Premier SHC: Strong finish sends Sarsfields into another final
Barry O'Flynn of Sarsfields driving towards the St Finbar's goal, under pressure form Eoin Keane. Picture: Dan Linehan
Sarsfields reaching a final is hardly that remarkable – since Johnny Crowley has returned as manager, it is what they do.
Sunday’s Co-op SuperStores Premier SHC victory over St Finbarr’s at SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh advanced the Riverstown club to a clash with Midleton. Since Crowley came back nearly three years ago, they have entered nine different combinations and made it to eight deciders – the AIB Munster Club SHC in 2023 the only exception.
Recent history was no easy conveyor-belt, however; they had to earn it, not least after going in six points down to a St Finbarr’s side that had made the wind work for them. Having seen an early break reeled in, the Barrs finished the first half well to retire with a 2-12 to 1-9 advantage – it wasn’t the case that they sat in and held on after the break, but they found the Sars juggernaut too much to handle.
The deficit was halved in the first seven minutes after the restart, with William Buckley on hand to give the Barrs some breathing space. That was followed by Jack O’Connor’s first point of the day – three more were to follow in the 22 minutes that remained, replicating his second-half surge in the quarter-final win over Charleville.
With Bryan Murphy a bulwark at centre-back and Cillian Roche ably trying to contain the influence of Brian Hayes, Sars were able to find some leeway at the other end with a run of six unanswered points in a ten-minute period ultimately the winning of it.
O’Connor’s second point was arguable the tone-changer – Daniel Hogan’s strong shoulder on Jack Cahalane yielded a turnover and Murphy was able to find the Cork panellist, who levelled and then backed it up with a lead score courtesy of Colm McCarthy’s assist.
They never got to a position where the outcome was safe – sub Shane O’Regan might have done that but he was denied by a superb Shane Hurley stop – and the impetus might have shifted again when John Wigginton Barrett sent an inviting ball in but Roche did enough to stop Hayes connecting.
A brilliant Cian Darcy point made it 1-21 to 2-16 on 57; moments later, Hayes’ lay-off for sub Conor McCarthy gave him sight of goal but he was challenged and referee Wayne King blew the whistle – but it was for the foul on Hayes, a free rather than a penalty.
Ben Cunninghams sent that over for his eighth, O’Connor replied to leave two in it again. The irrepressible William Buckley was fouled close to the Sars goal in injury tie and Cunningham fired over again, the allotted four minutes almost elapsed. There was one last half-chance as the Barrs won a sideline cut, way out on the right. Ciarán Doolan’s connection was good but nobody in yellow could claim it and the man in black prevailed. Sarsfields in another final.
The opening couple of minutes had not produced a score before Ethan Twomey’s run and pass gave Buckley space on the left. He still had plenty to do but was able to flash a shot past Ben Graham.
Such a momentum-injector was almost immediately cancelled out as Jack O’Connor slalomed towards the Barrs goal but Jack O’Kelly’s intervention ensured a 65 was all that was conceded, with Colm McCarthy using that to open the Sars account. Unfortunately for the Barrs, O'Kelly would be forced off early and so would Conor Cahalane.
While Sars did slowly get going, the goal continued to provide the Barrs with an early cushion. It was 1-5 to 0-5 when Cian Darcy’s delivery was well won by James Sweeney – with bodies hanging off him, he kicked a shot wide but the additional attention was such to be deemed off-putting and a penalty was awarded.
Sars goalkeeper Ben Graham travelled up to take the shot but, while it didn’t lack for power, it was a high-altitude missile and only yielded a white flag. A pair of Colm McCarthy frees did restore parity and while Ben Cunningham replied with a dead ball of his own and Brian Hayes, from a good Buckley pass, made it 1-7 to 0-8, Sars were about to lead for the first time.
Darcy was the provider, providing a vital touch on to Barry O’Flynn in the left corner, but the teenager owned the rest of the move: a shift of the hips to create an opening and then an unsaveable shot to the top corner, making light of the angle.
Supremacy was only momentary for them, though, and in the first half it was a unique station – in the seven minutes plus four that remained before half-time, the Barrs outscored their opponents by 1-5 to 0-1.
After Buckley levelled with a beauty from the left sideline, the second goal came after Ben Cunningham went long to Hayes, who rose to catch cleanly and then made space before firing home.
There might have been a chance for another green flag in injury time – Ethan Twomey with the ball in, Cillian Roche defending well – but they made up for that with white ones. A four-point advantage in the 34th minute was buttressed as Ciarán Doolan found Ben Cunningham with a quick free for his fifth and Jack Cahalane followed that with his second.
It left the trailing side with a mountain to climb, but climb it they did, harnessing the elements as the Barrs had. Sarsfields in another final.
B Cunningham 0-9 (0-7 f), W Buckley 1-2, B Hayes 1-1, J Cahalane 0-3, E Twomey, J Wigginton Barrett, S Cunningham 0-1 each.
C McCarthy 0-11 (0-7 f, 0-2 65), J O’Connor 0-4, C Darcy 0-3, B O’Flynn 1-0, J Sweeney 0-2, B Graham (penalty), D Kearney 0-1 each.
S Hurley; E Keane, J Burns, D Cahalane; C Cahalane, C Doolan, B Hennessy; E Twomey, J Wigginton Barrett; J O’Kelly, J Cahalane, B Cunningham; W Buckley, B Hayes, S Cunningham.
C O’Connor (7-8), O’Connor for O’Kelly (14, injured), B O’Connell for C Cahalane (28, injured), C McCarthy for S Cunningham (53), A Barry for Keane (43).
B Graham; D English, C Roche, C O’Sullivan; C Leahy, B Murphy, L Elliott; D Hogan, K Murphy; D Kearney, J O’Connor, C Darcy; B O’Flynn, C McCarthy, J Sweeney.
S O’Regan for Kearney (46), E Murphy for Elliott (55), B Nodwell for Sweeney (60+1), L Hackett for O’Flynn (60+2).
W King (Banteer).
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