Niall Morrissey gives Sarsfields the chance to fight another day

Craughwell 0-12 Sarsfields 0-12: Back in the glory days when Sarsfields not just ruled Galway but the country, only one player spanned all of their successes and yesterday his son came within a whisker of writing his own bit of history.

Noel Morrissey featured in all of Sarsfields’ six county title wins between 1980 and ’97, when the club from New Inn and Bullaun became the first hurling side to win successive All-Ireland crowns when they prevailed in ’93 and ’94.

Their neighbours Craughwell, appearing in their first final in 83 years, provided the opposition yesterday but for long periods it seemed that the accuracy of Niall Morrissey would steer Sarsfield to their seventh crown.