Division 1 HL: Sarsfields stroll to 24‑point win over Douglas

Sarsfields 1-34 

Douglas 0-13 

Sarsfields remain firmly in the hunt for another league final after proving far too strong for Douglas at Páirc Tadhg Mac Cárthaigh in Riverstown on Sunday morning.

Johnny Crowley’s side move into second place in the RedFM Division 1 Hurling League after a fifth win in seven outings, bringing them to ten points. The Imokilly club are chasing a fourth straight league title and they won at a canter here, finishing 24 points clear after a dominant display.

Douglas, on eight points from their seven games, remain in a decent position with two fixtures left, but they were severely depleted for this one. They managed only four points in the second half, despite trailing by just seven at the interval.

Both sides will meet again in the Co-Op SuperStores Premier SHC later in the year, and that encounter is likely to be a very different contest.

The reigning county champions were in control from the off. They led 0-8 to 0-1 after eleven minutes, with Jack O’Connor, Barry O’Flynn and Luke Hackett all influential. 

Sarsfields also created two excellent goal chances in that spell, but Hackett and O’Connor were unable to convert. Joseph Harte supplied Douglas’ early score.

Points from Diarmuid Coleman (free) and Brian Turnbull cut the gap to five, but that was as close as Douglas would get. Sarsfields pushed 0-14 to 0-5 ahead after 25 minutes, with Craig Leahy using all his experience at wing-back. He was excellent. 

Turnbull and Joseph Harte kept Douglas ticking over, but Cork U20 captain O’Flynn responded for the home side. Douglas finished the half well, landing two of the last three points through Turnbull and Dan Harte, while Bryan Murphy added one for Sarsfields to leave it 0-16 to 0-9 at the break.

Douglas started the second half encouragingly, trading the first four points to stay in touch. But O’Connor and a Daniel Hogan free stretched Sarsfields’ lead to 0-20 to 0-11 after 38 minutes.

A superb long-range free from goalkeeper Donal Maher was arguably the score of the game, but it failed to spark Douglas. They would add just one more point — from Andy O’Connell with 18 minutes remaining — as they trailed 0-23 to 0-13.

Hackett effectively ended the contest a minute later with an expertly taken goal, and Sarsfields powered through the final quarter. Their bench made a strong impact, with Shane O’Regan hitting 0-4. 

By the 53rd minute they were 1-29 to 0-13 ahead, and they closed out with the last five points, including one from substitute Seán Bracken.

Scorers for Sarsfields: D Hogan (0-3 f), J O’Connor 0-6 each, B O’Flynn 0-5, L Hackett 1-2, S O’Regan, B Murphy 0-4 each, C Darcy 0-3, C O’Sullivan, K Murphy, C McCarthy, S Bracken 0-1 each.

Douglas: D Coleman (0-2 f, 0-1 65), B Turnbull 0-3 each, D Harte, J Harte 0-2 each, D Maher (f), A Cadogan, A O’Connell 0-1 each.

SARSFIELDS: D McCarthy; C O’Sullivan, E Murphy, D English; C Leahy, C Roche, K Crowley; K Murphy, B Murphy; C Darcy, D Hogan, C McCarthy; B O’Flynn, L Hackett, J O’Connor.

Subs: S O’Regan for B O’Flynn, S McNamara for K Crowley (both 44), R O’Brien for J O’Connor (47), S Bracken for C Darcy, M Barry for D English (both 50), P Leopold for C Leahy, J Leahy for E Murphy (both 53), T O’Leary for D Hogan (57).

DOUGLAS: D Maher; C Mac Pháidín, B O’Neill, K McSweeney; D Harte, M Howell, D Kelly; A Cadogan, S O’Leary; A O’Connell, J Harte, C Kingston; S St Leger, C O’Donovan, D Coleman.

Subs: B Turnbull for C O’Donovan (7, inj), C Reddington for B Turnbull (h-t), D Reddington for B O’Neill (45).

Referee: Pa O’Driscoll (Bride Rovers).