Holycross Ballycahill U21s coast to Mid title with victory over Thurles Sarsfields

Donal and Rose Young Mid U21A Hurling Championship Final

Holycross Ballycahill 1-26 

Thurles Sarsfields 2-10

By Michael Dundon

Holycross-Ballycahill added to their divisional and county U19 successes of some weeks back with a comprehensive win over Thurles Sarsfields in the Donal and Rose Young Mid U21A hurling final at The Ragg on Saturday and on this form will take some stopping in the county championship.

The expected thriller between two sides who have slugged it out right through under-age level never materialised. Invariably Holycross Ballycahill have triumphed, and they were hot favourites here, but Sarsfields were never far behind them and optimistic that they might just turn the tables this time. 

However, in boxing parlance, Sarsfields  “never laid a glove” on their rivals who romped home the easiest of winners in a game that fell well below expectations.

There was a fine turnout in ideal conditions for the anticipated cliffhanger, but by the end of the first quarter, Holycross-Ballycahill was firmly on course to endorse their U19 win as they established a 0-7 to 0-1 lead over a Sarsfields side that was struggling to match their pace, teamwork, and physicality.

Holycross won the key duels, with Joe Caesar and Jim Ryan dominant in defence, and Robbie Ryan and Eoin Craddock wreaking havoc in attack. Ryan had three points, Craddock, two, with James Doyle and Jimmy Lahart also on target, Tommy Maher’s pointed free Sarsfields' only reply in that opening period.

The second quarter followed a similar pattern as Holycross stretched their advantage from 0-14 to 0-4 by the interval and barring a complete upheaval in the second half, the title was theirs. 

Darragh Stakelum was Sarsfields only scorer in the second quarter, notching three points. There was nothing about the Sarsfields display in the opening thirty minutes to suggest they could change things around in the second half.

Indeed, Robbie and Jim Ryan pointed frees extended the Holycross lead before Sarsfields had points from Robbie Stapleton and Kieran Woodlock to raise hopes of a comeback. Those hopes were short-lived as in the 37th minute Robbie Ryan finished to the Thurles net off a David Fogarty pass for a 1-17 to 0-6 lead.

No way back for Sarsfields now but they stuck manfully to their task with Darragh Stakelum, Daniel Rossiter, and Aidan Stakelum doing their utmost to turn the tide. 

Aidan Stakelum had a Sarsfields goal at the three-quarter stage and followed with a point to reduce the deficit to ten points but there was never any serious threat to the Holycross lead in that last quarter. Sarsfields second goal from Darragh Stakelum came after 62 minutes and was really on no consequence. 

By then, Holycross, secure in the knowledge that success was theirs, were giving their fringe players match-time, with Sean Ryan helping himself to two points.

This is an excellent Holycross team. They have proven themselves right through the age groups and half of them are already experiencing senior hurling. They are the future of hurling in the parish and with strong U19s coming through also, Holycross Ballycahill looks to be a club that will have to be reckoned with in the coming years.

Importantly for Holycross all their “big names” delivered top-grade performances, inspiring their teammates in the process. Evan Morris and Joe Caesar were at the heart of a very strong defence with Jim Ryan also to the fore. 

Robbie Ryan was the leading light in attack scoring a whopping 1-11,1-6 of which came from play. Eoin Craddock and Jimmy Lahart were also on their game and Tadhg Gould got through a lot of work at midfield. Not a weak link in the side really, and it is going to take a very good side to stop them from adding this county title to the U19 already achieved this year.

It is little consolation for Sarsfields to affirm that they are better than this performance. Disappointingly they never matched the intensity or fluency of their rivals, particularly in the early stages, and by the time they did get something of a foothold, the game was gone from them. 

Darragh Stakelum was relentless in his efforts to get his side going with most support coming from Aidan Stakelum, Daniel Rossiter, Ciaran Woodlock, and Jack O Mara but all around it was a day most of these lads will want to forget.

Holycross Ballycahill: James O’Dwyer; Cathal O’Reilly, Evan Morris, Jack Lahart; Sean McGrath, Joe Caesar (0-1), Jim Ryan (0-2f); Liam Doyle, Tadhg Gould; Eoin Craddock (0-4), Robbie Ryan (1-11, 0-5f), David Fogarty (0-2); Jimmie Lahart (0-3), James Doyle (0-1), Tony Maher.

Subs used: Tiarnan Ryan; Sean Ryan (0-2); Audie Lohan; Pierce Briody; Rory Flemming.

Thurles Sarsfields: Michael McCormack; Emmet Fogarty, Jack O’Meara, Paul Noonan; Aidan Stakelum (1-1), Tommy Maher (0-1f), Kieran Purcell; Ciaran Woodlock (0-1), Daniel Rossiter (0-1); Liam McCormack, Darragh Stakelum (1-4, 0-3f), Keith Loughnane (0-1); Robbie Stapleton (0-1), Jock Fogarty, Darragh Minogue.

Subs used: Urban Nolan; Tristan Kelly; Ronan O’Brien; Fiachra O’Gorman, Killian Rafter.

Referee: Joe Leahy (Moyne Templetuohy)