Premier SHC: Sars get ready for quick turnaround

Though elimination was off the agenda in Sunday’s Co-op SuperStores Premier SHC clash between Sarsfields and Glen Rovers, the Páirc Uí Rinn clash was far from a training match.

The clubs had four points each after beating Erin’s Own and Fr O’Neill’s and so progression was guaranteed. While Sars might have availed of the automatic semi-final place, some wayward shooting meant they were beaten to the top seeding by Blackrock.

It meant that the 2-23 to 2-19 win resulted in both the Riverstown side and their opponents qualifying for the quarter-finals, against Charleville and Midleton respectively, but their manager Johnny Crowley was glad of the outing.

“No matter when you play them, the Glen and Sars will always have intensity,” he said.

“It doesn't matter whether it’s a league game up in the Glen field or down in Sars or championship in here, you’ll always have a healthy intensity. That’s a given.

“I think it was a good game and any neutrals here would have enjoyed it – it was a good hour of hurling.

“We had, I think, 17 wides over the course of it, which isn't good enough, so that's something we can work on and there's a few other things we were looking at.”

Naturally, the Munster champions will have regrets about not being able to take the most direct route. At the same time, such a prize would come with a four-week lay-off and the risk of momentum being halted.

“I suppose going into the game, you're either in the quarter-final or the semi-final, you’d take both of them,” Crowley said.

“It’s two weeks’ time now, so a quick turnaround and we'll try and get ready for Charleville.”

Both of Sars’ goals on Sunday were scored by teenager Barry O’Flynn, who was making his first senior championship start for the club. Crowley was naturally delighted with how he adjusted and knows that there is more to come.

“Absolutely,” he said, “it's great for the young fella.

“The two goals he got were clinically finished and that's what you want but there were other situations where he maybe should taken the man on or not shot from impossible angles off the back foot, but that's a learning curve for him.

“We'll do the video analysis and then we'll have a chat with him, but for a young lad coming through, it was a fantastic day for him.

“The two goals should hopefully kick him on a bit.”

Like O’Flynn, veteran Daniel Kearney was making his first appearance for the first team, having featured in the intermediate A championship up to then, as Jack O’Connor and Shane O’Regan were unable to start.

Sars lost Cathal McCarthy during Sunday’s game and they will await the results of a scan to ascertain his availability for the game in Castletownroche on Sunday week. With the intermediates motoring nicely too, there is strength in depth.

“There's healthy competition there and it's great,” Crowley said.

“The intermediates reached their semi-final as well on Saturday night, so hopefully there'll be a healthy competition in training over the course of the next two weeks and we'll see how that goes.”