Sars leave rally too late in Munster quarter final

GAA: AIB Munster Club Intermediate Football Championship Quarter Final

Aghabullogue 0-0-20 (20)

Thurles Sarsfields 0-3-9 (15)

Report: Michael Dundon in Templetuohy

A last quarter surge to bring them within striking distance of their rivals was not enough to save Thurles Sarsfields who bowed out of the Munster Club Intermediate Football Championship, losing their quarter-final to Cork champions, Aghabullogue on Sunday.

On their first time winning the Tipp intermediate championship, Sarsfields drew the short straw by being pitted against a hotly fancied Aghabullogue, and the Thurles situation was not helped by the absence of county hurler Darragh Stakelum, in South Africa with the Tipp hurlers, while Michael Cahill who was nursing an injury did not appear until the second half.

Aghabullogue’s pace in possession, and their tackling was on a higher plane than anything Sarsfields encountered this year and in the first half, four of a number of turn-overs by the Cork champions, yielded points as they swept into an interval lead of 0-12 to 0-4.Despite the best efforts of Kieran Costello, Paddy Creedon, and Henry Fogarty, Sarsfields were on the backfoot and their plight got even worse as Aghabullogue hit the first four points of the second half to lead 0-16 to 0-4 after forty minutes.

Belatedly, Sars began to grow into the game, a two-pointer free by Liam McCormack after 47 minutes instigating a rally that saw them shoot six points without reply to be just four adrift (0-12 to 0-16) with seven minutes to play. Cian Stakelum, whose work throughout was exceptional, twice pointed, Paddy Creedon kicked a mighty two-pointer, and Aidan Ryan and Liam McCormack were also on target as the Sarsfields rally gained momentum.

Aghabullogue concern was reflected in the loud cheer that acknowledged Colm Gillespie’s well-taken point to break the Thurles sequence. Liam McCormack kicked his sixth point for Sarsfields to keep up the pressure on the Cork lads but time was now on Aghabullogue’s side and in a late flourish they had three points for safety. Paddy Creedon’s second two-pointer after in the 64th minute was too late to make a significant difference.

Thurles Sarsfields’ brave performance won them many admirers and augurs well for their return next year to senior football after almost seventy years in the lower echelons. This year has been a learning curve for them but clearly showed that the potential is there to compete at a higher level, and the challenge now is to build on what was achieved this year. Many of this squad have been successful at underage level with Durlas Óg so the foundation is there.

In Cian Stakelum they had the top performer on the pitch, his work-rate and ability to pick off a score, inspiring. Once again county men Kieran Costello, the team captain, and Paddy Creedon showed great leadership with Cathal Hayes, Liam McCormack, Henry Fogarty, and Aidan Ryan all doing their utmost.

Aghabullogue’s top performers were Shane Tarrant, Colm Gillespie, Padraig O’Sullivan, Aaron O’Sullivan and John Corkery.

Player of the Match: Cian Stakelum (Thurles Sarsfields).

Aghabullogue: John Buckley (6); Dhani Merrick (7), Conor Smyth (6), Paul Dilworth (6); Paul Ring (0-1, 6), Shane Tarrant (7), Brendan Sullivan (6); Colm Gillespie (0-2, 7), Adam Murphy (6); Aaron O’Sullivan (0-4, 6), John Corkery (0-2, 7), Padraig O’Sullivan (0-3, 7); Matthew Bradley (0-4, 2f, 7), Evan O’Sullivan (0-1, 6), Luke Casey (0-3, 7).

Subs: Oisin O’Connell (6) for Sullivan (51); Cialan O’Sullivan (6) for P O’Sullivan (51); David Thompson (NR) for A O’Sullivan (60); Tom Long (NR) for Corkery (60+2); James Lane (NR) for E O’Sullivan (60+4).

Thurles Sarsfields: Lorcan Cummins (6); Conor Fogarty (6), Cathal Hayes (7), Rory Dwan (6); Conor Stapleton (6), Kieran Costello (7), Henry Fogarty (7); Aidan Ryan (0-1, 6), James Armstrong (6); Kevin Bracken (6), Paddy Creedon (0-4, 2x2p, 8), Aidan Stakelum (6); Cian Stakelum (0-3, 9), Matthew Kelly (0-1, 6), Liam McCormack (0-6, 1x2f, 4x1f, 7).

Subs: Michael Cahill (6) for Armstrong (HT inj); Padraic Crone (6) for Bracken (47).

Referee: Jonathan Hayes (Limerick).