Aaron Myers scored the winner for Sarsfields against Midleton in their Co-Op Superstores Cork PSHC semi-final.
Co-Op Superstores Cork PSHC semi-finals
Sarsfields 0-22 Midleton 0-21
Imokilly 1-29 Blackrock 1-20
Sarsfields will represent Cork in the Munster Club SHC after Aaron Myers’ 63rd-minute winner saw off the challenge of Midleton to secure a county final return.
They will meet divisional side Imokilly in the decider after they defeated record-champions Blackrock by 1-29 to 1-20 in the curtain-raiser.
In a repeat of the 2023 final at SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh, Sars opened with five of the first six points, including three from Daniel Hogan. Wing-back Luke Elliott also raised his first of three white flags.
But Conor Lehane wouldn’t let the reigning champions escape too far ahead as he clocked each of the Magpies’ first five points.
Once they got a greater spread of scorers, Midleton whipped over six consecutive points to lead by four. Lehane took his tally to 0-8, while further conversions arrived from Luke O’Farrell, Ross O’Regan, and a super Eoin Moloney solo effort.
A Daniel Kearney response left Sars 0-12 to 0-9 in arrears at the break.
A pair of Lehane catches under long puck-outs led to further scores, finished by Lehane himself and Patrick White.
But Sars struck five unanswered points between the 41st and 49th minutes to move 0-18 to 0-15 ahead; including James Sweeney, Bryan Murphy, and Myers attempts.
Three in a row from Midleton brought them level a third time with Cormac Beausang landing the equaliser.
Hogan (0-8) and Lehane (0-13) traded frees but Sars found the winner when substitute Ben Nodwell snatched a long ball and Jack O’Connor was the linkman for Myers’ third and clinching score.
In the earlier game, Imokilly made it back to the final for the first time since completing their three-in-a-row in 2019.
The East Cork combination, which featured starters from nine different clubs, got off to a flier to build up a 12-point lead, 1-11 to 0-2, by the 22nd minute.
The goal arrived when Seán Desmond strongarmed his way onto the sliotar and fed Jack Leahy to find the corner. The Dungourney dangerman finished with 1-8, including 1-4 from play.
Blackrock got their lifeline late in the half. After Gavin Connolly made a double save, his brother Alan bounced a stoppage-time penalty to the net to punish a foul on Robbie Cotter. The deficit was eight, 1-13 to 1-5.
By the 39th minute, there was just a goal between the sides as Cotter and the Connolly brothers reeled off three quickfire points.
That remained the gap with 10 to play but Imokilly swung over nine of the final 12 points. Half-forwards Brian Lawton (0-5) and Séamus Harnedy (0-4) were their chief scorers to see out the contest.
For the Rockies, Alan Connolly ended with 1-9, while his Cork colleague Cotter accounted for 0-4.
