Sarsfields still hungry for more

Sarsfields will be hoping that beating Ballinhassig in the Cork SHC first round is an omen, as they achieved that in 2008 before ending a 51-year wait for a county title.

Five years ago, however, they saw a big lead almost evaporate, just about holding on, while this year the Riverstown club needed a strong finish after falling behind nearing the end.

The ability to keep the composure and do what they needed to do was a sign of the maturity of the side, according to goalkeeper Alan Kennedy. With Ballinhassig now in the relegation play-off, the margin between winning and losing is exceedingly tight.

“It only came down to a puck of a ball, it was very similar to what happened when we played them in the first round in 2008,” he said.

“We know all about [former Sars manager] Johnny Crowley and no team managed by him will let you have anything easy, I’d say there were people from Ballinhassig leaving Páirc Uí Rinn that night asking how they lost that game, wondering if they’d ever catch a break.

“The big thing for us was that we didn’t panic. When Martin Coleman got the goal, it put them ahead but we beat them with points, maybe a couple of years ago we’d have started lumping the ball in on top of Michael Cussen or Robert O’Driscoll.”

Knowing not to panic was a lesson hard-learned, however. Four years ago, they reached a second successive final but dreams of back-to-back titles were dashed in a cruel fashion.

“You’d look back at the county final against Newtown in 2009, when they annihilated us,” Kennedy said.

“We went in at half-time that day a point down but Ben got a goal just after the start of the second half and then they got a couple of more points and all of a sudden we were seven down.

“We didn’t know what to do, it was a case of pushing the red button and just doing stupid things. Then, Midleton beat us in the first game in 2010 so that was two championship games on the bounce but we came back and won it that year and since then we’ve been more relaxed.

“I’m still the most nervous going out on the field – it must be something to do with being a goalkeeper! – but the rest of the lads have a great belief now.”

With three titles in the past five years, Sars are justifiably favourites for the championship, and tomorrow’s fourth-round clash with UCC in Páirc Uí Rinn (throw-in 6.14pm). Kennedy knows that no laurels can be rested on, especially against such tough opponents.

“An area where we have really improved is team meetings,” he said.

“There was one recently and it was mentioned that, out of the 1-14 they got against us, Ballinhassig had 1-11 from frees, so I went back then and looked at the video of the Thurles Sarsfields match.

“It was the same that day, we gave away some very stupid frees, so we’ve tried to work on that. It’s funny though, a few years ago you’d never have gone back to look at something like that.”

While it is too early to talk about such things in 2013, the failure to win consecutive titles, or go on to claim a Munster championship has rankled with Sars. Kennedy is not looking that far ahead yet, but slagging from the neighbours means they are not allowed to forget it for too long.

“That’s probably floating around lads’ heads, but it has never been brought up as a big thing,” he said.

“I suppose it’s something that Erin’s Own have managed, Eoghan Murphy would be part of our gang and we’d slag him about winning three but he’d always have the comeback of two-in-a-row!

“It’s something we’d like to put right, it’s the same with trying to do better in the Munster championship but that’s a long way off yet. If you start thinking of that you lose sight of what’s in front of you and for us that’s UCC.”