Emotional Sars clan celebrate 'a win for Glanmire'
SILVER LINING: Sarsfields celebrate their win at Castle Road.
Lucy Allen summed it up perfectly, given the emotional week Sarsfields had.
“This was a win for us, and a win for Glanmire,” the star forward said.
“The week that has gone by was on the back of our minds. We didn’t want to be too emotional about it.
“We had nowhere to train. We went to Caherlag. A huge thank you to them, and to the local communities, who were fantastic.
“It is just all the emotions of today and during the week, we are absolutely delighted to get there. It is just unbelievable, I didn’t think the final whistle would ever go.”
Storm Babet destroyed their clubhouse and the surrounding areas.
But for the black, blue and white, who a week earlier won the Cork Premier senior hurling championship, they found solace in this SE Systems Cork senior camogie championship victory - their first since 2019.
Played in front of a very healthy crowd, Sarsfields signalled their intentions early. Three points without reply, into the wind, announced their arrival.
Twelve months ago, they had a disastrous start before eventually coming up short by two.
“We wanted to learn from last year,” manager Tadhg Óg Lynch stated. “We put a big emphasis on starting well. This year we went back to the drawing board. We worked so hard, I know that is a cliché.
“It was about staying in the game. Last year we were chasing the game the whole time. There has been a lot of competition, a lot of people have been pushing for places, and probably a lot of people unhappy they are not starting, which is always great.”
When Clare Mullins broke the Seandún defensive line just before half-time, it set them up nicely, 1-7 to 0-4 at the break.
Clare received the official player-of-the-match award, but such was the Sars dominance, there were a number of players right up there with her.
Starting with their fantastic defence, which set the tempo. Marshalling experienced county players Katrina Mackey and Amy O’Connor went a long way towards clinching title number three.
And how fitting Niamh O’Callaghan was chosen to accept the Punch Shoe Care Cup after her sterling performance.
The Mullins sisters Orlaith and Clare, and Lucy Allen got on a heap of ball and need special mention. So too, free-taker supreme Kate Fennessy who nailed the hard ones.
The Seandún radar was off, especially in the second-half.
Yet, the back-to-back champions reduced the gap to three points, 1-9 to 0-9, making for a very tense fourth quarter.
Sars stepped on the pedal once more, Lucy Allen and Clare Mullins providing the insurance points.
Losing didn’t appear to be an option, especially after the week they had.
“A lot of people are going through a hard time. This won’t fix it for them, but it might put a smile on their face for an hour or two,” the manager added.
“I said that inside beforehand to the girls, there are more important things in life. But we still want to win counties, we want to compete, and we want to be the best we can be. In fairness to the girls, they put in a super performance.”
C Mullins (1-2), K Fennessy (0-5 frees), L Allen and O Mullins (0-2 each).
A O’Connor (0-4, 0-1 free), L Homan, S Mills, K Mackey, E Curtin and M Coffey (0-1 each).
M Lynch; L Dunlea, E Murphy, L Kelly; C Lynch, O McAllen, N O’Callaghan; A Fitzgerald, E Twomey; O Mullins, K Fennessy, H Herlihy; L Allen, C Mullins, K Sheehan.
R Roche for H Herlihy (47), E Woods for K Fennessy (50), Á Mullins for K Sheehan (58).
A Lee (Na Piarsaigh); N O’Leary (Brian Dillons), L McKeogh (Blackrock), C O’Keeffe (St Vincent’s); M Scannell (Bishopstown, Capt), P Mackey (Douglas), S K Brosnan (Brian Dillons); H Ryan (Blackrock), S Mills (Brian Dillons); C Coleman (Na Piarsaigh), K Mackey (Douglas), L Homan (St Vincent’s); A O’Connor (St Vincent’s), R De Faoite (Blackrock), C O’Callaghan (Blackrock).
E Sharpe (Brian Dillons) for C O’Keeffe (29), E Curtin (Blackrock) for S K Brosnan, M Coffey (Blackrock) for C Coleman (both half-time).
Andy Larkin (Ballygarvan).
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