Hogan hat-trick keeps slick Sarsfields on the march
Cathal McCarthy, Sarsfields being chased by James Mulcahy, Carrigtwohill. Picture: Jim Coughlan.
NOT quite a statement of intent by fancied Sarsfields at Caherlag, but a good afternoon’s work just the same as they qualified for the knockout stage of the Cork Premier SHC with a big 18-point win over Carrigtwohill.
Little solace for Carrig, who tried desperately hard but had to suffer a second chastening defeat, and next for Sarsfields now is a mouth-watering top of the table clash with the also unbeaten Midleton.
No question Sars laid the foundations for this win in the first half when they led 4-9 to 0-8 thanks to some slippery play resulting in goals from Aaron Myers — from the penalty spot, after Liam Healy was upended in the eighth minute — and a peach from Jack O’Connor five minutes later after good work by Cian Darcy.
It enabled Sars to lead 2-3 to 0-5 at the first water break and two more from Daniel Hogan followed, his first in the 27th minute and his second in injury time which left Carrigtwohill for dead. The only concern for Sars is they lost Cork star O’Connor late in the half with an injury.
Despite the comfortable win Sars manager Barry Myers wasn’t getting carried away and praised the spirit shown by Carrigtwohill in the second half.
Myers said: “We looked to be cruising at half-time with a good lead but credit to Carrigtwohill they showed incredible intensity and we were made to battle.
“Yeah, the first-half display was good but we never really got going after the interval. The game was all stops and starts. It was probably done and dusted at the break but we have a big game coming up now which will decide so many things and we wanted to make a statement especially with scoring difference coming into play.
"East Cork pride will be on the line to see who is number one. Midleton beat us narrowly the last time we played but we are in a better position now, injury-wise, and we’ll be up for it.”
There was a good start to the contest, the excellent Daniel Kearney, well backed up by Cian Darcy, with a couple of points for Sars and Liam Gosnell replying with two frees for Carrig. But once Myers fired home the penalty Sars were in control with Eoghan Murphy and Craig Leahy strong in defence and O’Connor so threatening up front.
Kearney hit four smashing points for Sars in the opening half and those, along with O’Connor’s peach and Hogan’s brace of goals had Sars well in the ascendancy at the break.
Again, as in the opening half, a brace of points were exchanged just after the interval, Gosnell and Sean Walsh for Carrig and Myers and Kearney for Sars. The impressive Walsh went on to shoot five points in a row for Carrig who trailed 4-14 to 0-11 after the second water break but looked far more confident around the park as they came at Sars.
But the Glanmire side weren’t asleep for long and finished the contest in style, Myers scoring a succession of frees and Hogan completing his hat-trick of goals in the 60th minute.
The Sars v Midleton game will now decide so many things and what a cracker it should be in three weeks' time. For Carrigtwohill it’s a battle with Na Piarsaigh to see who finishes bottom.
A. Myers (1-9, 1-0, pen, 0-6 frees); D. Hogan (3-0); D. Kearney (0-5); J. O’ Connor (1-0; J. Sweeney (0-3); P. O’Driscoll (0-1).
S. Walsh (0-6, 2 frees); L. Gosnell (0-5, 4 frees); B.Twomey, L. O’Sullivan, J. O’Keeffe and S. Devlin (free) (0-1 each).
A. Kennedy; C. McCarthy, E. Murphy, W. Kearney; K. Crowley, C. Leary, C. Roche; C. Darcy, W. Kearney; J. O’Connor, L. Healy, J. Sweeney; D. Hogan, K. Murphy, A. Myers.
L. Hackett for O’Connor (30m), D. Roche for K. Murphy (42m), P. O’Driscoll for Healy (46m), B. Nodwell for Darcy (56m).
S. Devlin; D. Joseph, P. Hogan, P. O’Sullivan; T. Hogan, A. Walsh Barry, S. De Bùrca; B. Twomey, S. Rohan; J. O’Keeffe, S. Walsh, L. O’Sullivan; L. Gosnell, J. Horgan, J. Mulcahy.
R. Power for Joseph (ht), J. McCarthy for Rohan (46m), J. Carroll for Twomey (50m).
D. Daly (Brian Dillons).
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