Sars impress in Senior Football return

GAA: FBD Insurance Tipperary Senior Football Championship Group 2

Thurles Sarsfields 2-2-8 (18)

Ballyporeen 0-1-4 (6)

Report: Michael Dundon at Kickham Park, Dundrum

County intermediate champions Thurles Sarsfields handed out a twelve point drubbing to Ballyporeen in round one of group two of the County Senior Football Championship on Friday evening in a contest that was virtually decided at the half-way stage.

The Thurles outfit’s last appearance at senior football championship level was in 1957 when they lost to Loughmore/Castleiney in the Mid final but great work behind the scenes in recent years by the management team of Peter Creedon, Declan Costello, Tony Smith and Pat Bracken led to a junior success three years ago, followed last year by winning the intermediate title.

This win over Ballyporeen indicated that Sarsfields are not out of their depth in the top flight. Of course, more testing challenges lie ahead.

Ballyporeen have diced with relegation in recent years and may well find themselves in a similar situation in this campaign. They enjoyed their fair share of possession but a lack of a cutting edge in front of goal meant that they got a poor return for their time on the ball. Five points from play is well below what is required to win, and with games against JK Brackens and Kilsheelan-Kilcash ahead of them, these are anxious times from the south side.

Ronan O’Brien’s two-pointer for Sarsfields after four minutes showed they meant business. They were 0-3 to 0-2 ahead when, in the nineteenth minute, Matthew Kelly set county man Kieran Costello up for a Sarsfields goal, and two minutes from the break, Paddy Creedon and Michael Cahill combined to create the opportunity for Liam McCormack to register a second Sarsfields goal and a half-time lead of 2-5 to 0-3.

Ballyporeen needed a big second half to redress the situation but it never materialised. In the opening thirteen minutes of the half, Sarsfields hit six points without reply, McCormack, Costello (2-pointer), Creedon, O’Brien, and Cathal Hayes, the marksmen. Trailing 2-11 to 0-3, Ballyporeen’s fate was decided. They did produce a late kick, a two-pointer from Daire Brennan followed by a Christy English point, but those scores did nothing to change the reality of a disappointing slump.

As a boost for morale facing into uncharted waters, this was a big win for Thurles Sarsfields, who, if they can reproduce this level of performance will make a bold bid to reach the knockpout stage. There was an energy and purpose about their play and clearly they have some very talented footballers.

None more so than county-men Kieran Costello and Paddy Creedon who led by example, with Costello getting through a huge amount of work from midfield and also chipping in with a goal and a two-pointer.

They did not lack support either. Michael Cahill had a stormer at centre halfback while Liam McCormack’s pace posed big problems for the Ballyporeen defence. Henry Fogarty, Cathal Hayes, and Ronan O’Brien also were very influential.

Ballyporeen have a lot of work to do to retain their senior status with two very difficult outings ahead of them. They work hard at a possession game but there is a noticeable reluctance to pull the trigger when in shooting range. Faced with a tight-marking defence, this cost them a number of turn-overs and, with players gone forward, left them vulnerable to the counter-attack.

Former county-man Conor Sweeney was their go-to man in attack and while he always posed a threat, he was given little room to deliver the scores they needed so badly.

Darragh Lyons, Darragh Brennan, Riain O’Callaghan, Jack Kearney and sub Oisin Power when introduced, did most to further the Ballyporeen cause but a difficult few weeks lies ahead for them if they are to retain their senior status.

Player of the Match: Kieran Costello (Thurles Sarsfields)

Thurles Sarsfields: Lorcan Cummins (6); Conor Fogarty (6), Cathal Hayes (0-1, 7), Conor Stapleton (6); Patrick Stakelum (6), Michael Cahill (7), Henry Fogarty (7); Kieran Costello (1-2, 0-2play, 9), James Armstrong (6); Matthew Kelly (0-1, 6), Paddy Creedon (0-2, 7), Ronan O’Brien (0-3, 2play, 7); Kevin Bracken (6), Liam McCormack (1-3, 0-2f, 7), Harry Fitzgibbon (6).

Subs: Ruari Dwan (6) for Bracken (47); Aidan Ryan (6) for Kelly (52).

Ballyporeen: Kieran Macken (6); John Ryan (6), Rian O’Callaghan (7), Oisin Brennan (6); Eoin Morrissey (6), Mikey Maher (6), Jack Kearney (7); James Barry (6), Daire Brennan (0-2play, 7); Darragh Lyons (0-1, 6), Tommy Sweeney (6), Kevin O’Mahoney (6); Conor Sweeney (0-2, 1f, 6), Tomas Vaughan (6), Christy English (0-1, 6).

Subs: Oisin Power (6) for T Sweeney (39); Anthony Crotty (6) for Lyons (54).

Referee: Seanie Peters (Galtee Rovers).