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.

But the son of Sarsfields’ most decorated player will have to wait for another day — probably Sunday week — before he follows in his father’s footsteps.

He landed eight from nine frees yesterday, keeping his nerve to steer over the equaliser into the wind just 60 seconds after Craughwell had hit the front for the first time in the game five minutes from time.

“Niall is a top class free-taker. We have every trust in him,” said Sarsfields selector Francis Madden.

“I thought we showed super character against the breeze to come back and get the equaliser and we are delighted to fight another day.

“It was always going to be tight especially against a team like Craughwell. Maybe we could have tapped on another few scores, maybe a bit more composure but we are delighted to be there, still in the championship.”

Heavy rain throughout the morning and a biting wind during the contest made for difficult wintry conditions and neither side managed to open up in front of about 6,000 at Kenny Park in Athenry.

In such circumstances, and with not a single goal chance created by either side, the accuracy of the free-takers was always going to be key and if Morrissey delivered for Sarsfields, then so too did county player Niall Healy for Craughwell.

He was particularly to the fore in the third quarter when Craughwell needed guidance, while full-forward Alan Callanan and midfielder Ger O’Halloran were also impressive.

Sarsfields led by 0-8 to 0-3 at the interval having played with the wind, with Morrissey’s accuracy vital and Joseph Cooney always a key operator.

Craughwell needed a good start to the second-half and the impressive Alan Callanan provided it with a point after less than 30 seconds.

Healy then hit two frees and suddenly the gap was down to two points. Game on. But Morrissey responded for Sarsfelds before Healy, Ger O’Halloran and All-Ireland minor winner Thomas Monaghan hit points to tie the match at 0-9 each after 44 minutes.

Morrissey and Healy twice exchanged frees to tie it for a fifth time and it seemed Callanan might have landed the winner with an excellent score from the right wing. But Morrissey ensured a replay with his eighth point and both teams will hope to show an improvement when they clash again.

Craughwell manager Stephen Glennon said that both sides will relish the opportunity to have another crack at lifting the cup next time out.

“The way the two teams battled, you could see both wanted it really bad,” said Glennon.

“Maybe we were too uptight in trying to stop the opposition from scoring. It was just a tight game. It will stand to both, and it might open up a little bit more the next day.

“Somebody said there that we haven’t been in a final in 83 years and now we have two in a week or so. So I think that is a great way of looking at it, and a positive way of looking at it. We will go back and have a look at what we did right and what we did wrong.

“There are plenty of positives to be taken, and plenty of areas of our game that we feel that we have to tighten up on,” added Glennon.

As with all replays, that’s a sentiment which Sarsfields will also share as these two neighbours prepare for another November joust in a couple of weeks.

Scorers for Craughwell:

N Healy (0-6, 5 frees); A Callanan (0-3); G O’Halloran (0-2), T Monaghan (0-1).

Scorers for Sarsfields:

N Morrissey (0-8 frees); A Ward, K Wade, E Cleary, J Cooney (0-1 each).

CRAUGHWELL:

A Ryan; S Dolan, I Daniels, M Monaghan; M Horan, A Cullinane, John Ryan; N Callanan, G O’Halloran; S Hynes, N Healy, Jamie Ryan; T Monaghan, A Callanan, F Healy.

Subs:

K Cullinane for S Hynes (48 mins).

SARSFIELDS:

C Dolan; C Murray, D Skehill, D Murray; N Quinn, R Quinn, E Cleary; K Hynes, I Fox; N Morrissey, J Cooney, N Kelly; I Skehill, K Wade, A Ward.

Subs:

I Kenny for Fox (56 mins), K Cooney for Wade (59 mins).

Referee:

John Keane (Rahoon/Newcastle).