Cork PSHC: Outstanding Sars fire 4-30 beyond Erin's Own in dominant win
Cathal McCarthy, Sarsfields wrestles away from Finn O'Brien, Erins Own during the Cork County Premier Senior Hurling Championship at Pairc Ui Rinn, Cork. Picture: Jim Coughlan.
It was as dominant as they come for Sarsfields, who routed Erin’s Own to ensure a seventh consecutive group stage win in the Cork Premier Senior Hurling Championship on Saturday night.
Sarsfields scored 4-27 from play. They finished with 11 different scorers. The Riverstown side were never in any doubt. They dominated Erin’s Own from start to finish.
Erin’s Own’s efforts in the latter half were admirable. After being annihilated in the opening 30, they improved to score 3-10 compared to their first-half haul of 0-5 with the breeze.
But their opponents were simply a level above, and this contest was well and truly put to bed before Sars had raised their second green flag of the first half.
Pace, power, and conviction – Sars were utterly faultless in the opening period against an Erin’s Own side who could hardly hold possession on their own restarts.
By the time Erin’s Own had scored their fourth point in the 18th minute, they were five behind. When they got their fifth 13 minutes later, they trailed by 16.
The margin could have been far larger, too. Shane O’Regan had a trio of goal chances, of which he converted none.
Two as a result of blocks and hooks from Riain O’Regan who did everything in his power to stop him. The other saw Shane O’Regan’s first goal attempt in the seventh minute, brilliantly saved by Tom Dillon.
But while they were level at 0-3 each after 11 minutes, Sars outscored Erin’s Own 3-9 to 0-1 across the next 19 minutes.
Cathal McCarthy chipped in with a trademark 0-2 from the full-back line; Conor O’Sullivan did the same in the second half.
Killian Murphy broke through the Caherlag club’s defence with ease to blast the first goal into the top right corner after 15 minutes, while James Sweeney added a brace after two clean finishes, the first assisted by Killian Murphy, the second after O’Regan passed to Bryan Murphy, who offloaded to Sweeney for the goal.
While Conor Lenihan added one of his five from play to close out the half, Erin’s Own were down 3-12 to 0-5 at the break. He would finish without a wide in what was a solid performance, but they were utterly outclassed.
Sars were getting the scores from everywhere. Bryan Murphy was outstanding in the half-back line. Daniel Hogan starred. Jack O’Connor finished with 1-8, all from play. He took his second-half goal brilliantly; after a mix-up in the Erin’s Own defence, he emerged with the sliotar to power home the fourth major with 34 minutes elapsed.
Erin’s Own did get their first back straight after, sub Cian O’Callaghan assisted by Oran O’Regan. It was a well-worked effort and desperately needed, but the score still read 4-15 to 1-7.
For the next 10 or so minutes, they kept Sars scores to a minimum, landing 1-3 to their opponents’ 0-5. The goal came from Robbie O’Flynn, who was kept quiet for the majority of the game by Cillian Roche. O’Flynn struck the close-range free powerfully, bouncing it into the roof of the net.
It was 4-20 to 2-10 at that stage, with 12 minutes to go. Sars reeled off another 0-4 unanswered; Erin’s Own replied with 1-2 – the goal from O’Callaghan again as O’Flynn did well to assist him.
But in the closing five minutes, Sars just kept scoring, point after point. Shane O’Regan finally got a reward for his efforts, while ‘keeper Ben Graham surged forward to get one from play. A couple more from O’Connor ensured they hit the 30-point mark in added time.
Glen Rovers await Sars. But the Riverstown side have already proven beyond doubt they’ll be hard to stop.
J O’Connor 1-8, J Sweeney 2-0, Colm McCarthy 0-5 (0-3 f), K Murphy 1-2, D Hogan 0-5, C Darcy, Cathal McCarthy, C O’Sullivan, B Murphy 0-2 each, S O’Regan, B Graham 0-1 each.
R O’Flynn 1-4 (1-2 f), C O’Callaghan 2-0, C Lenihan 0-5, E Murphy, P O’Shea, O O’Regan, T Dillon (f), C Dunphy, R Twomey 0-1 each.
B Graham; C O’Sullivan (c), C McCarthy, C Leahy; B Murphy, C Roche, L Elliott; D Hogan, K Murphy; C Darcy, Colm McCarthy, J O’Connor; B Nodwell, J Sweeney, S O’Regan.
T Dillon; R O’Regan (jc), C Dooley, T O’Connell; C O’Connor, C Dunphy, C McDonnell; Ó O’Regan, P O’Shea; M O’Carroll, R O’Flynn (jc), M O’Riordan; C Lenihan, E Murphy, F O’Brien.
S Irwin for O’Carroll, S Broderick for McDonnell (both HT), B Óg Murphy for E Murphy (37), C O’Callaghan for O’Brien (38), R Twomey for O’Riordan (43).
C McAllister (Aghada)
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