Sarsfields showcased their ability to do just enough when the big occasion demands

Not for the first time and far from the last, Sarsfields showcased their ability to do just enough when the big occasion demands.

Two years ago, it was in honour of the legendary Teddy McCarthy. On Sunday, it was dedicated to another club hero, Ray Ryan.

The match won’t live as long in the memory as the scenes of celebration around Glanmire – where a huge community effort rescued their pitch after flooding – or the feeling it gives a parish that has felt more than its share of grief in recent years.

“Everyone in that dressing room played with Ray, played for Ray, or was a close friend of Ray, so everyone has a direct connection,” said captain Conor O’Sullivan in the aftermath.

“It's not like there's degrees of separation between that team and him, so it's been in the back of our heads all year. He meant so much to us.

“When it happened at the start of the year, it was obviously the biggest thing that happened in the club for the year. 

"We tried not to speak to it in a way to motivate ourselves because we just didn't want to do him a disservice, but he was in the back of everyone's minds.

“The club has lost a lot of people in the last few years who meant so much to people, so winning it off the back of that and giving something that hopefully people can find a bit of solace in – ultimately it's nothing in the context of that, but it just means so much to us now.” 

O’Sullivan also spared more than a thought for a Midleton club who have endured plenty of pain this year. He paid tribute to their departed heroes, while noting the misfortune of their injury-enforced absences.

“In fairness to Midleton, they had a really tough year. I knew Ger Fitzgerald and played for him at various times. He was a lovely fella. 

"I didn't know Darragh McCarthy, but I know the way they spoke of him. They seemed to be putting those performances in for them.

“They lost two massive players as well today, so my heart genuinely goes out to them as well. I wouldn't wish that on anyone going into a game like that, so fair play to them. They're a really good team with a lot of resolve.” 

The Achilles injuries to their missing stars, Conor Lehane and Eoin Moloney, robbed Midleton of so much craft, experience, and know-how against an opposition loaded with those traits.

Their first-half shooting, taking four scores from 11 shots, and the 19-minute wait for their first white flag underlined Lehane’s absence.

They battled on valiantly, ready to capitalise on any slip-up right into stoppage time, but Sars, without distancing themselves, never handed them the spark they needed.

Crucially, Sars’ leader O’Sullivan swept the sliotar off the goalline when it could’ve closed the gap to two points.

Every time they got the deficit down to four, Jack O’Connor would race into space to tag on a point for extra comfort.

This wasn’t Sars’ most polished performance. That much was emphasised by their deserving man-of-the-match O’Connor. 

He missed as many shots as he scored, but wasn’t discouraged.

When things weren’t going his way in the first half, the county man won a couple of frees for Colm McCarthy to pop over. 

When the game was there for winning, O’Connor stood up to the plate.

He wasn’t the only player who modelled resilience. Championship rookie Donal English was unlucky to see his handpass picked off for Evan McGrath’s early goal. But he stormed out with the ball time and again, winning it up high and down low, and assisting a couple of points.

Another county-final first-timer, Cillian Roche, wasn’t satisfied with simply marshalling the square. 

He gave the secondary assist for James Sweeney’s first goal and the assist for the full-forward’s second.

The goalscorer proved his point that he’s not just a targetman with his movement and work rate to lay on a pair of O’Connor’s points.

Their conversion rate didn’t top 50% in either half, but the volume of chances created was more than sufficient for success.

O’Sullivan spoke afterwards about wondering whether the club would get back there again after their four titles between 2008 and ‘14.

Now, himself, Craig Leahy, and Daniel Kearney stand apart on six senior medals. 

The nine-year wait before number five has made the latter successes all the sweeter.

“They might have come a bit easy for us when we were 19 or 20, and we thought it was never going to end. 

"But when you go through that hardship of losing a few, it means a bit more to you,” O’Sullivan added.

“We've had an absolutely amazing three years now. That really feels like it caps it off. It's just been so good.”