So, it will be a novel county hurling final on Sunday week.
In the semis the reigning champs got more bother than anticipated from an improving Kilruane formation, while Nenagh upset the odds when dumping Drom with a late winner in extra time.
There was certainly drama then in both semi-finals though the entertainment register would have shown just a moderate reading. In fact the opening bout had far more zest to it. Despite the ongoing evenness of the Drom/Nenagh clash there was something uninspiring about the hurling in front of a dwindling attendance.
Sarsfields delivered the expected outcome, though in an unexpected manner. Picture the scene: with just two minutes remaining Mickey Cahill drags down ‘Buggy’ O’Meara once more and collects his second yellow card. Ray McLoughney points the resultant free to leave just a point between the sides. A grandstand finish is now in prospect with real potential for a shock outcome.
But cometh the hour cometh the men and in the crisis Sarsfields suddenly found what had been lacking throughout the second half. A Pa Bourke free steadied their nerves and then with Kilruane pushing forward they left themselves vulnerable at the back. With acres of space opening up Ritchie Ruth found Aidan McCormack and he stepped inside his marker to wallop home the clinching goal. Another Pa Bourke free rounded it all off and the margin was six at the long whistle, a far cry from the knife-edge of a few moments earlier.
I often heard it said about the great Sarsfields’ side of the fifties and sixties that you could match them for fifty-five minutes and then in a twinkling they’d hit the accelerator and leave you stranded, the final score mocking your earlier resistance. There was a touch of that on Sunday, though the present crew has some distance to travel before comparing with the side that won ten out of eleven county titles from the mid fifties to the mid sixties.
It was a strange game in some ways. There were times in the first half particularly where the Kilruane defence was looking woefully exposed in the wide spaces of the Stadium and a goal rush seemed possible. It never came, however. Pa Bourke did rattle in one after Denis Maher picked him out with a great cross from the far corner but otherwise Sars’ were popping the points rather than going for the jugular. There are times when their hurling looks a bit dainty and lacking that ruthless streak that would demolish an opponent.
Still they seemed to be at their ease in that opening spell. Cian Darcy had goaled early on for Kilruane but missed another chance later in the half. Besides their shooting was a bit astray in that opening spell with Sars far more economical and sitting in the comfort zone when seven-up at the interval.
However, there were touches of the old Kilruane in the second half. It was now Sarsfields’ turn to clock up the wides and then when Lar Corbett got in a shot it was brilliantly deflected out by goalie, Thomas Williams – shades of Colm Callinan on that one. To compound matters Pa Bourke sent the ‘65’ wide and these let-offs seemed to embolden Kilruane. They stuck to the job bravely and Sars just couldn’t break free.
Aidan McCormack’s second half points were precious for Sarsfields because Kilruane refused to buckle. ‘Buggy’ was tormenting the Thurles defence, Mickey Cahill struggling to contain him. Besides the MacDonaghs’ defence was coming to grips with their opponents, Jack Peters very sure at full, Ray McLoughney and Niall O’Meara others to shine.
Kilruane had their chances but lacked that bit of guile to finish off. They were claiming a penalty on one ‘Buggy’ drive towards goal but I think the referee got it right in giving the award against the forward for barging and ultimately over-carrying. In the end I suspect Sarsfields were very happy to escape to another final because Kilruane asked very serious questions of them.
Much credit goes to the MacDonaghs then for a stubborn resistance. They certainly seem to have the potential to push on from this given the age profile of the team and assuming Seamus Hennessy’s knee holds up. For Sarsfields it was a reminder that favouritism is no guarantee of anything. They looked vulnerable in that second half, something which will encourage Nenagh.
I may be alone in this but I felt underwhelmed by the second game. Perhaps it was that cursed sweeper system with both defences over-staffed and forwards finding the going tough. Yet seldom has a game been so tight with the sides level on eleven occasions before Daire Quinn separated them a minute into injury time at the end of the extra spell.
Strangely it all began as a very lively affair but then seemed to fizzle. Drom had two goals to their account within eleven minutes, a Callanan penalty providing the first and a tennis-style one-hander from David Butler supplying the second after he’d dispossessed a defender in the left corner. Within minutes Andrew Coffey raced through the Drom defence to get a goal back and on this strike rate it looked like a rattling good contest was in prospect.
Thereafter, however, it all seemed to fizzle out with defences taking over. Callanan is central to Drom’s effort but he had a most frustrating day. I thought he never lacked effort but just couldn’t get into the game and ultimately was held scoreless from play. Hugh Maloney got much for the credit but I think it was more of a combined effort where Callanan was simply crowded out and left chasing shadows, not unlike the Munster final against Waterford.
With Drom’s goal threat closed off this was always going to be more of a shoot-out from distance and in those circumstances Nenagh was always going to be in with a decent chance. They spent a lot of time keeping in touch hitting four in a row to draw level by the end of the initial half hour.
The second half was pretty much point for point. Deep into injury time David Collins seemed to have won it for Drom but Mikey Heffernan landed a monster free to tie it up and send us into extra time. Again for both of those ten-minute spells it looked like we’d be heading for a replay next Saturday but right at the ‘death’ Nenagh nicked it, Daire Quinn taking a feed from Conor Ryan to coolly slot the winner from out on the left wing.
It’s the type of game that Nenagh tend to lose so I’m sure they’ll be thrilled to have finally broken the pattern. They showed great nerve to soak up the early pressure from that two-goal whammy and still stay in the game. Their defence will take a lot of the credit for snuffing out the threat of the likes of Callanan and David Collins. The Maloney brothers are central to that rearguard but Daire Quinn and Barry Heffernan are fine contributors too.
In attack Tommy Heffernan is consistently their main score threat but the work of Michael is important at midfield and substitute, Killian Gleeson, made a significant impact too when he came on. They’ll relish a stab at the champions now particularly after their near miss last year.
For Drom the message is stark; changing coaches isn’t necessarily a cure if your team is playing poorly. Their win over Kildangan seemed to announce a renaissance but ultimately it was illusory owing much perhaps to naïve defending by the North champions.
Elsewhere we still await white smoke from Mick Ryan regarding his management cabinet. Tommy Dunne is thought to have declined approaches so I suspect it’s proving a difficult search to put men in place.
Cork have finally ended their quest with the announcement of Kieran Kingston as JBM’s replacement. It’s interesting to see that Dinny Cahill has been recruited as coach to the Limerick team. His appetite for these jobs seems insatiable. Meanwhile Galway’s trauma continues.
In other news Colin O’Riordan has landed a two-year contract with the Sydney Swans. He seems to me to have all the attributes needed for the Australian game. People will be happy for the player who goes following his dream but for Tipperary football it’s a severe blow to lose such a rare talent.
Speaking of football that Wexford report proposing the abolition of dual players from under-fifteen up will have been noted hereabouts. Their high profile committee featuring Michael O’Grady, Jim Bolger and Dave Bernie made the eye-catching recommendation. Any hope it would stir debate hereabouts?
