Thurles Sarsfields 1-24
Borris-Ileigh 0-11

Tipperary Water Tipperary SHC final

AIDAN MCCORMACK LED the way with a nine-point haul as Thurles Sarsfields captured a fourth successive Tipperary Water county senior hurling championship title.

The Blues made it 36 crowns in the Premier County with a convincing 16-point victory in front of 8,376 spectators at Semple Stadium.

Borris-Ileigh, appearing in their first final since 1988, were outclassed as Sars ensured the club’s first four-in-a-row since the 1960s, when they claimed a five-in-a-row.

In the process, Sars become the first club in Tipp to win four successive county senior titles since Toomevara (1998-2001).

They had nine different scorers on the day and were generally untroubled, bar a spell approaching half-time when Borris’ looked set to make a game of it.

Sars, captained by Tipperary senior skipper Pádraic Maher, were seven points clear on three occasions in the first half, before Borris’ hit three on the spin to give themselves some hope at the break, trailing by 0-7 to 0-11.

But Borris’ could manage just six points from play over the hour plus, with Brendan Maher leading the way for them with five pointed frees.

Sars ran riot in the second half, outscoring their neighbours by 1-13 to 0-4.

Conor Stakelum had a goal disallowed for a square ball and forced a fine save from Jack Bourke before finally breaking through in the 45^th minute.

Stephen Cahill’s attempted point was batted down by Bourke into the grateful path of Stakelum, who made no mistake from close range.

It was a cruise from there for Sars, who march on to an AIB Munster club quarter-final against the Waterford champions, on Déise soil, in three weeks’ time.

Scorers for Thurles Sarsfields – Aidan McCormack 0-9 (0-6f, 0-1 ’65), Conor Stakelum 1-2, Billy McCarthy, Denis Maher 0-3 each, Pa Bourke, Lar Corbett 0-2 each, Ronan Maher, Pádraic Maher, Stephen Cahill 0-1 each.

Scorers for Borris-Ileigh – Brendan Maher 0-5(0-5f), Dan McCormack 0-3, Liam Ryan 0-2, Kieran Maher 0-1.

Thurles Sarsfields

1. Patrick McCormack

4. Michael Cahill
5. Ronan Maher
2. Stephen Maher

3. Cathal Moloney
6. Pádraic Maher (captain)
7. Stephen Lillis

8. John Maher
9. Stephen Cahill

14. Denis Maher
10. Billy McCarthy
11. Aidan McCormack

13. Conor Stakelum
12. Pa Bourke
15. Lar Corbett

Subs

20. Mikey O’Brien for Bourke (38)
17. Tommy Doyle for Stakelum (temp. 50-51)
17. Tommy Doyle for Denis Maher (52)
18. Rory Dwan for Stephen Maher (59)
19. Conor Lanigan for Stakelum (59)
21. Rory Purcell for Moloney (60+3)

Borris-Ileigh

1. Jack Bourke

2. Thomas Fahy
6. Ciaran Cowan
4. Matthew Stapleton

3. Paddy Stapleton (captain)
8. Brendan Maher
9. Seamus Burke

5. Liam Ryan
7. Sean McCormack

10. Niall Kenny
11. Dan McCormack
15. Kieran Maher

13. Jack Hogan
14. Conor Kenny
12. Jerry Kelly

Subs

22. Jody Harkin for Matthew Stapleton (16)
22. Keith Ryan for Hogan (49)
21. Vincent Stapleton for Kieran Maher (55)
18. Maurice Ryan for Fahy (59).

Referee: Fergal Horgan (Knockavilla Donaskeigh Kickhams)

‘I said it would be two British teams. I was pulled up on that but anybody with half a brain would have known what I meant’