Cork Hurling: Secret to relentless Sars' sucess is keeping things fresh 

Since the beginning of the 2023 season, Sarsfields have reached and won three RedFM Hurling League finals and there was the AIB Munster Club and All-Ireland deciders last year, winning the former and losing the latter.

The last two Co-op SuperStores Premier SHC finals were reached, beating Midleton in 2023 and falling short against Imokilly last year, and on Sunday, they secured a third straight appearance with a one-point victory over St Finbarr’s.

It means that, since Johnny Crowley returned as manager, the 2023 Munster Club SHC is the only competition Sars have entered and not reached the final.

Maintaining such levels of consistency is not easily done and so manager Johnny Crowley gets creative, like after the narrow quarter-final win over Charleville.

“I suppose it is trying to keep everything fresh, thinking of new things and different things,” he says.

“The last two weeks after Charleville, we completely changed what we were doing. We actually gave them the Tuesday night off, which was unusual.

We trained on Thursday night – we didn’t train Saturday, I actually brought them down to Fota golfing and we had great craic.  Great afternoon, four or five hours.

“And we went back at it again, to try and keep it fresh and keep it going. It is a team effort from everybody.”

That was clearly shown on Sunday, as Sars came from six points down at half-time to come out on the right side of a 1-22 to 2-18 victory.

“You can’t question our lads inside for these tight battles,” Crowley said, “it’s becoming a bit of a coincidence that every tight game we are coming out of the right side.

“They just work so hard. Six points down at half-time, we knew the wind was coming and we said to stay in it and make the right decisions and I think we made an awful lot of right decisions.

“But above everything, it was our incredible attitude and tenacity. Our fight for the jersey was immense.”

TOUGH TIMES

Sars’ solidarity has been fused through some tough times, with Crowley highlighting how those who have departed have acted as inspirations.

“They have such a desire to win and such a work-ethic for each other,” he said.

“They would die for each other and they would die for us as a management team. Don’t ask me how it comes about. There is a massive unity and a massive bond.

“Over the last three years we’ve had a lot of hardship in the club with Ted [McCarthy], Cathal’s father [Conor McCarthy] and Ger Mohally and particularly Ray [Ryan] this year was devastating for the lads.

Ray would have been so involved with all the lads in that dressing room, be it played with the older lads and coached the younger lads. 

"He would have coached the intermediate team.

“I suppose all that gathers momentum within the core of the group. That bond is very special.”

Another big test awaits – a second final against Midleton in three years. Crowley is keen to embrace what’s to come.

“I always say to the lads that you have to celebrate your victories as well,” he said.

“We’re in a tremendous era for our club at the moment – we’ve gone to three county finals and that’s not easy, hard to keep that constantly going.

“To come back again and go to another county final there is huge credit due to them players. No matter what I ask them to do, they just keep going to the well. They keep coming up with the results and the goods.

“I’ve seen Midleton games, didn’t see Sunday but it went to extra time and they found a way. The same against the Glen. They are a team very similar to ourselves, they’ve had hardship this year and they go to the well again.

“No matter what club you’re with, it is so important to have that.”