CORK SHC FINAL: Sarsfields 1-17, Glen Rovers 0-18:SARSFIELDS CAME good in the closing 10 minutes to claim their fourth Cork SHC title and their second in three years after a closely fought decider against Glen Rovers at Páirc Uí Chaoimh yesterday.
A crowd of almost 11,500 saw an exciting finish to an otherwise tense encounter in which the famous Glen club were attempting to end a 21-year wait for honours.
And when their ace marksman Patrick Horgan pointed for the tenth time to give the Blackpool side a 0-17 to 1-11 lead after 50 minutes, Glen hopes soared only for last season’s beaten finalists to finish the stronger team.
Tadhg Óg Murphy levelled matters with three minutes of regulation time remaining and the usually reliable Horgan then missed a free before Sars edged in front once again through Murphy’s third point.
As the game entered injury-time there was drama as Michael Cussen thought he had scored the clinching goal for Sars only to have his effort ruled out by a whistle blown before he struck.
Man of the match, Cian McCarthy, son of Cork legend, Teddy, opted to take a point from the resulting penalty to make it a two-point game and in the final act Horgan saw a difficult free from the right blocked and cleared to signal the end of proceedings.
Sars were just about deserving winners but if they had lost they would have nobody but themselves to blame following a wretched display of shooting in a first-half which they dominated.
Nine wides to none by their opponents underlined Sars’ monopoly of possession and even a fortunate goal from a long-range free by left corner-back Conor O’Sullivan in the 12th minute couldn’t settle them.
At this stage Sars had struck half a dozen wides and they were eventually to pay for their squandermania as the Glen finally settled.
Horgan was proving a right thorn, punishing the opposition with unerring accuracy from placed balls, while wing-back Brian Moylan popped up with a brilliant equaliser after 23 minutes, making it 1-4 to 0-7.
Sars recovered to lead by 1-8 to 0-9 at the interval, McCarthy completing the scoring with a fine effort from play. But the Glen were soon into their stride on the resumption.
Four unanswered points reflected their growing dominance and although McCarthy kept Sars in touch with a couple of pointed frees, the momentum was certainly with the Glen who hit another purple patch.
Dean Brosnan and Gavin Moylan found the target, followed by a couple of Horgan frees to open up a three-point gap. But Sars then revealed enough composure to respond in the manner of champions.
SARSFIELDS:A Kennedy; D Kenneally, J Barry, C O'Sullivan (1-1 from frees); G O'Kelly-Lynch, R Ryan, C Leahy; D Kearney (0-1), D Roche; T Og Murphy (0-3), C McCarthy (0-8, five frees, one pen, one 65), G O'Loughlin (0-3); R O'Driscoll, K Murphy (0-1), M Cussen. Subs: R Murphy for O'Driscoll (inj 42 mins), W Kearney for O'Loughlin (53 mins), P Ryan for O'Kelly-Lynch (inj 58 mins).
GLEN ROVERS:C Hickey; G Moylan (0-1), S McDonnell, S Kennefick; P O'Brien, G Callanan, B Moylan (0-2, one free); D Cronin, D O'Callaghan; D Goggin, D Cunningham (0-2), D Brosnan (0-2); C Dorris, P Horgan (0-10, eight from frees, one from a '65), R Whitty. Subs: D Busteed (0-1) for Cronin injured 18 min, E Cronin for Whitty 41 mins
Referee:D Copps (Cork)
