So the established order remains intact as Sarsfields tag on yet another county crown and Nenagh once again fall tantalisingly short on a big day.
It was an engrossing final that played out to the very last seconds even if ultimately it lacked the romance of a big breakthrough. Nenagh, as is their wont, took Sarsfields right to the brink but just couldn’t muster that final push. The know-how of champions was enough to steer Sarsfields home against a team still desperately striving for that elusive formula that would turn gallant effort into glorious outcome.
One’s heart goes out to Nenagh. Just look at their record. In successive years now they’ve fallen one point shy of Sarsfields. Prior to that they were again a single point short to Loughmore in the 2013 final. So near and yet no nearer, if we can modify the old cliché.
In a sense it was an untypical Nenagh display. All year they’ve tended to be goal shy and rely on heavy point accumulations. This time goals were critical in sustaining their effort, especially the two that came in quick-fire succession in the second quarter. They’d taken a hammering in the opening spell of the game with Sarsfields on a roll. Then Mikey Heffernan moved to full forward and in a twinkling he’d orchestrated 2-1. He played provider for the first goal drawing the defence and laying off to Pearse Morris who was fouled near goal for the ‘penalty’, which Barry Heffernan drilled past Patrick McCormack. (Incidentally, if I may be picky, the ‘penalty’ should have been cancelled because the taker stepped inside the twenty meter line before striking).
The second goal was a Heffernan special, again winning possession off Mickey Cahill, turning the defender and planting a low shot snugly inside the bottom right post. A point quickly followed from Heffernan and suddenly Sarsfields’ runaway lead had vanished. Game on.
It was just as well for the neutrals in an attendance of just over five and a half thousand because the early evidence suggested that this might be a cakewalk for the reigning champions. It was vintage Sarsfields in that opening phase finding space and movement to hit a string of crisp points. It was economic hurling too, the first wide coming a minute from half time.
Early in the sequence they had their goal. Lar made a great catch at half forward but his shot seemed to miss the centre of the ‘bas’ and was dipping short. As it did the reversing Conor Lanigan got the deftest of flicks to steer it into the net as the advancing goalie unwisely came to catch instead of batting away the danger.
At their height Sarsfields cruised into a nine-point lead as they totally dominated the middle third of the pitch and Nenagh were struggling to gain any meaningful traction. Yet the Eire Og goals resurrected the game and left just two between then at the break.
Thereafter it would remain a gripping contest with neither side able to exert a telling sway. Crowded defences dominated and in the greasy conditions control became very difficult. But thankfully for the game’s sake Nenagh stayed stubbornly in contention refusing to let the hot favourites slip into the comfort zone.
By mid stage through the second half an Andrew Coffey point had Nenagh level and the game was now well poised for a gripping conclusion. After his difficulties on Michael Heffernan prior to half time Mickey Cahill was now released of the man-marking burden and he throve in the sweeper role while Stephen Maher turned in an excellent shift on the Eire Og danger man.
Critically Nenagh could never nose in front and were forever chasing the leader. After they’d leveled Sarsfields hit the button once again to go back three-up. Pa Bourke landed a crucial ‘65’ after the referee wisely over-ruled his umpire and then Denis Maher popped up for two quality points, the second a real gem after he was fed by David Kennedy out under the old stand.
But in the swings and roundabouts of this game Nenagh just weren’t going away. The Sarsfields defence was caught badly napping when James Mackey’s first time pull found Andrew Coffey isolated and in acres of space inside the Thurles defence. Coffey showed nerve and class to give Patrick McCormack no chance with Nenagh’s third goal. It was level pegging once again with eight minutes to play.
The remaining minutes were hectic. Nenagh can be grateful for some outstanding goalkeeping by Michael McNamara which kept out Sarsfields. His save off Billy McCarthy was especially memorable while earlier he denied Aidan McCormack.
It was going to come down to the team with the better nerve and in that department Sarsfields were tops. First man-of-the-match Stephen Cahill put Thurles back into the lead and then a misplaced short puck-out fell to Lar Corbett for what ultimately would prove the winner.
Yet still Nenagh refused to wilt as we headed down the home stretch. Daire Quinn made a great sortie up the left wing to land a superb point. It was a replay of his winner against Drom, though the effort took its toll as he was left gasping for air. Still it was a one-point game now with every prospect of a draw if Nenagh could muster one last effort.
They couldn’t. Aidan McCormack seemed to have a legitimate penalty claim waved away and from the clearance Mickey Cahill made a match-winning catch in defence before being fouled. Three minutes of added time were announced as Nenagh desperately sought the leveler. However Sarsfields held firm. The game was approaching four minutes over time when Pa Bourke faced up to a questionable free out near the New Stand. It drifted wide and the referee diced with controversy when he allowed play to continue on the puck-out only calling a halt when Nenagh lost possession.
It was a thriller, no doubt, and a fitting curtain call to a championship that at times was pedestrian. Being pedantic one could criticise the looseness of much of the play and the crowding of defences but against that the game featured some superb scores, great individual efforts, a memorable fight back and a gripping cliff-edge finish. What more could one ask for?
Like most neutrals I feel for Nenagh whose fate is worryingly reflective of our county side. They bring excellent hurling skill to the championship but seem to lack that ruthless streak that would get them over the line in critical matches. After such a tight finish they’ll agonise over all the areas where that one point could have been made up. Critically Tommy Heffernan’s radar was off this time, which cost them four or five points. Then there were the balls dropped over the sideline by over-eager players, the mis-placed clearances, the efforts that dropped short to Patrick McCormack and it all adds up to a pile of regrets for Eire Og.
Yet a more dispassionate review of the game will recognise Sarsfields’ overall superiority. They champions have been there before, know what it takes and refuse to panic. Critically apart from the opening minutes Nenagh were always chasing the game and what I would love to have seen was Eire Og go ahead at some juncture in that second period to really test the ‘bottle’ of the Thurles ‘Blues’.
So, Sarsfields further endorse their latter day dominance of the county championship. They didn’t get it easy in either semi-final or final but in each instance showed the champion quality that sets them apart. Stephen Cahill got the individual award after a typically busy and inventive performance. In the defence I’d give a lot of credit to Stephen Maher in that second half as well as Mickey Cahill and Paudie Maher who again lived up to the Dyson Hoover tag. Ronan Maher too played a very steady, controlled game and David Kennedy played his part as well.
At midfield Billy McCarthy had one of his better days while in attack Lar played a central role as did Denis Maher and Aidan McCormack. I’d nominate John Maher as Sarsfields’ most improved player this season and I’d further nominate Conor Lanigan as their most harshly treated player. The corner forward scored a critical 1-2, did a few fumbles then in the second half and was immediately whipped off. It’s been the pattern all year and is especially difficult to understand on a day when Pa Bourke failed to score from play and was generally anonymous.
Anyway another county title for Sarsfields means that they now need to go further starting with a very difficult assignment against Na Piarsaigh of Limerick. For Nenagh the message has to be to keep the faith and hopefully their luck will turn.
