Sars plant successive flags but set sights on loftier summits

IN A year in which he has already enjoyed All-Ireland success with the Tipperary All-Ireland-winning team, this was another goal achieved; that was the reaction of Thurles Sars’ outstanding full-forward Pa Bourke after yesterday’s county senior hurling win over Clonoulty-Rossmore.

“We’re delighted, of course, this was our goal from the start of the year – today was for everyone in the panel, from 1 to 33 – everyone who got to play, including those who came, we all worked hard, we all did it for each other. We got back together last January, took it step by step; we got through the Mid championship fairly unscathed, said we had to knuckle down from then on. We had Loughmore-Castleiney – our good neighbours from over the road – in the quarter-final, got over that, then got a bit of luck to get past Toomevara in the semi-final, barely got over the line.”

Despite a number of goal chances conceded in the final minutes, it was a relatively comfortable win in the end for Thurles; the real scare for them came two weeks ago in that semi-final win, a last-minute disputed 20m free at a time when Sars trailed by two points, a free that simply had to be goaled. Doing the business – one Pa Bourke, a drilled shot into the corner past a packed Toomevara defensive line. Were it not for that goal... “Ah sure look,” he shrugs, “You’re a hero one day, you could be the villain the next – we were just lucky to get over the line.”