Evan Fitzpatrick stars as Roscrea put Thurles Sarsfields to the sword

FBD Insurance Premier Intermediate Hurling Quarter-Final

Roscrea 2-26

Thurles Sarsfields 2-14

Evan Fitzpatrick was the star of the show, as Roscrea had it at their ease as they produced a very clinical and impressive 60 minutes of hurling to completely overwhelm Thurles Sarsfields in Toomevara earlier this afternoon.

Fitzpatrick was incredible throughout the game and ended the contest with a huge tally of seven points from play, in a game where Roscrea were far sharper, more cohesive and all around the better team as they continue their efforts to return to Dan Breen for 2023.

Thurles never really got to the pitch of the contest and despite timely goals coming in both halves when they were really on the backfoot, they were never going to half the scoring penetration to pull back a Roscrea team who had so many shots on goal, as the men in red finished with 20 wides in the game.

Roscrea’s intent was clear from the very beginning of the game, with Alan Tynan picking up the first possession from the throw in to power through the centre of the Thurles defence and point on the run.

A Luke Cashin free followed two minutes later before Thurles got their scoring underway with well taken points from play from veteran forward John Maher, before Maher set up Mikey O’Brien to slot over a minute later to level the game.

It looked ominous early on for Sarsfields with the way Roscrea were hurling, linking up through the lines very well and picking out their men with ease, as they pointed three on the bounce up to the 11th minute through a first for the elusive Shane Fletcher, Cashin (free), and a first for Evan Fitzpatrick.

Thurles were game enough in the opening quarter though, and had the game back to a point a minute alter with two quickfire points from Michael Purcell and another Mikey O’Brien point from play, but Roscrea were creating so many opportunities and were only taking some, but they did open a five point lead over the next eight minutes, as an Evan Fitzpatrick brace along with further scores from Shane Fletcher and Jason Fitzpatrick gave them a 0-10 to 0-5 lead after 17 minutes.

It looked like a game that could get away from Thurles very easily, but they had a big shot in the arm in the 18th minute when a diagonal pass into the far right corner found Mikey O’Brien, who cut inside his man before lashing a superb shot off his right into the corner of the net to bring it back to two points.

Somehow, Thurles were still in the reckoning, and with the sides trading the final six scores of the half in the final ten minutes, it was all to play for in the second half as the north Tipperary men took a 0-14 to 1-8 half time lead.

In all honesty, only for some poor Roscrea shooting, it could have been a bigger deficit for Sarsfields at the break, but Roscrea once again started well with the first three points of the half going their way from a Luke Cashin free, and Daniel Ryan and Conor Dooley’s first points of the day extending their lead.

It took until the 37th minute for Sars to register their next scores, but they came back to back when a brace of well taken efforts from John Maher put some confidence into his side, but Roscrea were still finding that space to punish their opponents.

Another scoring burst put Roscrea in a commanding position by the 42nd minute, with Daniel Ryan, Shane Fletcher, and another brace from Evan Fitzpatrick put them 0-21 to 1-10 in front, as Sars struggled to contain the energy and pace of the Roscrea attack.

But, just like the first half, Sars found a goal at the right time to put them back into contention, as a looping pass over the45 to Tommy Doyle found the midfielder in space, and he went for the jugular by sending a low strike into the bottom corner past Daryl Ryan from some 25 yards out.

It was somewhat of a false dawn for Thurles though, as Roscrea simply kept going about their business and with Evan Fitzpatrick, Shane Fletcher, and Conor Sheedy all causing havoc, they pulled away again.

Points from Alan Tynan and Jason Fizpatrick had Ros’ in a commanding position going into added time, but they really topped off a good performance, despite the bucket of wides hit, with two well taken goals from Conor Sheedy and Alan Tynan to send them into the final four and another step closer to the top table.

Scorers: Roscrea: Evan Fitzpatrick 0-7, Conor Sheedy 1-3, Alan Tynan 1-2, Luke Cashin 0-5f, Shane Fletcher 0-3, Jason Fitzpatrick (0-2, 0-1f) , Daniel 0-2, Michael Campion, Conor Dooley 0-1 each.

Thurles Sarsfields: MIkey O’Brien 1-3, Jack Lanigan 0-6f, John Maher 0-3, Tommy Doyle 1-0, Michael Purcell, Tommy Maher 0-1 each.

Roscrea: Daryl Ryan; Shane Davis, Keith McMahon, James Synott; Michael Campion, Darren O’Connor, Darragh Tynan; Daniel Ryan, Jason Fitzpatrick; Alan Tynan, Luke Cashin, Evan Fitzpatrick; Jason Gilmartin, Shane Fletcher, Conor Dooley.

Subs: Conor Sheedy for Gilmartin (28); Joe Carroll for Dooley (44); Kenny Lee for Cashin (50); Conor Phelan for Shane Davis (52); Aidan Booth for Synott (55).

Thurles Sarsfields: Willie Tierney; Henry Fogarty, David Maher, Stephen Maher; Pa Dunne, Kieran Costello, Harry Fitzgibbon; Cian Stakelum, Michael Purcell; Tommy Doyle, Jack Lanigan, Tommy Maher; Mikey O’Brien, Michael Russell, John Maher.

Subs: Liam McCormack for J Maher (46); Conor Fogarty for P Dunne (48); Emmet Fogarty for T Maher (55).

Referee: Conor Doyle (Silvermines)