Thurles Sarsfields make little of poor Drom & Inch effort to qualify for Cahill Cup decider

Thurles Sarsfields defeated Drom & Inch on Wednesday evening

CM Signs Cahill Cup Semi-Final

Thurles Sarsfields 2-30

Drom & Inch 2-14

By Michael Dundon

Sarsfields were comprehensive winners over understrength Drom & Inch in a surprisingly one-sided Mid Cahill Cup senior hurling semi-final at The Ragg last Wednesday evening and will meet Loughmore Castleiney in the final this week.

Drom lined out without eight potential starters, including team leaders such as injured Seamie Callanan and Johnny Ryan, and it was clear from an early stage as Sarsfields whipped over some delightful points, that the Thurles lads were destined for the final.

Sarsfields too had their absentees, including county senior trio Ronan Maher, Conor Stakelum and Darragh Stakelum, but their back-up was superior, and they will be particularly pleased to see youngsters such as Keith Loughnane, Harry Fitzgibbon Liam McCormack and Robbie Stapleton putting up their hand for inclusion in the starting line-up when the more serious business of the year gets under way.

There was only one team in it in the opening quarter as Sarsfields raced into a 0-9 to 0-2 lead with Eoin Purcell landing four points, and Liam McCormack two.

A Jack Lillis goal for Drom on seventeen minutes raised their hopes, but Sarsfields continued to dominate, with Michael Cahill doing trojan work in the number eleven spot, and they reached half-time with a 0-18 to 1-6 advantage.

It was hard to see Drom recovering in the second half, but early points from John Campion and Paudie Kinane encouraged them. Patrick McCormack in the Sarsfields goal denied David Butler a possible Drom goal after five minutes, which would have been a big boost for them. But Sarsfields soon reasserted themselves.

Liam McCormack’s goal from a David Corbett delivery after forty-one minutes put them 1-23 to 1-10 clear, and Robbie Stapleton notched Sarsfields' second for a 2-26 to 1-11 lead after fifty minutes.

In injury time, with the game well beyond them, David Butler hit Drom’s second goal.

Even allowing for the Drom absentees, this was an impressive showing by Sarsfields, whose pace, movement, and finishing were top drawer. They dominated in most quarters with Liam McCormack, Eoin Purcell, Pa Bourke, Keith Loughnane, and Paul Maher particularly prominent.

Drom & Inch will not lose sleep over this setback as they build up for the beginning of the Mid championship. The return of the absentees will boost the but on this occasion Conor Gleeson, Fintan Purcell, Paudie Kinane, Jimbob Kennedy, David Butler, and Oliver Barry were their main men.

Scorers: Sarsfields: Pa Bourke (0-7, 0-4f), Liam McCormack 1-5, Eoin Purcell 0-5, Robbie Stapleton 1-0, Aidan McCormack (0-4, 0-3f), Paddy Creedon, Michael Cahill, 0-3 each, Tommy Doyle 0-2, Seanie Butler 0-1.

Drom & Inch: David Butler 1-1, Jack Lillis 1-0, John Campion 0-4f, Conor Gleeson, Paudie Kinane, Oliver Barry 0-2 each, Podge Campion, Darragh Kennedy, Fintan Purcell 0-1 each.

Thurles Sarsfields: Patrick McCormack; Paul Maher, Denis Maher, Harry Fitzgibbon; Stephen Maher, David Corbett, Keith Loughnane; Stephen Cahill, Tommy Doyle; Paddy Creedon, Michael Cahill, Eoin Purcell; Robbie Stapleton, Pa Bourke, Liam McCormack.

Subs used: Seanie Butler, Cian Stakelum, Aidan McCormack, Jack Derby.

Drom & Inch: Eoin Collins; Eoghan Kennedy, Michgael Campion, Jimbob Kennedy; Podge Campion, Fintan Purcell, Conor Gleeson; Tony Cahill, Liam Ryan; Jack Lillis, John Campion, John Ryan(M); Darragh Kennedy, David Collins, Paudie Kinane.

Subs used: Diarmuid Brennan, Mark Conroy, Oliver Barry, Jamie Ryan, David Butler.

Referee: Johnny Butler (Upperchurch Drombane)