Rossiter star as Sarsfields progress past poor Borris-Ileigh

GAA: FBD Insurance Tipperary Senior Hurling Championship Quarter Final

Thurles Sarsfields 3-22

Borris-Ileigh 1-18

Report: Shane Brophy at FBD Semple Stadium

MATCH DIGEST

Player of the Match: Kieran Rossiter (Thurles Sarsfields)

SCORERS – Thurles Sarsfields: Kieran Rossiter 2-5; Darragh Stakelum 1-3 (0-2 frees); Aidan McCormack 0-4 (3 frees); Cian Stakelum, Paddy Creedon, Euan Murray 0-2 each; Daniel Rossiter, Paul Maher, Tommy Maher, Conor Stakelum 0-1 each.

Borris-Ileigh: Eddie Ryan 1-10 (1-9 frees, 0-1 ‘65); James Devaney 0-2; Jerry Kelly (s-cut), Kevin Maher, Conor Kenny, Paddy McCormack, Tom Delaney, Cathal Hogan 0-1 each.

Thurles Sarsfields extended their unbeaten championship record over Borris-Ileigh to nine games with a comfortable victory on this disappointing County Senior Hurling Championship quarter final on Saturday.

Borris-Ileigh hadn’t beaten Sarsfields in championship hurling since 1950 on their way to winning back-to-back titles with the likes of the great Jimmy Finn and the Kenny’s in their ranks, but apart from a decent opening quarter, they never remotely looked like breaking that losing run.

For such a proud club, there was a remarkable lack of belief that they could topple Sarsfields, despite coming in as North champions and a strong performance level in their group stage games. Their set-up said as much with Ray McCormack operating almost alone in the full-forward line with Eddie Ryan and Conor Kenny effectively playing as half-forwards.

In possession, it left the Borris-Ileigh players back the field short on options for an out-ball, time and again being swept up by a Sarsfields side who are really gelling together with each and every game. They are too good a side to offer spare bodies in defence to, particularly in how they turn that possession to begin attacking moves. Central to that is Conor Stakelum who was once again majestic at centre-back, but crucially has licence to drift up the field, off the ball, to create an extra body there as well.

While Euan Murray is the fresh face on everyone’s lips, it was another first year senior in Kieran Rossiter who stole the show in this game with a superb 2-5 from play. Right from the off, the 18-year-old thrived in the open space of Tom Semple’s Field, opening the scoring and had a second by the fourth minute, getting onto a Conor Stakelum pass.

Paddy Creedon and Murray were also on target in as many minutes in an ominous start but Borris responded well, and with James Devaney already up and running, Eddie Ryan, Devaney and Conor Kenny pointed to level in the seventh minute.

Conor Kenny was one of the few Borris-Ileigh players to play up to scratch and gave an exhibition of high-fielding, winning no fewer than seven puckouts in the game but Borris struggled to turn that primary possession into scoring chances, although they had the first goal chance as Jack Bevans played a one-two with Ray McCormack and raced through the middle and was unlucky to see his shot strike the crossbar and bounce clear.

Credit must go to Sarsfields whose intensity really seemed to catch Borris-Ileigh napping and after Aidan McCormack and Eddie Ryan traded placed balls, Darragh & Cian Stakelum got on the scoresheet.

Then came the first goal on sixteen minutes with Eoin Purcell winning the ball in the left corner before playing in Kieran Rossiter who finished well. He turned creator for the second goal six minutes later when he blocked down Kieran Maher which allowed Darragh Stakelum through to finish comfortably.

Rossiter quickly added his third from play and with the deficit out to nine, it appeared a long way back for Borris even after just 23 minutes. Rossiter turned provider again for Creedon to point as the North champions struggled to create with sub Kevin Maher getting a much-needed score but points from McCormack, Rossiter and defender Paul Maher helped Sarsfields to a 2-12 to 0-7 half time lead.

The Borris-Ileigh management rung the changes at half time with Tom Delaney coming on at centre-back, releasing Jerry Kelly to full forward with Patrick Ryan sent back to corner back to try and curb Rossiter.

However, they rarely looked like generating momentum, their best coming in a five minute spell from the 38th to 42nd minute when they reeled off three points in a row from Delaney, fellow sub Cathal Hogan, and Eddie Ryan brought them within nine but up-stepped Kieran Rossiter to puncture any growing Borris-Ileigh belief, adding to by his brother Daniel as they reasserted themselves once more.

They had the comfort of running their bench in the final quarter, in which time Kieran Rossiter scored his second goal to bring his tally to 2-5 from play, following good build-up play by Paddy Creedon and sub James Armstrong, before being taken off to a well-deserved ovation.

Borris-Ileigh plugged away to the end, forcing a couple of 21-yard frees, one of which Eddie Ryan managed to breach the Sarsfields rearguard for a goal but it was mere consolation with their disappointing day culminating with Paddy McCormack sent off for a second bookable offence for a tackle borne out of frustration which summed up the teams day as a whole.

TEAMS – Thurles Sarsfields: Patrick McCormack (7); Paul Maher (7), Denis Maher (8), Henry Fogarty (6); Keith Loughnane (7), Conor Stakelum (Capt 8), Cian Stakelum (7); Daniel Rossiter (7), Euan Murray (7); Aidan Stakelum (6), Aidan McCormack (6), Darragh Stakelum (7); Eoin Purcell (7), Paddy Creedon (7), Kieran Rossiter (9).

Subs: Tommy Maher (7) for A McCormack (48); James Armstrong (7) for Cian Stakelum (53); Stephen Maher (NR) for P Maher (55); Robbie Stapleton (NR) for K Rossiter (57).

Borris-Ileigh: James McCormack (6); Liam Ryan (5), Dan McCormack (Capt 7), Colm Boyle (6); Sean McCormack (6), Jerry Kelly (6), Kieran Maher (6); Tommy Ryan (6), Jack Bevans (7); Patrick Ryan (6), James Devaney (6), Paddy McCormack (6); Conor Kenny (8), Ray McCormack (6), Eddie Ryan (7).

Subs: Kevin Maher (7) for Kelly (26-27 blood), for L Ryan (27); Cathal Hogan (7) for T Ryan (27); Tom Delaney (7) for Kieran Maher (HT); Jack Hogan (6) for Devaney (31-32 blood), for R McCormack (40 inj); Michael Ryan (6) for S McCormack (49).

Referee: Ciaran O’Donovan (Burgess).