Sarsfields (Cork) 1-25
Feakle (Clare) 1-17
SARSFIELDS ENDED THEIR own miserable Munster hurling record and Cork’s recent travails in the competition to claim victory at the semi-final stage today over Clare’s Feakle.
Bouncing back from their Cork final loss to divisional team Imokilly, Sarsfields hit the last eight points of the game to pull clear of Feakle, a blistering run of scoring form that finally settled this contest.
Aaron Myers (1-6), Jack O’Connor (0-4) and Cathal McCarthy (0-4) were the scoring stars from play as they settled the issue in this game. Next up is the daunting task of a final against title holders Ballygunner, but this was a result that marked a sign of definite progress for Sarsfields.
They had challenges to overcome in the form of their poor shooting early on, amassing eight wides in the opening quarter, and the sharp play of Feakle, entering the game after collecting their first Clare crown in 36 years. They were in front 0-5 to 0-1 after nine minutes, had an impressive first-half performance from Oisin Donnellan as he struck three from play, while Shane McGrath’s free-taking stood out.
Clare goalkeeper Eibhear Quilligan produced an outstanding save to deny Myers in the 25th minute, tipping away a shot for a ’65 that Daniel Hogan converted, while Quilligan scooped another effort from Luke Elliott over the bar. Feakle’s other Liam MacCarthy Cup winner Adam Hogan watched Jack O’Connor closely from the opening stages.
But while Feakle were four up inside nine minuts, they were four adrift by half-time. Sarsfields grew more dominant with Cathal McCarthy impressing, Hogan in lively form, and Myers a constant threat inside. The attacker fielded a long delivery from Ben Graham in the 18th minute, raced clear and despite the covering pressure, he engineered a way to bundle the ball into the corner.
The 1-12 to 0-11 interval position was quickly wiped out as Feakle gave their travelling support early cause for cheers in the second half. Eoin Tuohy clipped over a point and then after McGrath was hauled down, Quilligan moved upfield to ram home the resultant penalty.
That left it 1-12 apiece, the action ebbing and flowing for the next 15 minutes. Sarsfields created a three-point gap, 1-17 to 1-14, but Steven Conway, McGrath, and Tuohy landed the points that tied the game, leaving Feakle buoyant.
Yet they would not register a further score after the 48th minute, Sarsfields possessed more in the tank and unleashed their pace around the middle. Gaps appeared in the Feakle rearguard as the points flowed – Myers firing three, O’Connor landing a brace, with Colm and Cathal McCarthy, and substitute Shane O’Regan all on target as well.
Johnny Crowley’s side were full value for their success. A Munster final awaits in a fortnight.
Scorers for Sarsfields: Aaron Myers 1-6, Daniel Hogan 0-6 (0-5f, 0-1 ’65), Cathal McCarthy 0-4, Jack O’Connor 0-4, Paul Leopold 0-1, Luke Elliott 0-1, Daniel Kearney 0-1, Shane O’Regan 0-1, Colm McCarthy 0-1.
Scorers for Feakle: Shane McGrath 0-7 (0-5f), Oisin Donnellan 0-3, Steven Conway 0-3, Eibhear Quilligan 1-0 (1-0 pen), Eoin Tuohy 0-2, Oisin O’Connor 0-1, Enda Noonan 0-1.
Sarsfields
1. Ben Graham
4. Paul Leopold, 6. Eoghan Murphy, 2. Conor O’Sullivan
5. Bryan Murphy, 20. Cillian Roche, 7. Luke Elliott
14. Colm McCarthy, 22. Cathal McCarthy
9. Daniel Kearney, 11. Daniel Hogan, 8. Cian Darcy,
23. Aaron Myers, 10. James Sweeney, 13. Jack O’Connor
Subs
- 15. Shane O’Regan for Sweeney (49)
- 28. Eoin O’Sullivan for Kearney (56)
- 3. Craig Leahy for Elliott (57)
Feakle
1.Eibhear Quilligan
5. Adam Hogan, 3. Eoghan Daly, 4. Oisin Clune
2. Killian Bane, 6. Conn Smyth, 9. Eoin Tuohy
11. Enda Noonan, 7. Ronan O’Connor;
10. Oisin Donnellan, 8: Shane McGrath, 14. Steven Conway
13. Patrick Daly, 12. Martin Daly, 15. Oisin O’Connor
Subs
- 17. Raymond Bane for Patrick Daly (48)
- 22. Owen McGann for Oisin O’Connor (52)
- 26. Ger Hanrahan for Noonan (60)
- 20. Fiachra Donnellan for Martin Daly (60)
- 18. Enda Madden for Killian Bane (62)
Referee: Thomas Walsh (Waterford)
I got clubs most improved player at under 12s surely I must be expectating a 6 figure salary in china
€14000 Euro is about 101k Chinese Yuan so you could probably earn that teaching English over there if you accepted an offer as a teacher. Can you afford to turn down a six figure sum like that?
if that lad is worth 20m a year, i am surely worth the avg industrial wage am i ?
I had trials with Monaghan Utd, EMFA, Home Farm Everton and Newcastle West AFC once upon a time like…….
@Liam Dunne: ah he is ☺ juventus will be delighted to hear about him cheering them on.
What a waste of talent, this is going to be. This kid can and should be playing for one of the great european sides. Instead he has gone to chase cash in the Chinese Football pub league
If someone came along and offered you insane money to go to china to to your everyday job,you wouldn’t be interested?
The only reason those European teams are great is because they have the financial clout to go out and buy the best players available to them. What’s happening now is a long overdue case of what goes around comes around.
He went to Zenit for a big wage also, this lad has always put money first!
He’ll be able to look after his family for generations. In 60 years time that will be more important than whether he played a game for an Italian or a Chinese team.
The epitome of the modern day footballer, this youngster. Here’s a player regularly in the first XI of a nation that spent about a year in the top 2 of the FIFA rankings, who has only ever played in the Belgian, Portuguese and Russian leagues. And now he’s off to China.
His ambition is questionable at best, and his love of vast wealth not under any doubt. He went to Zenit for 40 million, so his family can’t be short a few bob.
How long before Continho goes ….
Old news this
Really? He signed 2 hours ago.
Fair play to him. A couple of years in China on mega money and return back to Europe.