Sharp Thurles Sarsfields have too much for neighbours Drom and Inch

Sars cruise into the Tipperary SHC semi-finals.

Tipperary Senior Hurling Championship Quarter-Final, FBD Semple Stadium, Tipperary 17/9/2023

Tipperary SHC quarter-final

Thurles Sarsfields 0-24 Drom & Inch 1-12 

A statement victory from Pádraic Maher’s Thurles Sarsfields as they dismissed their neighbours Drom and Inch with ease to cruise into the Tipperary SHC semi-finals.

Slick in their movement, showing more appetite to win contested ball and looking by far the fitter team, they were a class apart in this their fourth championship win on the bounce.

Aidan McCormack could afford to register seven wides in FBD Semple Stadium as Drom and Inch’s task trailing 0-8 to 0-15 at half-time became too much when Sarsfields’ advantage jumped to 10 points inside the first eight minutes of the new half.

Eleven Sarsfields players split the posts from play as Drom and Inch had to make do with a consolation goal from Tony Cahill in the 59th minute having been denied on three occasions in two minutes beforehand.

Their intensity levels evident from the get-go, Sarsfields were 0-6 to 0-2 up in the 10th minute. Looking sharp at centre-forward, Stephen Cahill was responsible for three of them from play.

Drom and Inch were within two points when Sarsfields opened their shoulders with six points in succession. Denis and Ronan Maher were popping up for scores from the back as was their namesake Stephen who became the hometown’s ninth scorer from play in the 25th minute.

Both teams had one goal opening – Stephen Maher expertly foiling Jamie Moloney in the 21st minute at one end and at the other Eoin Collins denying Eoin Purcell following a sumptuous Darragh Stakelum hand-pass.

A couple of Seamus Callanan scores before the end of the half put a better complexion on the scoreboard but Cahill struck the last score of the half to bring his total to four and Sarsfields’ to 15 as they led by seven.

Scorers for Thurles Sarsfields: A. McCormack (0-6, 4 frees); S. Cahill (0-5); Conor Stakelum (0-4, 2 frees); R. Maher (0-2, 1 free); D. Maher, C. Moloney, B. McCarthy, S. Butler, S. Maher, T. Doyle, D. Stakelum (0-1 each).

Scores for Drom and Inch: S. Callanan (0-5, 3 frees); T. Cahill (1-0); R. Long (0-2); D. Collins, F. Purcell, P. Campion, J. Campion, J. Lillis (0-1 each).

THURLES SARSFIELDS: P. McCormack; S. Maher, D. Maher, P. Maher; J. Armstrong, R. Maher (j-c), M. Purcell; Conor Stakelum, C. Moloney; B. McCarthy, S. Cahill, A. McCormack (j-c); E. Purcell, S. Butler, D. Stakelum.

Subs for Thurles Sarsfields: T. Doyle for S. Butler (inj 24); C. Lanigan for E. Purcell (46); D. Corbett for C. Moloney (52); P. Creedon for A. McCormack (53); Cian Stakelum for B. McCarthy (58).

DROM AND INCH: E. Collins; L. Campion, K. Hassett, E. Moloney; F. Purcell, P. Campion, S. Nolan; R. Long, John Campion; M. Fitzpatrick, J. Ryan, S. Callanan (c); T. Nolan, D. Collins, J. Moloney.

Subs for Drom and Inch: T. Cahill for M. Fitzpatrick, J. Lillis for J. Ryan (both 37); M. Connors for F. Purcell (inj 43).

Referee: M. Kennedy (Newcastle).