Cork SHC Final

Sarsfields 0-21 Midleton 0-19

By Stephen Barry at Páirc Uí Chaoimh

Sarsfields completed an emotional Cork Premier SHC triumph with a storming second-half comeback to defeat Midleton.

The Riverstown/Glanmire side honoured the memory of club legend Teddy McCarthy, who passed away in June, by securing their seventh title and their first since 2014.

It was McCarthy who made the call to convince Johnny Crowley to return as manager and he helped to restore a hard edge in a pre-season spent training at an equestrian centre, a boxing club, and on local beaches.

They did it the hard way on the field too, beating each of the last four county champions en route, and all in one-score games. They didn’t concede a single goal in three knockout games.

They trailed Midleton by six entering first-half stoppage time but had eight of the next 10 points, led by Aaron Myers (0-12, 8 frees) and roving corner-back Cathal McCarthy (0-4), who was awarded the man of the match prize.

Captain Conor O’Sullivan, making his first start of the campaign, lifted the Seán Óg Murphy in front of 11,645 fans.

Midleton started the brighter and were never headed throughout the first half. Brion Saunderson’s accurate puck-outs led to a couple of quickfire points for defenders Seán O’Sullivan and Tommy O’Connell and when Mikey Finn clipped a sideline, they led 0-5 to 0-2.

Sars were nothing if not sticky opponents. They were reliant, however, on Myers for scores. He had seven of their nine first-half points, three from play. His three in a row, including a super score from midway, took them back level.

Ross O’Regan saw his opening brace cancelled out by two Myers frees before Midleton kicked on again.

They switched Conor Lehane into full-forward and he began to cause damage when given more space to exploit. The Magpies struck six in a row, four from Lehane, two each from frees and open play.

His ability to disrupt Sars’ short-passing game was key. He blocked down Paul Leopold for an O’Regan point before intercepting a Craig Leahy pass for his fifth of the day.

Sars were in taking on water but they managed to bail out a couple of buckets worth with two stoppage-time points from McCarthy and Myers. 0-13 to 0-9 at half-time.

Former Cork midfielder Daniel Kearney had been chasing Finn for much of the first half but he was the one who needed following on the restart. He charged into this contest by assisting three points, two for Myers, one for Daniel Hogan, and landing a point of his own.

When Jack O’Connor, tightly marked by Seán O’Leary Hayes, stole possession and pointed, it was level, 0-15 apiece. At the other end, Lehane was suddenly misfiring under increased pressure, with three wides and another free short.

Kearney wasn’t the only one helping to turn the tables around the middle. McCarthy, wearing no. 2, swapped with O’Sullivan to take a more advanced role and he launched two long-range levellers.

Colm McCarthy, playing as a third midfielder, had produced two inspiring block downs and he won a pair of frees to give Sars their first lead. Both were converted by Myers to make it 0-19 to 0-17.

McCarthy and Myers pushed the lead out to three but Midleton had one last chance in the 62nd minute. O’Leary Hayes fed Luke O’Farrell but his forceful shot was blocked by Leopold, snapping his hurley in two.

They turned to aerial bombardment early, but it came to nothing and Tadhg O’Leary Hayes’ final point split the posts when it needed to drop short.

Scorers for Sarsfields: Aaron Myers 0-12 (8fs), Cathal McCarthy 0-4, Jack O’Connor 0-2, Daniel Kearney, Colm McCarthy, Daniel Hogan 0-1 each.

Scorers for Midleton: Conor Lehane 0-7 (4fs), Ross O’Regan 0-3, Mikey Finn (1 s/l), Paul Haughney 0-2 each, Seán O’Sullivan, Tommy O’Connell, Cormac Beausang, Patrick White, Tadhg O’Leary Hayes 0-1 each.

Sarsfields: Donnacha McCarthy; Cathal McCarthy, Craig Leahy, Paul Leopold; Bryan Murphy, Eoghan Murphy, Luke Elliott; Conor O’Sullivan, Daniel Kearney; Jack O’Connor, Cian Darcy, Aaron Myers; Shane O’Regan, Daniel Hogan, Colm McCarthy.

Subs: Luke Hackett for O’Regan (44), James Sweeney for Darcy (49), Ben Nodwell for Hogan (53, blood).

Midleton: Brion Saunderson; Seán O’Sullivan, Ciarmhac Smyth, Séadhnaidh Smyth; Eoin Moloney, Tommy O’Connell, Seán O’Leary Hayes; Mikey Finn, Paul Haughney; David Cremin, Conor Lehane, Ross O’Regan; Cormac Beausang, Patrick White, Luke O’Farrell.

Subs: Paul Connaughton for Cremin (43), Tadhg O’Leary Hayes for White (60+1).

Referee: Ciarán O’Regan (Ballyhea).