RedFM Hurling League: Midleton take first blood against Sarsfields

Midleton 2-18

Sarsfields 1-13

The RedFM Hurling League Division 1 final dress-rehearsal went the way of Midleton as they led throughout against Sarsfields on Thursday night.

The home side built an early lead at Clonmult Memorial Park, up by ten points at one stage in the first half, and while the advantage was cut to six by half-time – 1-10 to 0-7 – it never fell below that.

The Magpies’ victory means they finish the regular part of the league with a perfect record of nine wins from nine, six points clear of their opponents, who had secured their spot with a game to spare, but matters may be different when the teams meet again for the Conroy Cup, a fixture provisionally set for Sunday week, July 5, but which is subject to the progress of the Cork senior football team.

Midleton got on top in the first quarter, with Alex Quirke setting the tone with a superb all-round performance from centre-forward while Conor Lehane contributed on the scoreboard in ways that only he can. At the other end, his former Cork team-mate Cian McCarthy was making his first start for Sars since rejoining as a player at the beginning of this year, combining that with a selectorial role.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, given the clubs have met in two county finals and a semi-final in the last three seasons, and with at least one meeting to come this year, there were robust exchanges of views; in that regard, both can happy to have ticked the 'Didn't back down' box but referee Brian Sweeney ensured that common sense prevailed and nobody ruled themselves out of the final.

Good points from the industrious Paul Connaughton and Mikey Finn had Midleton 0-8 to 0-2 in front by the 20th minute and it was Finn who nipped in with a smart finish to the net after Pa White had a shot blocked. Lehane made it 1-9 to 0-2 before Sars finished the half well, Cian McCarthy and Shane O'Regan on target.

Lehane and Connaughton pushed Midleton clear again on the restart, though they did need a good Brion Saunderson save to deny Daniel Kearney a Sars goal.

Midleton full-back Eoin Moloney had come on at half-time for his first appearance since suffering a ruptured Achilles in last year's county semi-final win over Blackrock and acquitted himself well while the points continued to come at the other end. They had a second goal when sub Conor Morley, who had gone close just before hand - denied by strong Cillian Roche defending - profited from inventive play by another replacement, Cathal Beausang to make it 2-17 to 1-10.

Sars did hit back immediately as one of their subs, Cian Darcy, found the net with a rasping shot and the visitors did have three of the last four points - the exception was Lehane's eighth, showcasing his marvellous skill.

Eight points in it at the end - the final may be a closer affair.

Scorers for Midleton: C Lehane 0-8 (0-3 f), M Finn 1-2 (0-1 f), P Connaughton 0-3, C Morley 1-0, P White, D Cremin 0-2 each, A Quirke 0-1.

Sarsfields: Cian McCarthy 0-4 (0-3 f), C Darcy 1-0, D Kearney, Colm McCarthy (0-1 f) 0-2 each, J Leahy, D Hogan (0-1 f), C Leahy, B O’Flynn, S O’Regan 0-1 each.

MIDLETON: B Saunderson; T Dunlea, L Dineen, S Smyth; S O’Sullivan, K Burke, C Walsh; M Finn, Cormac Beausang; P White, A Quirke, D Cremin; P Connaughton, C Lehane, P Barrett.

Subs: C Morley for Cormac Beausang (27, injured), A Mulcahy for Barrett, E Moloney for Walsh (both half-time), S O’Meara for Dineen (36), Cathal Beausang for Connaughton (48, injured), C Gunning for White (51), E McCarthy for Dunlea (60).

SARSFIELDS: B Graham; D English, C Roche, J Higgins; J Leahy, D Hogan, C Leahy; K Murphy, S McNamara; D Kearney, L Hackett, B O’Flynn; B Nodwell, Cian McCarthy, S O’Regan.

Subs: C O’Sullivan for English, B Murphy for J Leahy (both half-time), C Darcy for O’Regan, Colm McCarthy for Cian McCarthy (both 39), S King for Nodwell (44), R Higgins for McNamara (48), C O’Rourke for Hackett (53), O McCarthy for Huggins (55).

Referee: B Sweeney (Erin’s Own).