Thurles Sarsfields reach another county hurling final in Tipperary

Thurles Sarsfields 2-21 Killenaule 3-13

Sunday October 15 will be the blue riband day in Tipperary’s club hurling calendar and following a remarkable 24 hours the senior and premier intermediate teams of Thurles Sarsfields will bring a mighty blue wave to Semple Stadium in search of a history-making county final double. After the deluge of rain that threatened many fixtures over the weekend, Boherlahan sparkled in Sunday afternoon sunshine, as machine-like Sarsfields gunned down favourites Killenaule with their most clinical display of the championship so far.

Jack Lanigan opened the scoring from a free, which was equalised by a Ciaran O’Dwyer free against the wind inside three minutes.

Killenaule immediately set up for their direct route game plan, which served them brilliantly against Carrick Swan, isolating their tall robust forwards, but Sarsfields soon got to grips with the tactic, with Michael Cahill and Henry Fogarty dropping back to hoover up much of the early breaking possession.

A Fogarty delivery set up a point for the pacy Robbie Stapleton and moments later, when the south men opted to go short through the lines, a foul handpass resulted in another Lanigan free. Then a swift interchange between Paudie Feehan and Tom Stakelum saw the latter shoot over before Ciaran O’Dwyer, having previously missed a scorable free, made it three points apiece with a long range effort.

Killenaule at this juncture were enjoying the lion’s share of possession but three wides in a row were punished by an excellent point from Tommy Maher on twelve minutes to give the Thurles men the lead.

Ciaran O’Dwyer once again sparred with Jack Lanigan for another free for each side but as Killenaule flashed wide at the Ardmayle end, Sarsfields bounced back with a speculative effort from Ciaran Costello courtesy of a Liam McCormack pass.

A brilliant solo effort from the indefatigable Paudie Feehan brought respite following further Killenaule wides, but Sarsfields from the puckout somehow found Jack Lanigan unmarked and he fired over the black spot effortlessly.

Lanigan, by now running the show up front, had another free over the bar in the 21st minute. Mark Stakelum responded for Killenaule, holding off three defenders and grabbed his first score of the game to lift the Killenaule faithful. But the cheers were soon dampened as Liam McCormack jinked and swerved passed the entire Killenaule rearguard to send over an inspirational score.

Aidan Ryan then got in on the act from corner back to extend the lead as the Blues began to motor. Harty Cup player Robbie Stapleton then took off on a scorching run to fire over and while two Ciaran O’Dwyer frees looked like stopping the rot, the Jack Lanigan masterclass cranked up a notch and he rattled the net, ending an intricate move between Mossy McCormack and Rory Purcell.

Sars pushed their lead out to seven just after half-time when the elusive Liam McCormack scored his second point, and it forced Killenaule into immediate action. A long Ciaran O’Dwyer free held up in the breeze and it was clutched menacingly by Eoin Shaw, whose rasping low show raised the first of Killenaule’s three second half green flags.

However, straight away a Jack Lanigan free quelled the momentum but a miraculous Dean O’Connor point from the sideline had it back to four as the game really sprung into life. Killenaule’s resurgence, like in the first half, was continually choked by Sars, who had another massive score from Aidan Ryan to maintain a two-goal advantage.

Eoin Barry, unlucky not to get on the scoresheet earlier, pointed on 37 minutes for Killenaule and with challenges coming hot and heavy, it took almost the entire Sarsfields backline to bring down a galloping Paudie Feehan, who won a penalty for the south champions. Ciaran O’Dwyer sent Kevin Bracken the wrong way and lead was back to a solitary score.

The goal should have sparked a Killenaule revival but it merely poked a bear, as the next ten minutes saw Sarsfields bang home 1-3 without reply. Killenaule to their cost hit three wides in the same spell. Jack Lanigan had a fine point and Mossy McCormack and substitute Mikey O’Brien kept the scoreboard ticking over.

Robbie Stapleton completed the purple patch with a great goal, leaving defenders in his wake before unleashing an unstoppable shot past Killenaule goalkeeper Joe Ceaser. In between the scoring action were two great saves from Ceasar, who was doing his level best to keep his side in the game.

By now Micheal Cahill was lording it at centre back, delivering ball at will to his forwards. Ciaran O’Dwyer pointed a free but it was his side’s first score in 13 minutes and time was not on their side. With five minutes left on the clock Michael Doyle pounced for a goal Kevin Bracken will feel he should have saved; and when Doyle landed a huge point having won possession and Padraig O’Dwyer raced up field for a point of his own, a glimmer of hope presented itself.

Sarsfields, sensing a comeback, responded excellently and slammed that notion shut with finishing points from Liam McCormack, Mossie McCormack and Mikie O’Brien.

It was certainly a case of one team firing on all cylinders and the other disappointingly misfiring, as Killenaule’s wides tally of 17 and Sarsfields’ economy of effort in front of the posts revealed the tale of the tape. Thurles led 1-11 to 0-8 at the interval, with Jack Lanigan’s goal on the stroke of half-time building a lead that was always comfortable.

It was a game a great intensity played at a frantic pace, with both sides producing a herculean effort but in the end efficiency triumphed over endeavour and Sarsfields were very deserving of their victory.

Thurles Sarsfields: Kevin Bracken, Jack O’Mara, David Maher, Aidan Ryan (0-2), Henry Fogarty, Michael Cahill, Kieran Moloney, Kieran Costello (0-1), Harry Fitzgibbon, Liam McCormack (0-3), Rory Purcell, Mossie McCormack (captain 0-2) , Tommy Maher (0-1), Jack Lanigan (1-8, 5 frees), Robbie Stapleton (1-2).

Subs: Michael Russell for Harry Fitzgibbon, Mikey O’Brien (0-2) for Kieran Costello, Jock Fogarty for Rory Purcell, Aidan Stakelum for Aidan Ryan.

Killenaule: Joe Ceaser, Jack Hassett, Paddy Codd (captain), Jimmy Feehan, Padraig O’Dwyer (0-1), Joe O’Dwyer, Killian O’Dwyer, Ciaran O’Dwyer (1-6, 1-0 penalty, 5 frees), Paudie Feehan (0-1), Thomas Keaveney, Dean O’Connor (0-1), Tom Stakelum (0-1) , Eoin Barry (0-1) , Mark Stakelum (0-1), Eoin Shaw (1-0).

Subs: Finn Nolan for Jimmy Feehan, Eoin O’Connell for Thomas Keaveney, Michael Doyle (1-1) for Mark Stakelum, Darragh Fitzgerald for Eoin Barry.

Referee: Conor Doyle (Silvermines).