Thurles continued their reach vein of form in dismissal of relegation bound Roscrea

FBD Insurance Senior Hurling Championship - Group 3 - Round 3

Thurles Sarsfields 2-27 

Roscrea 1-14

By Michael Dundon

Thurles Sarsfields third win in the FBD Insurance county senior hurling championship, group three, round three, was all but sealed inside the first quarter at Templemore on Sunday last as last year’s beaten finalists opened a nine-point lead that rivals Roscrea never threatened to bridge.

Roscrea were not in good fettle going into the game having lost to both Mullinahone and Roscrea in the earlier rounds. Promoted from intermediate ranks two years ago, they are finding the going tough this year, and against the opposition of the calibre of Sarsfields, their shortcomings were painfully exposed.

Both sides were playing a passing game, too much so some might say, but Sarsfields were far slicker in their execution of it and racked up some copy-book scores in the process of dishing out a sixteen points drubbing. 

Roscrea did not deserve a 16-point defeat but there was no question as to who were the superior side as the Thurles lads appear to be building momentum after an indifferent county league campaign, and early elimination from the Mid championship.

Aidan McCormack gave a master class in score-taking in that opening spell, notching nine points in the first twenty minutes, four from play as Sarsfields surged 0-12 to 0-4 clear. In boxing terms, Roscrea hadn’t laid a glove on the Thurles boys who went on to have a 0-16 to 0-7 lead at the interval.

Not an unbridgeable gap in hurling certainly, but there was nothing about the Roscrea performance that suggested they had the capability of reversing the first-half trend. Any prospect of a Roscrea recovery was put to bed in the early minutes of the second half as Sarsfields scored four of the first five points for a 0-20 to 0-8 lead. The only issue from there on was what the winning margin would be.

Roscrea were not giving up though. In the 42nd minute, Shane Dooley’s rasper hit the woodwork but three minutes later he got the goal Roscrea needed to rally them. He and Alan Tynan followed with Roscrea points to cut the lead to nine points after 50 minutes (0-24 to 1-12) to give their supporters something to cheer about. 

It was 0-25 to 1-14 after 57 minutes when Paddy Creedon, fed by Aidan McCormack, netted for Sarsfields and two minutes later Jack Lanigan had Sarsfields' second goal off a Liam McCormack delivery. End of story!

Unbeaten in the round-robin series Sarsfields go into the quarter-finals somewhat under the radar and in an improving mode and clearly will be a side to be reckoned with now that the business end of the championship is on hand. 

They had Paddy Creedon back for his first game of the championship after being away for the Summer, James Armstrong has also returned, and with several new faces getting game time the strength in depth of their panel is improving.

While Aidan McCormack’s first-half performance was admirable, Denis Maher was accorded Clubber’s man-of-the-match accolade for a full-blooded showing at fullback. All around him, Sarsfields were excellent with Stephen Maher chipping in with two points from cornerback. 

Stephen Cahill was at his industrious self at midfield with all six forwards scoring including last year’s minor Jack Lanigan who bagged their second goal. Another newcomer Mossie McCormack can be very happy with his day’s work as can Paul Maher at cornerback.

Roscrea faces the relegation struggle without a win in the championship but they can draw encouragement from a performance that deserved better than the scoreline suggests. They play an attractive brand of hurling but need to supplement flair with substance if they are to preserve their senior status. 

In an overworked defence Conor Sheedy and Daragh Tynan worked hard while Alan Tynan did his best to rally his colleagues. Shane Fletcher and substitute Sam Dooley were others to put in a good shift but overall there will need to be a big step up in the level of performance if they are to avoid relegation.

Thurles Sarsfields: Patrick McCormack;  Paul Maher, Denis Maher, Stephen Maher (0-2); James Armstrong, Ronan Maher (0-1f), Cian Stakelum; Stephen Cahill (0-2), Cathal Moloney; Jack Lanigan (1-1), Conor Stakelum (0-2), Aidan McCormack (0-12, 0-7f), Eoin Purcell (0-2); Mossie McCormack (0-2), Darragh Stakelum (0-2).

Subs used: Paddy Creedon (1-0) for D Stakelum (HT); Seanie Butler for Cahill (43); Liam McCormack (0-1) for M McCormack (46); D Corbett for Moloney (50); Michael Purcell for Cian Stakelum (54).

Roscrea: Enda Moloney; Luke Seacy, Shane Davis, Darren O’Connor; Daniel Ryan, Darragh Tynan (0-1), Conor Sheedy (0-2); Owen Tynan, Shane Fletcher (0-2); Alan Tynan (0-3), Kenny Lee  (0-1), Evan  Fitzpatrick (0-1); Shane Fletcher (0-2), Conor Dooley (0-1), Luke Cashin.

Subs used: Aidan Booth for O Tynan (35); Sam Dooley (1-1) for C Dooley (39); Leigh Loughnane for C Booth (43).

Referee: Ciaran O’Donovan (Burgess)