John Horgan on Cork Hurling: Sars the team to beat but Midleton, Barrs and Blackrock could have their say yet

The side that will represent Cork in the Munster Club SHC will do so as champions after the elimination of Imokilly.

Divisional teams cannot extend their season if they are successful in the domestic campaign; the runners-up going forward instead. When you lose your own county final it can be difficult to raise yourself up again for the rigours of the provincial championship although Sarsfields succeeded last season, going all the way to Croke Park.

They may do so again this time as winners but vying alongside them for that right are the Barrs, Midleton and the Rockies.

The Rockies were very interested onlookers last weekend as the other three battled it out to join them in the last four of the competition.

Midleton were the first to make it through to the real business end of the campaign last Friday night exhibiting abundant character to edge out the Glen in a contest that at times was compelling and always enjoyable.

In coming through the group stage, the Magpies had been a side that never reached any great heights but it’s all about being first or second in your group.

They were second best to the Blackpool team for a long stretch in the first of the three quarter-finals and with 40 or so minutes on the clock they trailed by seven points, the city side in control of the match at that juncture.

IMPRESSIVE

But then the complexion of the contest changed completely, the Midleton bench was utilised in an impressive fashion with Luke O’Farrell coming on to impact with a brace of points in a contest when every score was of the utmost importance.

Evan McGrath and Davin Cremin made important contributions and the experience of Conor Lehane, Tommy O’Connell and Cormac Beausang was hugely significant.

Beausang fired home a brace of expertly converted goals over the hour as the tide turned in the East Cork team’s favour.

The Glen were reeled in but there was one last major job to be completed where Midleton were concerned, deny Patrick Horgan from a close in free with the very last act of the game.

The Glen maestro had earlier clung a sublime goal from the placed ball but this time the Midleton goal line stood tall and that was that.

For the manner with which they reinvented themselves when trailing by seven points it would have to be said that they deserved their win.

They did not allow their heads to drop when the situation looked to be very precarious for them and they will take a huge amount of confidence from that.

At the outset of the campaign they were in bracket of leading contendersand whilst they were fortunate not to lose to Newcestown, they have now justified that status.

To go on and regain the title there will still be two huge obstacles to surmount, starting with the Rockies in the last four and either the ‘Barrs or Sars in the final.

But they are where they want to be and now very much in the chase.

And, of course, so too are the Barrs who ensured a more pleasant day out for their supporters than they last time they travelled deep into the heart of East Cork when they went out of the championship at the hands of Fr O’Neill’s in Midleton.

They were back down there on Sunday in front of a huge audience for their joust with the holders, Imokilly and it was an entirely different story on this occasion.

Maybe a bit similar to Midleton, the team from Togher did not shoot the lights out at the group stage but again they achieved the goal of qualification.

Imokilly might have lost some key players through Watergrasshill’s elevation to Senior A status but their selection base is always formidable and they were still the fancy of many to retain their crown.

But that objective is now dead in the water, the divisional side blown away by a Barrs team that easily produced their best display for quite some time.

They would have been very aware of what transpired at the venue 12 months ago and there was a determination from the outset that it was not going to happen again.

Despite the large attendance at the very fine venue that Clonmult Memorial Park is the atmosphere was a bit flat but that can be the case when you haven’t two club sides opposing each other.

BETTER BALANCED

The Barrs were had the far better balance throughout a contest that never ignited and it could be said that a good distance out from the last whistle, they had signed, sealed and delivered the deal.

Imokilly never really got into any sort of the type of rhythm that has been a hallmark of previous performances and that made them such difficult opponents in recent times.

They lined up with three Castlemarty players who were involved in a vey difficult examination of their credentials in a PIHC relegation decider against Mallow 24 hours earlier and it’s always a big ask to play two major games in such a very short period of time. But that had nothing to do with the Barrs, they had a job of work in front of them and they very efficiently got it done.

Imokilly breached their outstanding defence just once for a very fortuituous goal and were second best throughout.

All the marquee names stood tall for the Barrs and none more so than the outstanding Damien Cahalane, who produced a warrior display in the number five jersey, a man-of-the-match display.

Ethan Twomey and Brian Hayes, led by example, the three goals that were delivered were well executed and this victory over the reigning champions will give them a huge infusion of confidence going into their semi-final collision with Sarsfields. 

This was the Barrs delivering at the top end of their game.

For Imokilly, quite a number of their players have served the division over the past number of years with huge distinction, four county titles have been bagged but all roads have an ending and we may not see a few of them again.

Sarsfields were the only one of the four still standing that we didn’t get to see because of the clash with the game in Midleton.

They got the job done too but by all accounts they were fully tested for long periods by Charleville who departed the championship with their head high.

When you reach this juncture in the championship, a stern test can be beneficial thereafter and Sars will have known that they were in a match at the fine Castletownroche venue.

QUALITY

There’s a fine blend in this Sars team and Jack O’Connor reminded us that he is still high quality player. Danny Kearney fired over some important points too as did Colm McCarthy.

Competition for starting places in this Sars team has been intense for some time such is the depth of the squad in Riverstown and that depth has been a factor in their consistency over the past number of years.