Toome withstand Sars rally

Toomevara 3-19 Thurles Sarsfields 3-16

The new champions looked clear winners after turning over with an 11 point half-time lead, but Sars, looking for their first title since 1974, put in a storming last quarter and only a magnificent save by Toome 'keeper Justin Cottrell in injury time denied them a second bite of the cherry.

Toome's victory was achieved through a tremendous work ethic. From the throw in they chased and harassed their opponents into making the mistakes and conceding the frees which Ken Dunne punished every time.

The game was a personal triumph for four Toome players, George Frend, Tony Delaney and the Dunne brothers Tomas and Ken, who were winning their eighth county senior medal in 11 years. All four made handsome contributions to their club's 18th title success.

It was the ability of the Toome forwards to regularly carve open the Sars defence which was one of the principle reasons behind their victory. The O'Brien brother Paddy and John, Eoin Brislane and team captain Michael Bevans always had the ability to beat their men and more importantly, finish with a score.

Outplayed and outscored for long periods, Sars have to be credited for refusing to throw in the towel after trailing 2-10 to 0-5 at half-time. However they didn't have enough quality players to turn it around although Lar Corbett, Ger O'Grady, Tony Ruth, Wayne Cully and Johnny Enright had tremendous games.

Toom got the perfect start with the strong wind to their backs when Ken Dunne pointed a free after 30 seconds.

Lar Corbett levelled it half a minute later before Michael Bevans availed of hesitancy in the Sars defence to stroke home a goal which had his 1-3 to 0-1 in front after just three minutes and the signs were looking ominous for Thurles.

With Ken Dunne orchestrating matters at midfield - he won the man of the match award - and Michael Bevans, John O'Brien and Tomas Dunne giving the Thurles defence a torrid time, the scores came freely and at the end of the opening quarter Toomevara led 1-7 to 0-3 as Sars struggled alarmingly in most sectors.

There was a marvellous edge to Toom's hurling that Sars couldn't match and their overworked defence had a let off in the 18th minute when Tomas Dunne won a penalty but his brother Ken's effort was well saved by Sars 'keeper Paddy McCormack.

However, it only postponed the inevitable as the pressure continued to mount on the Thurles defence and following a great run by Ken Dunne, he placed Tomas with an inch perfect pass for a splendid goal.

Toomevara's half-time lead of 2-10 to 0-5 was a measure of their almost total superiority all over the field and it was going to take a miracle if Sars were going to turn this huge deficit around as they resumed the second-half with the wind in their favour and three substitutes on.

Sars gave themselves some hope in the 33rd minue when Lar Corbett crashed home a goal, but in the next six minutes Toom rifled over three points to cancel out that goal and it looked curtains for Sars when Michael Bevans picked out Paddy O'Brien with a great crossfield pass for the latter to strike a marvellous third goal for his side when had them 3-16 to 1-10 in front at the end of the third quarter.

There was still no hint of what to come as Eoin Brislane and Ken Dunne added points. The switch of Eddie Enright out to midfield added a bit more penetration for Sars but when Ger O'Grady drove a 20 metre free inches wide it his the goal flag on the way there appeared to be no way back for Thurles.

However, they continued to take the game to a clearly tiring Toome side and Lar Corbett set the scene for a grandstand finish with his second goal. Maintaining the pressure O'Grady drove a second 20 metre of the underside of the crossbar where Richie Ruth was on hand to knock the ball over the goal line.

From a position of no hopers Sars were now just two points down as the fourth official put up the sign for three minutes of additional time to be added to the two that remained.

Amid tremendous tension Ken Dunne steadied the Toome nerves with a point from yet another free, but there was still one piece of drama to be played out before they were safe.

In one last ditched Sars attack, the ball broke out to Johny Enright whose first time effort looked destined for the top of the Toome net but Justin Cottrell managed to get his hurley to the shot to deny Thurles a replay that over the hour they hardly deserved.

Scorers for Toome: M. Bevans 1-3; K. Dunne 0-6 (frees); P. O'Brien 1-1; Tomas Dunne 1-0; Terry Dunne, E. Brislane 0-3 each; J. O'Brien 0-2; W. Ryan 0-1.

Thurles: L. Corbett 2-1; J. Enright 0-6 (0-4 frees); T. Ruth, W. Cully (0-1 free, 0-1 65) 0-3 each; R. Ruth 1-0; G. O'Grady 0-2; E. Enright 0-1.

TOOMEVARA: J. Cottrell; B. Dunne, G. Frend, P. Shanahan; B. Duff, T. Delaney, D. Young; Terry Dunne, K. Dunne; P. O'Brien, E. Brislane, J. O'Brien; M. Bevans, Tomas Dunne, W. Ryan. Sub. J. Boland for Duff.

THURLES SARSFIELDS: P. McCormack; B. O'Grady, T. Maher, T. Connolly; B. O'Sullivan, E. Enright, L. Shanahan; S. Mason, W. Cully; J. Enright, G. O'Grady, T. Ruth; E. Costelloe, S. Ryan, L. Corbett. Subs. R. Ruth for Ryan; S. O'Shea for Connolly; B. Carroll for Mason; E. Walsh for Costelloe.

Referee, S. Roche (Kilsheelan).