Sars cruise to RedFM Division 1 Hurling League victory over Killeagh
Shane O'Regan blasts in a second-half goal for Sars in the RedFM Division 1 clash with Killeagh. Picture: Larry Cummins
The final scoreline shows the gulf in class between the sides as Sars got back to winning ways in the RedFM Division 1 Hurling League with a comfortable win over an understrength Killeagh side at Riverstown on Sunday.
League champions Sars went into the game hoping to put their opening round home defeat to Glen Rovers behind them. Missing a number of experienced campaigners, they still had some quality hurlers in their squad. To be fair both sides were down key players but Sars have a far bigger conveyor belt and their squad players are all capable of competing at this level.
Both sides shared a point apiece in the opening three minutes with Cian Darcy splitting the posts for Sars before Andrew Leahy brought the team on parity.
It was evident that Sars, after a slow start, were getting on top and after a magnificent Colm McCarthy point in the seventh minute, they were given the opportunity of a soft goal. Poor Killeagh defending that saw a ball come right across the square and it was met by the inrushing Luke Hackett who had little difficulty billowing the back of the net.
The momentum was now with Sars and with Killeagh without a score for 13 minutes, they were punished accordingly. Jack O’Connor, omitted from the Cork Senior panel this season, is enjoying his hurling and his darting runs posed problems.
Colm McCarthy was another player to excel in the first half and his third point in the 25th minute gave his side a 12-point lead. Killeagh were struggling for scorers and with only one coming from play in their three-point tally, they were punished at the death courtesy of the point of the game from the stick of Shane O’Regan.
Trailing 1-13 to 0-3 at the break, Killeagh needed a good start but it was Colm McCarthy who had Sars up and running in the 33rd minute. McCarthy is a serious athlete and when in full flow going forward can pose opposing teams all sorts of problems.
A minute later, Shane O’Regan put the game to bed with Sars second goal that finally killed off the Killeagh challenge. After some good movement, Rory O’Brien found O’Regan and the Sars talisman found the back of the net with sheer precision.
Killeagh lacked and only manged 0-4 from play out of their final tally of 12 white flags.
The introduction of Cian McCarthy brought a cheer from the Sars faithful and he didn’t let them down when drilling over a fabulous point.
McCarthy is also a selector with the team and after scoring nine points for the Sars intermediate on the eve of this game, he was assiting on the pitch named after his late father Teddy.
In the end, Sars had too much class and firepower but their next league clash against Charleville is sure to be a far stiffer test. A minute’s silence was observed before the game for the late Sars stalwart Jim Hackett who sadly passed away last week.
S O’Regan 1-2, D Hogan 0-4 (0-2 f), Colm McCarthy 0-4, C Darcy 0-3, L Hackett 1-0, J O’Connor 0-2, B Murphy 0-2, Cian McCarthy, J Leahy 0-1 each.
A Leahy 0-9 (0-7 f, 0-1 65), D Buckley, G Leahy, J Ogbebor 0-1 each.
D McCarthy; D English, K Roche, J Huggins; K Crowley, J Leahy, B Murphy; K Murphy, C McCarthy; J O’Connor, D Hogan, C Darcy; L Hackett, S O’Regan, R O’Brien.
E Murphy for K Crowley (h-t), K McCarthy for D English (h-t), Cian McCarthy for R O Brien (45), J Tierney for Colm McCarthy (47).
F Murphy; K Kelly-Budds, G Wallace-Walsh, J Fogarty; C Fitgibbon, G Leahy, E Lane; C Leahy, M Fitzgerald; S Walsh, B Delaney, S Smiddy; C Leahy, A Leahy, D Buckley.
F Brennan for B Delaney (42), J Ogbebor for S Walsh (42), P Mackey for D Buckley (52).
Pa O’Driscoll (Bride Rovers).
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