Ruthless Thurles Sarsfields end Moycarkey-Borris dream to clinch Tipperary title
Thurles Sarsfields' Kieran Rossiter is challenged by Kevin Hayes of Moycarkey Borris. Pic: INPHO/Tom Maher
A non-event. No romance, no fairytale. Thurles Sarsfields torpedoed all such notions. A ruthless capturing of their 37th Tipp crown.
Moycarkey-Borris, appearing in the club's first county senior final since 1984, brought the colour and the crowd. They were unable, though, to bring a challenge that remotely rumbled Pádraic Maher’s blue charges.
Four points was the closest Moycarkey-Borris stood off Thurles all afternoon. Four points was the difference when Jack Hayes provided Moycarkey’s opener in the fifth minute. Their opponents had already run up 1-2. They were already playing catch-up in a decider where their great hope was to hang in and plant doubt.
Doubt never visited Semple Stadium on this second Sunday of October.
Thereafter, the gap was never less than five. The gap was five on eight, 23, and 32 minutes. Joe Maher and Killian Cantwell provided the opening two scores of the second period to pare the margin back to 1-12 to 1-7. With a notable wind behind them, the red and gold had a platform to achieve further inroads and finally fire the gun on their county title bid.
Instead, Thurles reeled off four in succession to once again clinically dismiss any hint of the establishment being turned over. The establishment coasted to the winners enclosure. Only two Moycarkey points were managed across the closing 20 minutes.
Even during the five minutes of injury-time and victory long assured, Thurles Sarsfields continued to resist any element of romance. Four times Moycarkey went after green. Four times they were turned away.
Thurles' final score was struck by the returning Ronan Maher, once again used off the bench in his comeback from a leg fracture in mid-June. Eoin Purcell was the outstanding pupil with 1-4 from play. Young Euan Murray and Kieran Rossiter contributed a pair each, as did towering and troublesome full-forward Paddy Creedon.
Having failed to emerge from the group phase last season, the nine-year wait to the 2017 success is no more. This was so incredibly comfortable because they made it so.
Moycarkey-Borris’ welcome back to the concluding Sunday of Tipp hurling was no welcome at all. This first final involvement in 42 years endured a torrid start. This first final involvement in 42 years threatened to disappear on them across a blue-owned opening quarter.
Hurling into the teeth of a notable breeze, they rose only two flags in the opening 20 minutes. They were repeatedly forced down blind alleys by Padraic Maher’s physically imposing Thurles charges. Their peppered full-back line looked out nervously at the prairies of space in front of them as Thurles’ half-forwards withdrew to the 65.
Romance stumbled from a left hook to the jaw 10 seconds in. Straight from the throw-in, Thurles worked possession inside. Eoin Purcell gathered and galloped through. Goal Thurles.
Purcell was touch-perfect in the opening half. 1-3 from four shots. Fellow corner-forward Kieran Rossiter was another extremely busy. He sniped a pair and missed two more inside the opening quarter.
It was a first 15 minutes they led 1-5 to 0-2 at the end of. Within that, half-forward Aidan Stakelum had a goal drive blocked, while Darragh Stakelum’s pull beyond ‘keeper Rhy Shelly was cleared before reaching the white paint.
The speed and intelligence of their hurling stood apart from Moycarkey-Borris’ bereftness. An Aidan McCormack (free) and Daniel Rossiter point extended their lead to eight on 19 minutes.
Joe Maher’s 23rd minute goal was a Moycarkey lifeline. It offered little life. Their final return was anti-climactic.
E Purcell (1-4); A McCormack (0-4, 0-4 frees); A Stakelum, E Murray, P Creedon K Rossiter (0-2 each); P Maher, D Rossiter, R Maher (free, 0-1 each).
J Maher (1-1); M Hackett, J Hayes (0-3 each); K Morris (0-2, 0-2 frees); K Cantwell (free), N Heffernan (0-1 each).
: P McCormack; H Fogarty, D Maher, P Maher; K Loughnane, Conor Stakelum, Cian Stakelum; D Rossiter, E Murray; A McCormack, D Stakelum, A Stakelum; K Rossiter, P Creedon, E Purcell.
SUBS: S Maher for Fogarty (32, inj); J Armstrong for S Maher (44-47, temporary); J Armstrong for Cian Stakelum (51); R Maher for Creedon (52); T Maher for A McCormack (54); R Stapleton for Rossiter (59).
: R Shelly; T Ryan, T Hayes, K Hayes; P Molloy, E Hayes, K Cantwell; S Walsh, N Heffernan; J Maher, J Egan, D Costigan; J Hayes, K Morris, M Hackett.
SUBS: P Melbourne for T Ryan (16); K Cummins for P Molloy (37); R Darmody for Heffernan (46); K O’Regan for J Hayes (52); B Maher for T Hayes (61, temporary); B Flanagan for Walsh (63).
: C O’Donovan
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