Sarsfields enhance their status as Tipperary favourites in dismissing Borris-Ileigh

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Round three of the hurling series has certainly produced its share of significant winners and losers as the various groups played out. Borris-Ileigh were the major casualties after their heavy fall to Sarsfields, but Nenagh Eire Og and Clonoulty/Rossmore were left licking wounds too after reversals that now sees them relying on the fall-back option of preliminary quarter-finals.
Sarsfields surely enhanced their status as championship favourites on the back of that resounding dismissal of a disappointing Borris-Ileigh effort at the Stadium. It was a feisty enough game, especially early on, but tailed off badly in the second half as Borris’ visibly wilted.
It’s been quite a dip by the North side since their glory year of 2019. Oh, how the mighty have fallen. In 2019 a number of factors seemed to coalesce and they got on a roll that took them to within a few flags of All-Ireland victory against Ballyhale Shamrocks.
The big-name players like Brendan Maher and Dan McCormack excelled; Jerry Kelly was a revelation, his point-scoring in the All-Ireland final a lasting memory; younger players like ‘JD’ Devaney added an exciting dimension.
It was a healthy mix that proved too powerful for all bar a great Ballyhale side. However, form can often be temporary and they’ve certainly struggled to get back to that pitch since then. It was as if they emptied the tank in that season and have failed to replenish stocks ever since.
There was an element of theft in their late swoop against Kiladangan the last day and their true credentials were exposed by Sarsfields this time.
For the Blues it was a powerful statement of intent. Hard to imagine they’ve been off the podium since 2017. Paudie Maher’s retirement was a heavy hit but at times the younger players have struggled for impact. This was their most positive showing in several seasons.
Borris-Ileigh showed serious intent early on. The tackles were going in as they tried to ruffle Sarsfields and they had the best possible kick-off with an early Dan McCormack goal. However, it was more flash and fizzle than sustained fireworks.
Sarsfields gradually assumed control, Stephen Cahill hitting some sweet points. Then came their goal, Paddy Creedon finishing off a Conor Lanigan lay-off. There was a mini recovery of sorts from Borris’ before half time to cut the lead to just four points but that was as good as it got for them.
The second half saw Sarsfields rampant. Darragh Stakelum emerged as man-of-the-match hitting six points from play as well as rattling an effort off the crossbar. However, the second goal eventually came, Seanie Butler tucking it away neatly as the lead eventually extended out to a dozen.
Sarsfields always have classy players and when in this type of mood can be difficult to contain. Their favouritism will have been enhanced but let’s not get too carried away on the basis of one game against a fading force in Borris-Ileigh. Remember Sarsfields fell by six points to Kiladangan in their opening round and struggled to put Clonoulty away convincingly in their second round. One swallow doesn’t make a summer but their followers will be encouraged by this display.

WORRYING TIMES FOR CLONOULTY/ROSSMORE
Kiladangan remain hot contenders too after comfortably dismissing Clonoulty/Rossmore at The Ragg. Eight points was the end margin and nobody could argue with the merit of that gap in a game that lacked intensity.
The North team was the sharper, snazzier side, their general movement and combination of a higher order than Clonoulty’s. In an open, free-shooting game they had ten scorers contributing to their 0-25 total. Billy Seymour led the charge with 0-7 (0-4 from play) but the likes of Tadgh Gallagher, Dan O’Meara and others were well represented on the score sheet too. All that was missing was a consolidating goal, Martin Sadlier denying them on possibly their best chance in the first half.
Against that Clonoulty struggled to stay in tow. At one stage in the first half, it looked like the gap would stretch to a worrying extreme but they hung in there and were only four adrift at the interval. Nonetheless there was never a sense that they had the attacking wherewithal to unsettle Kiladangan and in the end this was a comprehensive defeat.
It’s a worry for the (forever) West champions because even though they have the fall-back of a preliminary quarter-final, on this form it’s hard to see them progressing. Without a county win they’re into relegation in the company of, among others, Kilruane MacDonaghs. Now that would be an emotional rematch if they were to meet again.
Elsewhere Mullinahone’s win over Nenagh caught the attention of many though Eire Og’s depletion removes some of the shock factor from a game that had its share of controversy I’m told. Still the southern Kickhams have done remarkably well in this company, their two wins giving them a deserved spot in the knock-outs. Mullinahone are the one South side that lifts its game outside the divisional boundary and you have to credit the influence of the likes of Kelly and Curran in that regard.
The progress of Toomevara won’t have gone unnoticed in this championship series either. Topping their group with a win over Roscrea at the weekend, they’ll be tricky opponents for anyone in the quarter-finals. Big-spending Moycarkey got their first win of the championship with a two-point margin over Kilruane MacDonaghs. It wasn’t enough, however, with Roscrea pipping them on score difference for second position. Kilruane now have to dust themselves off pretty quickly for the relegation battle.
In Group 3 the surprise result was Templederry’s win over Holycross. A tour de force by Sean Ryan, I’m told, was the catalyst here. It’s quite a rescue mission because most people had the Kenyons pencilled in for relegation duty but now this game changes everything with Upperchurch finishing in bottom position.
Holycross still make the knock-outs behind Loughmore. I’m glad that the scoreboard error in their game some weeks back hasn’t proven as costly as it might have. Still, you’ll get generous odds on Holycross/Ballycahill making an impact in the knock-outs.

PREMIER INTERMEDIATE STILL NOT SORTED OUT
Elsewhere in the Premier Intermediate there are still some issues to be resolved. In Group 1 Cashel K.C. are through as table toppers following their win over Ballina. The second position is up for grabs when St. Mary’s play Moyne/Templetuohy during the week, the match deferred because of that awful tragedy in Clonmel.
Group 2 has concluded with Swans and Sarsfields through and Sean Treacys into relegation. Burgess led the way in Group 3, accompanied by Clonakenny in the knock-outs. Newport have slipped this year and now face a relegation struggle.
Lorrha, one of the championship favourites, top Group 4 where they’re joined by Killenaule, the South team pipping Gortnahoe on score difference after their weekend draw. Portroe face relegation.
The intermediate too has some unfinished business in Group 3 where Kilsheelan’s game with Moneygall was deferred. Boherlahan enhanced their position with an eleven-point win over Shannon Rovers but that final game will decide end placings. A victory for Kilsheelan will see Boherlahan top the section with the South side second whereas a win for Moneygall will bring score differential into play to decide who tops the group.
There was real drama in Group 2 at the weekend where a last-second Golden goal gave the West side a win over Ballingarry and a place in the knock-outs when the mathematics were worked out. Under old rules Ballingarry would have got through but under a new rule it was Golden who took the spot on a superior ‘scores for’ column. The change in regulation meant that in the three-way tie between Golden, Ballingarry and Kiladangan the games with table-toppers Cappawhite were excluded when calculating score difference. Tough on Ballingarry but a real Houdini act by Golden/Kilfeacle.