp it

In an interview in the Irish Times before their All-Ireland semi-final against Slaughtneil, Daniel Kearney and Conor O’Sullivan spoke to Denis Walsh about the group’s need before the Munster final to reach an accommodation between humility and trepidation and conviction.

As well as having lost the county final to Imokilly after a poor performance, Ballygunner had hammered Sarsfields the previous year.

Sars had to believe a win was possible, but convincing themselves was even more difficult when the circumstantial evidence for a Ballygunner win was overwhelming.

“I had the feeling going into the game that, honestly, [losing] by 10 points would be good here now,” said Kearney.

“They way they’d been going, I was like, ‘no one’s going to catch them’. But if we didn’t turn up there was going to be a huge respect issue. People would be going, ‘look at this crowd again’. 

You were playing out of fear, and I suppose, anxiety.

“The bookies had them at 1/14. I think that kind of spooked us a bit in terms of the bookies don’t get it wrong. 

BURDEN

"There’s more of a focus because you’re representing Cork so everything is just amplified. I carried that burden, and I think everyone else did too.”

They shouldered it brilliantly, producing their best performance of the season to upset the odds and suddenly turn what seemed like an impossible dream into a completely realistic aim.

The whole mentality has switched now but, despite Kearney’s reservations before the Munster final, Sars’ mentality had changed long before the Munster semi-final against Feakle. Subconsciously, it had to.

If it hadn’t, Sars couldn’t have made it this far.

The Ballygunner performance has long diluted the fear and anxiety, but there is a different burden to be carried now, more than just the sense of responsibility of representing Cork, but trying to make the absolute most of a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

PRESSURE

Every team feels that weight going into a final, especially a side trying to win a first All-Ireland, but Sars’ journey over the last 15 months has enabled this group to frame this match with a different perspective to the weight attached to it. 

The nomadic existence they led for 12 months when their facilities were wiped out by Storm Babet in October 2023 made them even more resilient; the momentum they have built up now has left Sars surfing a wave of confidence and belief that they didn’t think was possible four months ago.

They beat the hot favourites for the competition in the Munster final so why can’t Sars go one step further now?

They are entitled to be even more confident again when facing a team that have never been on this stage before either.

On the other hand, Na Fianna might have been in last year’s All-Ireland final if they hadn’t lost the 2023 provincial decider to O’Loughlin Gaels by one point.

And they have made a habit of winning tight games ever since; they took down St Vincent’s in the Dublin semi-final after extra time; a late Ciarán Stacey goal carried them to victory in the final against Kilmacud Crokes; Na Fianna ground out another late win in the Leinster semi-final against St Martin’s. And they dug deeper than ever in the All-Ireland semi-final against Loughrea.

Na Fianna are a better team now than they were 12 months ago, not just for the greater experience accumulated now at this level, but because they have Donal Burke back after missing the 2023 campaign.

Burke has been nowhere near as consistently brilliant as he was before the injury, but he still showed in the Leinster final what he is capable off; from 15 possessions that evening, Burke scored 0-7 from play and was centrally involved in three more scores. Bryan Murphy will probably be given that man-marking duty to try and shut Burke down now.

Despite Burke being one of the best placed-ball strikers in the game, Colin Currie has been taking the frees, which is less surprising given the numbers; apart from a couple of misses against Kilcormac-Killoughey, Currie has been near flawless.

That will have exercised Sarsfields minds in recent weeks, not just the requirement to cut down on frees, but as much to do with their own need to be far more clinical from placed balls.

Aaron Myers was Sars’ first-choice free-taker until he went to the US and that duty passed to Daniel Hogan. But after the Slaughtneil game, is it time now to go back to Myers?

EVOLVED

One of the most impressive aspects of Sarsfields all season is how they have adapted and evolved and found a way to get better.

The call to give Ben Graham his chance as goalkeeper before the Feakle game was brave, but it has been inspired. Cathal McCarthy had been injured, but the decision not to start him in the county final, especially when Sars had the breeze, was a huge mistake that was immediately rectified.

Shane O’Regan has been used ever since to devastating effect as an impact sub.

There is a better balance to the team now but Sars have huge options too. 

Killian Murphy, who was arguably their best player in Cork in 2023 before getting injured, and Craig Leahy — one of their most experienced players — both did well when coming on against Slaughtneil.

Liam Healy was only introduced in the 58th minute of that match, but he’s the kind of talent that could flourish in Croke Park if he gets more game-time on Sunday.

Cian Darcy looks made for Croke Park. Jack O’Connor is. Eoghan Murphy and Daniel Kearney will be better than they were against Slaughtneil, but they’ll have to be.

One step left now for Sars. One huge step from immortality. 

It’s within their grasp. They just have to grab it.