HISTORY! Thurles Sarsfields are Intermediate football champs after extra-time classic

FBD Insurance Intermediate Football Championship Final

Thurles Sarsfields 0-17

Rockwell Rovers 0-14

After extra time

By Michael Dundon

Thurles Sarsfields will be playing senior football for the first time since the 1950s following this heart-stopping FBD Insurance Intermediate Football Final win over Rockwell Rovers, an epic battle that went to extra time at Bansha on Sunday.

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Junior champions two years back, Sarsfields have always had the potential to do well in the code but, under the management of Peter Creedon, with Declan Costello, Tony Smith and Pat Bracken as selectors, they have really come good in recent times, with many players who have won divisional and county honours with Durlas Óg at juvenile level now following through on the promise shown then.

Rockwell Rovers were many people’s fancy to return to senior ranks after demotion two years ago, but in a hectic encounter, they ran out of gas in the second half of extra time. 

A well-struck penalty by Eoin Byrnes, brilliantly saved by Sarsfields' goalie Lorcan Cummins at the start of the second half of extra time, possibly tipped the scales in Sarsfields’ favour, as they held their opponents scoreless in the period while scoring three points themselves.

Sarsfields were marginally the better team and fully deserved their win. They too had a penalty effort brilliantly saved by Eoghan Doyle, who turned Liam McCormack’s shot away after 52 minutes, and they also had to play 10 minutes at the finish of the hour a man short following the black card shown to Conor Stapleton. Their three-point win was extremely hard-earned but well deserved.

Early points from Liam McCormack and Darragh Stakelum signposted Sarsfields’ ambition, and they enjoyed the greater share of possession in the first half to lead 0-7 to 0-4 at the interval. 

Liam McCormack’s accuracy off frees yielded four points, one two-pointer, with the very impressive Paddy Creedon landing two more from play. Rovers were on the back foot to a degree, but Jack O’Kelly, T. J. Ryan, Tom Downey and Alan Moloney points kept them in touch.

Sarsfields continued to make the running on resuming, but in the 42nd minute, Rovers, with points from J. Ryan and Alan Moloney’s two-pointer, drew level at 0-9 each. Sars countered with two of their own from Liam McCormack and Kieran Costello, but in the 50th minute, they had Conor Stapleton black-carded. Alan Moloney’s point from the free closed the gap, and a minute later, Liam McCormack’s penalty effort for Sars was parried away by Eoghan Doyle. Kevin Cleary delighted the Rovers’ following with a levelling point two minutes later, and so it stood, 0-11 each, when referee Joe Leahy called time.

Extra time saw Matthew Kelly put Sars in front, but Alan Moloney’s two-pointer sent his side into the lead for the first time, and he added another point for a 0-14 to 0-12 advantage.

Sarsfields dug deep, however. Kieran Costello kicked his third point of the game and Matthew Kelly his second to leave all things square again at the halfway stage, 0-14 each.

Drama on the resumption: Rovers were awarded a penalty in the second minute, but Lorcan Cummins pulled off a great save to deny Eoin Byrnes a goal. Sars pushed downfield for James Armstrong to give them the lead. 

Five minutes later, as the Rockwell challenge began to wilt, Kevin Bracken doubled the advantage, and at the death Liam McCormack added a third for a win that had Sarsfields fans dancing with delight.

Sars’ big players, county stars Paddy Creedon and Kieran Costello, the team’s captain, delivered in spades in this marvellous win, but there were heroes all over the field, with Darragh Stakelum, Henry Fogarty, Kevin Bracken, goalkeeper Lorcan Cummins, Liam McCormack and sub Matthew Kelly all on top of their game.

It was tough on Rockwell Rovers, who contributed so much to such an entertaining encounter, but five points from play was simply not enough to win a championship. 

Had they scored from the penalty, they might well have gone on to win, and they were also denied goals on two other occasions by Sars custodian Lorcan Cummins. However, they will surely be back next year to make amends. 

Alan Moloney was their big threat in attack, with TJ Ryan and Kevin Cleary also prominent. Tom Downey did well at midfield, with Liam Fahey and goalie Eoghan Doyle doing much for the Rovers’ cause.

Scorers: Thurles Sarsfields: Liam McCormack (0-6, 1x2ptf, 0-2f), Kieran Costello (0-3, 0-1f), Paddy Creedon, Kevin Bracken, Matthew Kelly 0-2 each, James Armstrong, Darrag Stakelum 0-1 each.

Rockwell Rovers: Alan Moloney (0-7, 2x2pt, 0-2f), TJ Ryan, Eoin Byrnes 0-2 each, Jack O’Kelly, Tom Downey, Kevin Cleary 0-1 each.

Thurles Sarsfields: Lorcan Cummins; Conor Fogarty, Cathal Hayes, Rory Dwan; Conor Stapleton, Michael Cahill, Henry Fogarty; Darragh Stakelum, Kieran Costello; Kevin Bracken, Paddy Creedon, Aidan Stakelum; Cian Stakelum, Aidan Ryan, Liam McCormack.

Subs used: James Armstorng for Cahill (35); John Broderick for Bracken (52); David Bourke for Stapleton (60); Matthew Kelly for A Stakelum (64); K Bracken for A Ryan (74).

Rockwell Rovers: Eoghan Doyle; Liam Lonergan, Robbie O’Donnell, Peter Heaney; Luca Fitzgerald, Liam Fahey, Kieran McGovern; Tom Downey, Gavin Ryan;  Jack O’Kelly, Aidan Barron, Kevin Cleary; Eoin Byrnes, Alan Moloney, TJ Ryan.

Subs used: Patrick Hickey for O’Kelly (54); Stephen Boland for Ryan (63); Oisin Cummins for Fahey (77).

Referee: Joe Leahy (Moyne Templetuohy)

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