The team that refuses to quit: Late heroics seal shock win for Erin's Own to knock out Sarsfields
Erin's Own's Shane Murphy breaks his hurley in a tussle with Sarsfields' James Sweeney at Páirc Uí Chaoimh. Picture: Eddie O'Hare
The team that just keeps on giving. We thought the Newtownshandrum fightback couldn’t be bettered when, with time almost up, Erin’s Own came from six points behind to secure a quarter-final spot in the Co-Op Superstores Cork Premier SHC. But Eoghan Murphy’s pointed free in the second minute of stoppage time to knock favourites Sarsfields out of the championship in Páirc Uí Chaoimh on Saturday night has thrown up yet another great memory for the Glounthaune club.
So many heroes for them including defenders Cormac Dooley and James O’Flynn who were immense when Sarsfields came at them in the closing stages of a dogged contest that was tied nine times. Hurling skills at their best.
Manager Martin Bowen was a happy man once again.
“I thought we fully deserved the win. I know a lot of people had written us off, but these guys have unbelievable pride in their parish. They keep driving one another on. The parish is everything to them, the club is everything to them.
"When you have that kind of determination, you always have a chance. We have a lot of older guys there, but you wouldn’t know that in the last five minutes. We are thrilled. When you are underdogs, it is easier coming into a game. But we have a lot of belief in ourselves as well. They have done it three times already coming from big leads to either win or draw a game.”
Bowen also heaped praise on Donal O’Rourke - the Waterford native who enjoyed success with the Déise camogie team has been an integral figure in the backroom team. Bowen said: “Donal is a fantastic hurling coach. Anytime I was successful with Erin’s Own, I had a Waterford man with me. Donal did a massive amount with the Waterford camogie team in the last two years. He brought them to a quarter-final of an All-Ireland.
"I was watching him, and I said if I was going to get back involved, he is the man I wanted. I couldn’t say enough about him.”
Unlike previous matches, Erin’s Own went toe-to-toe in this derby clash. With Sarsfields’ youthful forward line doing serious damage in their group games, they couldn’t afford to give them a head start.
As Daniel Kearney went off as a blood sub, Murphy and Robbie O’Flynn got the scoreboard up and running. It was a taste of what was to come, came from replies by Liam Healy and Aaron Myers. Delightful points from Jack O’Connor and Myers put Sarsfield 0-5 to 0-4 up at the water break.
Even though they lost their corner-back Shane Murphy to injury, Erin’s Own found a new gear. Robbie O’Flynn levelling matters 0-7 apiece before three Murphy placed balls gave them an edge. One of those scores could have been a goal only for keeper Alan Kennedy coming off his line to foul Cian O’Callaghan.
Liam Healy kept Sarsfields in contention, 0-10 to 0-8 in arrears at the interval.
Sarsfields attacked from the restart. Their wide tally was increasing, however, the all-important goal arrived in the 39th minute from minor Daniel Hogan – a ground shot to the net. A Healy free pushed them into the lead.
Erin’s Own found their groove once more to go two clear. Paul Leopold and Cian Darcy brought parity with three minutes remaining. So many twists and turns between these great rivals. In the middle of it all, we saw another amazing hurley swap (similar to the social media sensation of Cáit Devane) when James O’Flynn was thrown a replacement stick from the sideline. A frantic finish.
Murphy’s tenth point sending Erin’s Own to a semi-final meeting with Glen Rovers.
E Murphy (0-10, 0-6 frees, 0-2 65s), R O’Flynn (0-3), C Lenihan, M O’Carroll and R Twomey (0-1 each).
L Healy (0-6, 0-4 frees), D Hogan (1-0), A Myers and P Leopold (0-2 each), J O’Connor and C Darcy (0-1 each).
S Bowen; C O’Connor, C Dooley, S Murphy; S Cronin, J O’Flynn, J O’Carroll; C Coakley, R Twomey; K Murphy, M O’Carroll, R O’Flynn; E Murphy, S Guilfoyle, C O’Callaghan.
D Twomey for S Murphy (20 inj), A Bowen for R Twomey (41), S Kelly for C O’Callaghan (41), C Lenihan for S Guilfoyle (46), M Collins for M O’Carroll (62).
A Kennedy; W Kearney, C Leahy, C O’Sullivan; C Roche, D Kearney, E Murphy; D English, P Leopold; D Walsh, L Healy, A Myers; J Sweeney, J O’Connor, D Hogan.
G Gray for D Kearney (1-3 bs), B Graham for D Walsh (half-time), T Óg Murphy for D English (40), L Hackett for D Hogan (50), D Kenneally for C O’Sullivan (52-56 bs), C Darcy for J Sweeney (56).
Joe Larkin (Ballinora).
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