Tipp men show their mettle

This Munster club semi-final was a fine game of hurling between two good teams who battled throughout at Semple Stadium yesterday.

The legendary Mickey ‘The Rattler’ Byrne was amongst the crowd and the 90-year-old President of Thurles Sarsfields was delighted with the display of his men.

And why wouldn’t he be?

It was put up to them again here, just as it was put up to them two weeks ago by Kilmallock. But again they responded and came with a late charge to win. That’s a great sign of any team.

They needed to perform because they were up against a very good team. The decisive factor was the big name Thurles players stood up again yesterday.

It started with Lar Corbett and that brilliant first half goal, Padraic Maher and Michael Cahill were outstanding in defence while Pa Bourke also caught the eye.

Aidan McCormack (five fine points from play) and goalkeeper Patrick McCormack are also worthy of mention for their displays along with subs Redser O’Grady and goalscorer Richie Ruth.

But my man-of-the-match was the veteran in midfield, Johnny Enright. He’s 35 but he turned back the clock yesterday landing a few huge points from long-range frees and providing great deliveries into his attack.

I would ask Tipperary people to look at what this Sars team have already achieved. There was a time people thought they were soft, a town team who didn’t like it tough. Well, they toughed it out again yesterday and should have silenced a few doubters.

I have to mention two of those subs, Richie Ruth, who got the last game-winning goal, and Redser O’Grady, who scored a fine point. Those were vital scores at vital times.

A feature of this game were the near identical goals scored by Corbett and Eoin Quigley with long solo runs through the heart of the defence before great finishes.

It’s been a long year of hurling but I don’t think I saw two better goals all year.

And what about Sars of Cork. People talk of Cork hurling being down but when you see their champion team play like this you must revise that opinion. This was a side of real quality, playing hurling of real quality, from the two corner-backs, Darren Keneally and Conor O’Sullivan, all the way to Cian McCarthy, who started in the left corner at the other end. There was some great movement in their play — this team did justice to their county.

They fell just short but if they could get a little more out of some of their big players — out of Michael Cussen particularly — they will be a serious team at this level.

To finish, I want to go back to an old hobby-horse of mine. Thurles Sars have now beaten two top-class teams, have to meet another top-class team in De La Salle in the Munster final, while other teams are straight into an All-Ireland semi-final. Where is the justice in that?