Togher’s holy trinity: The three men driving St Finbarr’s county title defence

Ian Maguire, Brian Hayes and Steven Sherlock have forged a devastating partnership as St Finbarr’s chase back-to-back Cork football titles

Ian Maguire, Brian Hayes and Steven Sherlock. Pics: Sportsfile

Togher’s holy trinity. The Barrs’ ticking triumvirate.

In order as they appear on the St Finbarr’s football team sheet, reference is being made to Ian Maguire, Brian Hayes, and Steven Sherlock.

Their selfless and unfailing leader, their wildcard, and their clutch calling card.

Their carrier and creator, their can-do-both fielder and finisher, and their never-let-you-down flag raiser.

Remove the local lens and zoom out the frame. What you have and who you have is the most consistent Cork footballer of the past decade, the best footballer in Cork not currently playing for Cork, and the most beautiful kicker of a ball in Cork.

That all three operate within 50 metres of one another on the same club team is the single greatest reason why the Barrs wear the title of reigning county champions and why they stand one hour from a first successful defence of Andy Scannell in 46 years.

That all three did not operate in tandem for their final group outing was the single greatest reason why the Barrs put together their worst group campaign of the seven-year-old format and only scraped through on score difference.

All were present for the opening day defeat to Carrigaline, albeit there was a slight suspicion that Maguire was operating at less than full fitness. Following the second-round recovery against Douglas on August 14, Togher’s holy trinity didn't reconnect on the local stage until the quarter-final on September 27.

We make no apologies for the numbers-heavy nature of the following paragraphs. They are necessary to spell out in black and white the full size of their impact in blue.

The Barrs put up 4-23 on Carbery in the aforementioned quarter-final. Between the two midfielders and full-forward, they contributed 1-13. 

Of the remaining 3-10 that didn’t come from the boot or fist of Maguire, Hayes, or Sherlock, they directly assisted 1-3, won the kick-out for John Wigginton Barrett’s green flag, and had the secondary assist for another point.

Impressive, yes, but here’s where this holy trinity gets particularly interesting. Such is the trio’s on-field synergy and foresight that they create far more for one another than they do for others.

Sherlock’s name was written on the opening three points of their quarter-final win. Maguire assisted the opening pair and won the turnover for the third. The No.14 coming on the loop to collect the ball from his midfield teammate is as recurring a sight as Barrs' involvement in October.

Sherlock's next four scores in the same game came from Brian Hayes feeding him. They don’t so much look for one another as they know exactly where the other will be. If Maguire is confident of a Hayes middle-third fetch, he’s already ghosted inside the opposition 45 to collect an over-the-top pass. If Sherlock sees either of the six-footers gliding through the centre, he’s drawing a map upstairs to eventually take possession on their outside.

Their semi-final synergy broke new ground. Score-by-score recall is required to do it and them justice.

0-1: Hayes on the loop, handpass from Maguire.

1-1: A Maguire-Hayes one-two, Maguire drilling a hole in the Clon defence before receiving the return pass. Possession is fisted to Rickey Barrett who palms home.

1-3: An outrageous, outside-of-the-right two-point free, from the South Stand sideline, by Sherlock.

1-4: Maguire fouled, Sherlock converts.

1-5: Hayes point, Sherlock with the space-unlocking assist.

2-5: Maguire’s point attempt drops short, Thomas Egan pickpockets 'keeper Mark White for the Barrs’ second goal.

Half-time conclusions: With Hayes and Sherlock responsible for their sole two wides of the half, no other Barrs player registered a first-half point attempt - successful or otherwise - outside of the three main characters.

2-7: Off the ground and into the breeze, Sherlock sinks his second two-point free of the evening.

2-8: John Wigginton Barrett becomes their first point-scorer outside of Hayes and Sherlock. The first score where none of the three are involved.

2-9: Luke Hannigan pulls down a Darragh Newman restart. The offload to Brian Hayes, who carries from 45 metres before fisting over.

2-10: Sherlock's sixth point began with a Maguire kickpass from inside the Barrs’ 20-metre line to free them from a defensive bind.

2-11: Maguire, now inside Clon’s 13-metre line, with the backdoor pass to Hayes.

2-12: Clon orange has closed the gap to four. Hayes gets his paws on the ensuing restart. He spots and finds the unmarked Rickey Barrett further up. Immediate white flag response.

Full-time conclusions: Sherlock and Hayes accounted for 0-10 of the Barrs’ 2-12 total. Maguire, Hayes, and Sherlock engineered 2-6 of the Barrs’ 2-12 total.

Sherlock’s orange flag count since the game’s rulebook was rewritten at the beginning of last year is a staggering 62 two-pointers. The No.9 wearing Hayes has banged in seven goals across his last nine starts for the club.

As for Maguire, and the same as the Barrs dual players, we needed a two-week county final run-in to compile and convey his full value. Instead, we’re going to steal Mark Collins’ semi-final verdict of the 32-year-old. “Absolutely awesome. He was everywhere for them. He was involved in everything for them.” Now for some teammate and final opposition testimonies.

Corner-forward Wigginton Barrett, in the wake of their quarter-final relaunch, made plain how the Barrs’ preferred approach cannot be actioned without Hayes and Maguire on the pitch. This statement had been borne out during the previous round’s defeat to Mallow where, save for Hayes’ two-minute cameo, the absence of both midfield totems was so sorely felt.

“Brian and Ian coming back in, they're two unbelievable players, and unbelievable leaders as well. You saw on the pitch against Carbery how big of a difference they make, even with how big they are, catching ball and carrying ball. They're a platform for us and having them back helps us play the way we want to play, and they really encourage everyone on the pitch as well,” said Wigginton Barrett.

Such is his proficiency in both his new home of midfield and his old residence of full-back, Nemo’s Bríain Murphy is favourite to receive the Brian Hayes brief come 4pm Sunday.

“Ian and Brian are a top-class inter-county midfield partnership, let alone a club midfield partnership,” said Murphy at last week’s Nemo press night. “You want to play against them because they’re probably at the peak of their powers. You want to rub shoulders with them and see what you can do.” 

Murphy’s old Nemo teammate, Paul Kerrigan, on a recent episode of the Irish Examiner’s The Replay, gave his tuppence worth for attempting to curtail the three. Or, at the very least, minimising the level of damage they are invariably going to inflict.

“Brian just has this knack for goal, hurling and football. He caught us with a goal last year in the county final. You nearly need two plans for him. One when he is out at midfield and one when he is by the goal, because he is that wildcard. You can plug away on Maguire and box away with him at midfield, but this fella can come out, field a ball, or else just glide in and score a goal,” opined Kerrigan.

“As for Sherlock, when the ball is on the other side, you have another defender cheating in, so you can half double on him all the time. You probably just have to take a gamble and leave one of their six forwards off, and if he scores two or three points [so be it], whereas if you keep Sherlock to four or five, that is a gamble worth taking.” 

The Trabeg war planning this past fortnight will have centred almost exclusively on Togher’s holy trinity. Can the Barrs' leader, wildcard, and clutch calling card once more collaborate to deliver the requisite numbers?