Power and the glory: final win the end of an emotional journey for Sars

The Riverstown outfit got the job done against Midleton.

BLUE CHIP: Sarsfields players celebrate with the Sean Óg Murphy cup. Pic: Michael P Ryan/Sportsfile

Yogi Berra knew a thing or two about winning. The great New York Yankees catcher played in 14 World Series and won 10 of them. The great man was famous for his ‘Yogiisms’, witty observations that often contradict themselves. He once told us that “baseball is 90% mental. The other half is physical.” 

That was certainly the feeling in SuperValu Pairc Uí Chaoimh on Sunday afternoon as Sarsfields claimed their eighth county title, their second in three years, at the expense of a Midleton team that kept on trucking to the bitter end. The last two rounds of the Cork PSHC may not have got the pulses racing in terms of quality, but there has been no doubting their physicality. With that half of the house taken as a given, much of this game seemed destined to boil down to Berra’s 90%.

When the news dropped last Saturday that Conor Lehane would be joining Eoin Moloney on the Magpies injured list, this fixture, in many ways, became a battle of wits. Would Sarsfields allow that demon that has haunted many a team over the years, complacency, set in? Would Midleton find that collective will they needed to upset the odds?

In the end, Sars did more than enough to emerge as champions, even if they never threatened to reach their ceiling. Midleton did everything they could do, and while it wasn’t enough to give them what they so desperately desired, it was more than enough to leave their gentlemanly manager, Micheál Keohane full of pride for what his side left out there, with the usual tinge of regret.

“They worked fierce hard. You could see in the first half that the work rate through the tackle count and all that kind of stuff was really good and in the second half and I'd be surprised if it wasn't higher again so, there's never a doubt about work and effort, they put absolutely and utterly everything into it. It probably is an emotional time for them as well, knowing what they're trying to do it for, maybe that plays a part in it as well. But they've been incredible all year, they're, a fantastic group of lads and I’m just really disappointed for them.” 

The emotional journeys of both groups are not to be underestimated. Nor is the sheer cruelty of sport. As Midleton trudged towards their dressing room underneath the South Stand, their faces told of stories that had no words. It was a similar story for Sars 12 months ago, but here they are again, at the top of the Cork hurling tree. When the dust settles in Midleton over the next few days, it won’t be long until they start figuring out how they will begin again.

About 23 kilometres separates Páirc Tadhg Mac Cárthaigh in Riverstown and Clonmult Memorial Park in Midleton. Both clubs are now locked on eight county titles each. They’ve played in two of the last three county finals, and when one looks at the underage landscape in Cork, one can be fairly sure that there are plenty of chapters left in this particular story. But this chapter belongs to Sars.

They managed to deal with the expectation here and when one of your greatest strengths is your depth, you can expect different players to step up at different times. In the first half it was Cian Darcy and Barry O’Flynn who took the hits that Colm McCarthy benefitted from. When Midleton got back to within five 10 minutes into the second half it was McCarthy and Darcy who took their sensible points when goals were on. When the margin was back to four, it was Jack O’Connor who took control and when goals were needed, James Sweeney delivered.

Their defence was miserly, however, with Craig Leahy, Bryan Murphy and Luke Elliot like a wall at times in the opening half. It was Elliott’s second county title, what did it feel like?

“Joy. You can never get used to winning. Never. Every time you win a game, you're celebrating. We celebrated Charleville just as hard as we celebrated the county final two years ago. Every championship game, you're going to war. We went to war again today. Midleton brought everything. But I'm delighted to come out on the right side again.

“Obviously, everyone knows the kind of narrative that was around today, Midleton suffering with injuries and stuff. But to be honest, there wasn't much pressure. It was just, I think, the way the game came out in the end, a bit of relief.” 

Elliott also had the distinction of wearing the number six jersey, the same jersey Ray Ryan wore on so many of his famous days in Sars colours. The significance was not lost on the latest incumbent.

“I'm honoured to wear it. I was asked to do a player profile there for the Munster final last year. They said, ‘who was your hero growing up?’ It was Ray and Daniel Roche.

“But I gave the nod to Ray Ryan there. Obviously, a special jersey. Obviously, someone I watched would have been playing my position when I was growing up. It feels good to be wearing six.” 

That feeling will only grow in the weeks ahead. Sars may not have reached their ceiling on Sunday, but they raised it last year. The next few days will be golden in and around Riverstown, but soon the lights will be switched on again as they keep on searching for that feeling.

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