Cork Premier 1 MHC: Future looks bright as Sars honour late mentor Ray Ryan with title win

Adam Dunlea scored 10 points for Sarsfields as they defeated Midleton by seven. 

Sarsfields captain Harry Cogan and teammates celebrate after defeating Midleton in the Rebel Óg Premier 1 Minor Hurling Championship final at Páirc Uí Rinn. Pic: Eddie O'Hare

Cork Premier 1 MHC final: Sarsfields 0-21 Midleton 1-11 

This Sarsfields team is one for the future – but they honoured their recent past at Páirc Uí Rinn on Monday night.

Seven-point winners over Midleton in the final of the Rebel Óg Premier 1 MHC, Sars atoned for last year’s narrow loss to Glen Rovers, and in doing so paid tribute to the late Ray Ryan, who had served as such a valuable mentor.

Leading by 0-13 to 1-6 at half-time, having augmented their supremacy in added time, Sars made that five through a great Tom Huggins point. While that was answered by Midleton’s Cian Stack with an effort just as good and the Magpies had two of the next three, they would never get closer than the half-time margin.

A pair of frees from Adam Dunlea – he finished with ten points in total – gave Sars breathing space and they almost had a goal at the three-quarter mark – sub Adam Leahy found Finn O’Connor, who unleashed a good shot only for the goalkeeper – his namesake in reverse, Conor Finn – to save well. Even so, Sars kept the play alive and the impressive Josh McNamara pointed. Dunlea opened up a seven-point lead after Midleton had lost Lochlann Stewart to a harsh red card. In the closing stages, Sars centre-back Rory Higgins twice produced lovely long passes leading to points for O’Connor and Dunlea while the latter drew another save from Finn, who could be proud of his clean sheet, albeit one coupled with defeat.

With a superb defence led by Tom O’Flynn ensuring that Midleton couldn’t make inroads, Sars’ superiority couldn’t be denied.

Dunlea and Huggins had been to the fore as the Riverstown side had the first four points but, even at that stage, their play was pock-marked with avoidable wides – the opening half brought 12 in total.

Nicky Coughlan was to the fore as Midleton slowly ate into the deficit, and a free from halfway by captain Peter Barrett on 14 minutes left them 0-6 to 0-4 behind. Just after the quarter-hour, they had moved ahead – Coughlan’s delivery broken inside by Shane O’Mahony, allowing Cian Stack to pounce with a pulled shot to the net.

It was the briefest of leads: Dunlea’s 65 tied the game with his third point and his fourth, from Eoin Considine’s long delivery, had them back in front.

Rory Higgins and Cullen Condon combined for Josh McNamara to make it 0-9 to 1-4 before captain Harry Cogan’s ball in was cleared only as far as the ever-lively Huggins for his third.

The Sars wides tally moved in tandem with the scoreboard, though, reaching double figures by the 23rd minute, and a pair of Barrett frees had Midleton back to within one as injury time began.

The additional period was fruitful for Sars – two Dunlea frees followed by a Cogan run and point sending them in leading by four. The advantage never fell below that as their composed second-half display saw them push further ahead.

Scorers for Sarsfields: A Dunlea 0-10 (0-6 f, 0-1 65), T Huggins 0-4, F O’Connor, J McNamara 0-2 each, H Cogan, C Galvin, C Condon 0-1 each.

Scorers for Midleton: P Barrett 0-5f, C Stack 1-2, C Lawton, J Hogan, F Cahill, N Coughlan 0-1 each.

SARSFIELDS: F O’Donovan; T O’Flynn, K Murphy, J Tierney; E Considine, R Higgins, M Hurley; S Sheehan, J McNamara; H Cogan, A Dunlea, C Condon; T Huggins, C Galvin, F O’Connor.

Subs: A Leahy for Galvin (43), B O’Mahony for Huggins (58), D Ryan for O’Connor (60+2).

MIDLETON: C Finn; E Ahern, L Stewart, B Dunlea; F Cahill, M McSweeney, M Murphy; S Crowley, C Lawton; J Hogan, N Coughlan, J Foley; P Barrett, C Stack, F Cahill.

Subs: S Carroll for Foley (28, injured), L Walsh for O’Mahony (50), P Egan for Murphy (54), R O’Driscoll for Dunlea (60), D Donovan for Lawton (60+2).

Referee: D Daly (Brian Dillons).