No stopping a rampant Sarsfields with easy win over Meelin
Sarsfields 2-27 Meelin 0-17
MEELIN could offer few excuses after Sarsfields relaunched their Co Op Superstores County Intermediate A Hurling Championship challenge following a deserved win over the Duhallow men at a sweltering Glantane on Sunday last.
With the venue bathing in balmy conditions, Sars let their hurling do the talking thanks to displaying a wonderful first touch and excellent cohesion work. Defeated by Éire Óg in the opening day to the Group format, the Riverstown men were on a mission here and did enough to restrain the best intentions of a Meelin outfit hit by injuries to key players.
Coupled with a few retirements that served the club with distinction over the previous decade, its fair to say that Meelin are undergoing a transition at the present time, coming up against a number of teams in the grade that can boost large playing numbers and talented sides utilising experienced players and emerging talent from Premier grades at underage level.
A couple of enforced late changes to the Sars starting line up too, Ben Graham and Tadgh Óg Murphy introduced onto the senior team against Douglas the previous evening robbed the intermediate side of key personnel. However those on duty stood up to the test in a competent team performance.
Meelin operating with Liam Collins in a sweeper capacity held their own early on , Collins well supported by T J Brosnan, William Murphy and Jack Curtin. Points to James Forrest, Jack Curtin and Jason O’Callaghan ensured the early exchanges were competitive, at times, a series of frustrating wides hit Sars attack yet they held a facility to answer any Meelin surge.
Indeed Sars underlined their class through the massive contributions of Eddie Gaffney, Kieran Walsh and Gary Gray in defence with Darren Kenneally creating inroads at midfield. And upfront, Patrick O’Driscoll, Killian Murphy and Cormac Duggan displayed an increasing menace and five unanswered points helped secure a 0-14 to 0-6 advantage at the break.
Sstraight from the restart, Sars inflicted further damage, Duggan placed O’Driscoll for a peach of a goal. In fairness, Meelin did respond on points to William Murphy and Forrest yet Sars industry never lessened, O’Driscoll adding a pair of points before retiring injured.
Namesake Shane got in on the act too with excellent scores, no stopping a rampant Sars who underlined their superiority, good work by James O’Leary placed young substitute Colm McCarthy, a County minor from last season for the second green flag.
A few weeks for both sides to ponder over before facing into the concluding games in the Group stages, Sars take on Douglas with Meelin encountering group leaders Éire Óg. SARSFIELDS: C Looney; N Fitzpatrick, E Gaffney, K Walsh 0-1; K Crowley, G Gray, D Barry; D Kenneally, T Murphy; J O’Leary 0-1, K Murphy 0-5, S O’Driscoll 0-3; P O’Driscoll 1-7, C Duggan 0-8(0-4f, 0-1’65), A Hackett. Subs: C McCarthy 1-1 for P O’Driscoll( 41 inj), E O’Sullivan 0-1 for T Murphy(50).
MEELIN: S M O’Sullivan; J O’Sullivan, M O’Keeffe 0-2f, J Moynihan; S Curtin, B O’Sullivan, T J Brosnan 0-1; W Murphy 0-2, J O’Callaghan 0-2; J Curtin 0-1, James Forrest 0-6(04f), N Linehan; J Walsh, John Forrest, L Collins. Subs. T J Twomey 0-1 for S Curtin(36), C Curtin for John Forrest(40), L O’Sullivan 0-2 for N Linehan(48), D Buckley for J Walsh(54).
REFEREE:
M Walsh (St Catherines)