Ben Cunningham and Jack Cahalane shine as St Finbarr's edge out Sarsfields
MY BALL: Bryan Murphy, Sarsfields, puts pressure on John Wiggington Barrett, St Finbarr's, at Riverstown on Thursday night. Picture: Jim Coughlan.
St Finbarr’s picked up their third RedFM Division 1 Hurling League win after a thrilling clash with holders Sarsfields at Riverstown on Thursday night.
Both teams went into the game with two wins each and one loss and it was a lively battle from the off.
This was a statement of intent as the Barrs, minus a number of key players, showed they have strength in depth to make a bold bid in championship. Ben Cunningham was their talisman with 10 points, but Man of the Match was Jack Cahalane, simply awesome as he finished with 1-3.
The opening exchanges were frantic and Sars were almost through on goal just 40 seconds into the throw-in when Cian Darcy showed great pace but his final pass spoiled a terrific passage of play. Barrs were certainly up for battle and with Cunningham and Cahalane posing Sars all sorts of problems, they surged into a three-point lead in the sixth minute.
The Barrs were winning the majority of dirty ball and when Cunningham brought his total to four white flags in the 14th minute, they led by five. Sars realised they were in a serious game and gradually got on top at centre-field.
With Darcy and Jack O’Connor finding their range the teams were on parity in the 20th minute.
The home team edged ahead seven minutes from the interval courtesy of a superb Bryan Murphy point. Both sides traded points up to the interval, but a late Darcy point saw the home team go in at the break commanding a one- point lead 0-13 to 0-12.
On the restart, Cunningham split the posts. In the 32nd minute, his quick 20-metre free was goalbound but a superb Donnacha McCarthy denied him.
Jack O’Connor was well-marshalled by the outstanding Aidan Barry but a neat point in the 43rd minute gave the hosts a two-point lead.
The Barrs responded in style and when Cahalane broke clear, his thunderous shot was parried by McCarthy but it fell into the path of Conor McCarthy, who guided the ball to the empty net.
Both sides continued to battle for every ball, but the game swung in the Barrs' direction in the 50th minute when they registered a second goal.
Not for the first time the pace and balance of Cahalane caught the Sars defence napping and the Barrs forward showed his class when drilling a low shot to the corner of the net.
The tempo increased again in the closing minutes but Sars were unable to peg back the rampant Barrs.
Fittingly, the electric Cahalane clipped a magnificent point that ensured the all- important win for the Togher outfit.
J O’Connor 0-4, B Murphy 0-3, D Hogan 0-3 (0-1 f, 0-1 65), D Long, C Darcy, K Murphy, S O’Regan (0-1 f) 0-2 each, R O’Brien 0-1.
B Cunningham 0-10 (0-6 f, 0-2 65), J Cahalane 1-3, C McCarthy 1-0, B Hennessy 0-2, J Wigginton-Barrett, C O’Connell 0-1 each.
D McCarthy; D English, K Roche, C O’Sullivan; B Murphy, E Murphy, K Crowley; D Hogan, L Elliot; K Murphy, C Darcy; D Long; J O’Connor, S O’Regan, R O’Brien.
S Hurley; S Daly, J Burns, A Barry; C Crowley, C Doolan, E Keane; J Murray, B Hennessy; J Wigginton Barrett, B Cunningham, C Buckley; J O’Kelly, J Cahalane, C McCarthy.
C O’Connell for C Buckley (48).
Shane Scanlon (Newcestown).
App?
