Sarsfields hold off spirited Charleville challenge
Killian Murphy of Sarsfields holds possession despite the attentions of Charleville's Seán Bresnan and Finbarr Cagney in Sunday's Co-op SuperStores Premier SHC quarter-final at Castletownroche. Picture: John Tarrant
Sarsfields are through to a fourth Co-op SuperStores Premier SHC semi-final in five years, but not without a stern test of their credentials by Charleville.
At Castletownroche on Sunday afternoon, the 2023 champions – beaten finalists last year – trailed by a point at half-time but by the three-quarter mark they looked to have asserted control as Jack O’Connor’s third point of the game put them 0-16 to 0-11.
The fear was that a Charleville side that had worked so hard might tire, leading to a final scoreline that didn’t properly reflect the game and by the 51st minute Daniel Kearney’s point made it 0-19 to 0-12.
However, while Charleville had left some points behind them, they got themselves back into contention when midfielders Jack Callaghan and Darren Casey linked well to find sub Gareth Gleeson, who fired a shot beyond Ben Graham.
Sars replied with a point from centre-back Luke Elliott – his second – and then, when Charleville lost Darragh Fitzgibbon on a second booking after a mistimed challenge on Kearney, Colm McCarthy sent over the free to leave six in it with as many minutes of normal time left.
Still Charleville couldn’t be shaken. David Forde took over free-taking duties and cut the deficit before sub Conor Buckley sent over a good point. Then, a brilliant Forde catch led to another replacement, Jack Doyle, striking to leave a goal in it.
They had a chance to find that levelling score in injury time when Callaghan was fouled – Doyle’s free was repelled by Graham and, when Sars broke, O’Connor’s progress was illegally halted, allowing McCarthy to have the final say and finish the game with four points separating the sides.
It is the kind of encounter that should stand to Sars as they advance to a last-four meeting with St Finbarr’s as Charleville did not allow anything easy, their tigerish pressing exemplified by Darren Butler in defence. With the benefits of the breeze in the first half, the north Cork side conceded the first two points to McCarthy but responded with four on the bounce, Fitzgibbon with two as well as setting one up for Danny O’Flynn.
Though Sars hit the front again, Charleville might have had a goal late in the first half. Great work by Forde led to a turnover and he fed Seán Bresnan, who in turn played the ball to Callaghan as he raced goalwards but Cillian Roche did well to dispossess him without giving away a free.
Fitzgibbon’s third levelled at 0-6 each on 29 and Charleville were back in front as Doyle started a move that featured Jack Buckley, Bresnan and Forde and then Doyle finished it. O’Connor replied for Sars but full-back Jack Meade did brilliantly to set up Fitzgibbon for his fourth as Charleville departed the field to a rousing reception from their fans.
Barry O’Flynn levelled for Sars on the resumption, Fitzgibbon providing the Charleville riposte but it was the last time they led as Sarsfields began to get a foothold.
Twice, McCarthy set up points for midfielder Killian Murphy while Kearney was on target, too. Elliott, following a nicely worked puckout, landed one from distance to make it 0-13 to 0-11 but that was followed by four consecutive Charleville wides, a period on which they will reflect.
In contrast, when Sars weathered that they extended their advantage – O’Flynn showed nice skill to send over his second and Daniel Hogan scored a beauty from the right sideline before O’Connor put five in it.
The Cork panellist then replied to his county colleague Fitzgibbon’s free with two more nice scores and Kearney opened up the seven-point lead with nine minutes left.
Charleville were not out of it by a long shot, but Sars did enough to stay in front.
C McCarthy 0-8 (0-6 f), J O’Connor 0-5, K Murphy, L Elliott, D Kearney, B O’Flynn 0-2 each, D Hogan 0-1.
D Fitzgibbon 0-6 (0-1 f, 0-1 65), D Forde 0-4 (0-1 f), G Gleeson 1-0, J Doyle 0-2, D O’Flynn, T Hawe, C Buckley 0-1 each.
B Graham; C O’Sullivan, C Roche, D English; B Murphy, L Elliott, C Leahy; D Kearney, K Murphy; C Darcy, C McCarthy, J O’Connor; D Hogan, J Sweeney, B O’Flynn.
S O’Regan for Darcy (39), E Murphy for Leahy (51), B Nodwell for O’Flynn (60).
C Reynolds; D Butler, J Meade, F Cagney; C O’Carroll, A Dennehy, J Buckley; D Casey, J Callaghan; Z Biggane, S Bresnan, D Fitzgibbon; D Forde, T Hawe, D O’Flynn.
J Doyle for Biggane (28, injured), G Gleeson for Bresnan (41), C Buckley for Hawe (46), A Cagney for O’Flynn (50), O O’Connell for F Cagney (55).
C Lyons (Nemo Rangers).
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