Impressive Thurles Sarsfields beat Nenagh to reach Tipp semis
Josh Keller of Nenagh Éire Óg in action against Ronan Maher of Thurles Sarsfield at FBD Semple Stadium. Photo by Tyler Miller/Sportsfile
The 2023 Tipperary senior hurling runners-up Thurles Sarsfields powered into the semi-finals with an expert dismantling of Nenagh Éire Óg in FBD Semple Stadium.
Stephen Cahill hit five points from play and Liam McCormack and Conor Purcell each contributed four as they surged into an eight-point lead halfway through the second half.
Nenagh Éire Óg did give them a scare with a rally of 1-2. Substitute Adam Healy’s goal came in the 52nd minute but they never capitalised on that score. Pa Bourke, their 36-year-old veteran, came off the bench to pick off a couple of frees and more points followed from Michael Purcell, Conor Stakelum and the superb Cahill to put the gloss on a handsome win.
Nenagh Éire Óg were up and running with the first two points of the game but they were then hit with Thurles’ first four-point blitz, all of Sarsfields’ scores coming from play.
The space Thurles were making for themselves was gifting them chance after chance although they struck seven wides in the opening half. Nenagh just seemed to be too reactionary and suffered as a result.
They did go ahead twice in the middle of the half, the second time courtesy of a Jake Morris wonder point from the sideline, and Denis Maher and Patrick McCormack had to keep out Ben West and Philip Hickey goal attempts in quick succession in the 15th minute.
However, the second quarter belonged to Pádraic Maher’s side. Twice, Thurles went a point ahead between the 16th and 19th minutes. When the tricky Liam McCormack sent over his second point in the 21st minute, his team-mates followed it three more, two of them from Stephen Cahill who was thriving as he roamed for possession.
The Heffernans, Michael and Tommy, softened the blow with a couple of points at the other end but Thurles were continuing to apply pressure and Aidan McCormack finished the half with a couple of converted frees.
S. Cahill (0-5); A. McCormack (3 frees, 1 65), L. McCormack, E. Purcell (0-4 each); D. Stakelum (0-3); P. Creedon, P. Bourke (frees), C. Stakelum (0-2 each); C. Moloney, S. Butler, M. Purcell (0-1 each).
M. Heffernan (0-8, 7 frees); T. Heffernan (0-4); S. O’Farrell (0-3); A. Healy (1-0); J. Morris (0-2); C. Ryan, B. Heffernan (0-1 each).
P. McCormack; D. Maher, P. Maher, S. Maher; J. Armstrong, R. Maher (j-c), Cian Stakelum; C. Maloney, Conor Stakelum; S. Cahill, A. McCormack (j-c), D. Stakelum; P. Creedon, L. McCormack, E. Purcell.
P. Bourke for P. Creedon (51); S. Butler for A. McCormack (52); D. Corbett for L. McCormack (56); M. Purcell for S. Maher (58); K. Costello for Cian Stakelum (60).
D. McTiernan; M. Carey, C. McCarthy, C. Ryan; C. Hennessy, P. Murphy, B. Heffernan; M. Cawley, J. Mackey; S. O’Farrell, T. Heffernan, M. Heffernan; B. West, J. Morris (c), J. Keller.
F. McIntyre for C. McCarthy (inj 24); A. Healy for B. West (44); C. Crowley for J. Keller (52).
C. Doyle (Silvermines).
