Kanturk dethrone champions Sarsfields to book last-four place

Kanturk: 4-19 

Sarsfields: 1-25

The holders Sarsfields are out of the Co-Op SuperStores Premier SHC after deservedly losing to a brilliant Kanturk side in a cracking quarter-final tie at Mallow on Sunday afternoon.

The fairytale journey for the Duhallow outfit goes on as they reach their first ever semi-final at this grade. Crucially, they backed up their eye-catching win last time out over Blackrock and, it must be said, they fully deserved this three-point success.

Two green flags in the first quarter helped Kanturk settle as they led by four points at the break.

Brian O’Sullivan, Colin Walsh and Liam O’Keeffe were among the outstanding performers for the winners, while young Conor Noonan hurled a world of ball in midfield. Tom Walsh’s team will now face St Finbarr’s in the semi-final.

The sides traded early points even if Kanturk had more of the ball. Daniel O’Connell did have a goal chance for the Duhallow side after an Alan Walsh pass, but Sarsfields goalkeeper Ben Graham showed bravery in the air to stop the shot, suffering an injury in the process.

Barry O’Flynn hit his second point, but Kanturk went down the other end to goal through Lorcan O’Neill, who blasted the ball to the net after Colin Walsh did the hard work.

Donal English landed a long-range point for Sarsfields, but Kanturk got their second goal 12 minutes in when the pacy Liam O’Keeffe put on the afterburners and made no mistake, 2-1 to 0-3.

Colin Walsh and a Brian O’Sullivan free opened up a six-point buffer for their team.

Three quickfire white flags from the champions kept them in touch, Jack O’Connor’s the pick of them, but there was no fluency from them early on as Colin Walsh tacked on another effort.

A Daniel Hogan free cut the gap to three, but Daniel O’Connell, Liam O’Keeffe and Paul Walsh restored Kanturk’s six-point advantage, with Conor Noonan like a busy bee in midfield, 2-7 to 0-7 after 29 minutes.

A pair of fine Cathal McCarthy points and a Bryan Murphy effort left just one score in it, but Sarsfields weren’t able to find their normal fizz in the opening half against a well-drilled Kanturk side.

At the end of six minutes added time, an O’Sullivan placed ball gave Kanturk a 2-8 to 0-10 half-time lead.

He did the same a minute into the second half — another peach of a free. The Duhallow side then got their third goal when Alan Walsh pounced on a Sarsfields mistake in defence to finish to the net, 3-9 to 0-10 after 35 minutes.

The sides swapped points before Hogan slotted over an easy free, but the champions really needed a goal.

Sarsfields hit two of the next three points until Barry O’Flynn goaled from a tight angle — game on, or so we thought — 3-11 to 1-14 after 42 minutes.

Kanturk went down the other end, resulting in Colin Walsh scoring a screamer. A lovely goal. 

It sparked their opposition into life as they landed four of the next five points, 4-12 to 1-18 with 13 minutes to go.

O’Sullivan hit a beauty from an acute angle to push Kanturk four points clear in a stop-start second half.

The sides swapped points as Kanturk led 4-14 to 1-19 after 57 minutes. Two Sarsfields points left them within two, but Kanturk always had the answers.

Brian O’Sullivan tacked on a free and, while Cillian Roche pointed for Sarsfields, Colin Walsh hit over the score of the game, over the shoulder.

The sides traded points before sub Rory Sheahan pushed Kanturk 4-18 to 1-23 ahead deep into added time.

An O’Sullivan 65 was the insurance score and, even though Eoghan Murphy pointed twice in the dying embers, Sarsfields — the champions — are out.

The Kanturk story goes on.

Scorers for Kanturk: B O’Sullivan 0-10 (0-8 f, 0-1 65), C Walsh 1-4, L O’Keeffe 1-2, A Walsh, L O’Neill 1-0 each, P Walsh, R Sheahan, D O’Connell 0-1 each.

Sarsfields: D Hogan 0-7 (0-7 f), B O’Flynn 1-2, Cathal McCarthy 0-5, B Murphy, J O’Connor, E Murphy 0-2 each, D English, K Murphy, C Roche, B Graham (0-1 f), J Sweeney 0-1 each.

KANTURK: G Bucinskas; J McLoughlin, R Walsh, M Healy; L McLoughlin, D Browne, T Walsh; C Noonan, B O’Sullivan; P Walsh, C Walsh, L O’Neill; L O’Keeffe, A Walsh, D O’Connell.

Subs: C Mullane for R Walsh (24), I Walsh for A Walsh (28-31, temp), I Walsh for M Healy (h-t), R Sheahan for L O’Neill (59).

SARSFIELDS: B Graham; P Leopold, E Murphy, D English; Cathal McCarthy, C Roche, C Leahy; D Kearney, B Murphy; J O’Connor, C Darcy, D Hogan; B Nodwell, J Sweeney, B O’Flynn.

Subs: D McCarthy for B Graham (7-11, temp), K Murphy for D Kearney, C O’Sullivan for D English (both h-t), Colm McCarthy for B Nodwell (40), L Hackett for C Darcy (46), S O’Regan for Colm McCarthy (50).

Referee: Shane Scanlon (Newcestown).