Thurles Sarsfields 0-27 Kiladangan 1-15
A poignant afternoon at Semple Stadium ended with Thurles Sarsfields crowned Tipperary senior hurling club champions for a 35th time.
It’s a third successive Premier County crown for the Blues, the first time that’s been achieved since the 1960s, when Mickey ‘The Rattler’ Byrne was still tearing it up as a player.
Just hours before throw-in, news emerged that The Rattler has passed to his eternal reward, at the age of 93.
And his beloved Sars put on a performance to honour his memory by defeating Kiladangan by nine points, to book an AIB Munster quarter-final clash with the Waterford champions in a fortnight.
Pa Bourke led the scoring charge for Sars, hitting seven of his nine points from frees on the day.
In front of 6,546 spectators, there were other notable scoring contributions as Aidan McCormack (six) and Richie Ruth hit 11 points from play between them.
Within ten minutes, Sars were 0-9 to 0-1 clear and cruising, Ruth on target with four early scores.
They were more than comfortable at half-time against Kiladangan, appearing in their first county final since 1938.
The interval lead was 0-15 to 0-6 and there was no way back for the men from the North.
Sars had their biggest lead of the game - 0-21 to 0-9 - before Joe Gallagher hammered home a fine consolation goal in the 46th minute.
Sars, who dominated the aerial exchanges and the puckout stats, had too much clout and nous for a Kiladangan side that was, quite simply, outclassed.
Just shy of a year ago, Sars were plunged into grief when senior selector, Jack Griffin, died tragically.
He was a 47-year-old father of three young girls, a high ranking officer in the Defence Forces who was held in the highest of esteem.
His passing cast a pall over the club and town and in many ways, Sars didn’t have the heart for a Munster club campaign and lost to Na Piarsaigh.
After this latest Dan Breen win, Jack’s daughters Isabelle (8), Larragh (10) and Emma (5), went up the steps of the New Stand at Semple Stadium to help Pádraic Maher lift the trophy.
A lovely touch on Maher’s part on a day of mixed emotions for the Thurles town club.
On Friday evening, The Rattler’s son, Noel, had contacted Tipp FM to put the word out that his father wouldn’t be well enough to attend, but would be tuning in.
Sadly, he was taken early in the morning, at the age of 93.
Griffin and Byrne would have loved this, Sars in their pomp, and on a day when there were plenty of fine performances, Ronan Maher earned the man of the match award.
Maher’s 43rd-minute sideline cut that split the Town End posts from almost 70m was just brilliant, and the score of the game.
Griffin and Byrne would surely have approved, as Sars produced many moments of picture-book excellence.
As they dominated, Kiladangan sunk. It took the underdogs until the 22nd minute to register their opening score of the game from play, Willie Connors on target.
But Kiladangan were treading water and while they did manage three of the last five points of the first half, the mountain was too steep to climb.
Ruairí Gleeson’s point to open the second half scoring was followed by a Darragh Egan free, as Kiladangan cut a nine-point half-time deficit to seven.
But Sars were content to keep the scoreboard ticking over and only a very decent save from Barry Hogan to keep out Conor Lanigan, with Ruth shooting the rebound into the side-netting, prevented a goal.
The only goal of the game went to Kiladangan, Gallagher burying a shot past Patrick McCormack, but on this day, of all days, there would only be one winner.
THURLES SARSFIELDS: P McCormack; M Cahill, S Lillis (0-1), S Maher (0-1); D Maher, P Maher, R Maher (0-2, 1sl); S Cahill, B McCarthy; T Doyle, A McCormack (0-6), P Bourke (0-9, 7f); C Lanigan (0-2), R Ruth (0-5), L Corbett (0-1). Subs: R Dwan for D Maher (50), J Maher for Lanigan (52), D Kennedy for Corbett (59), K O'Gorman for Ruth (60+3).
KILADANGAN: B Hogan; J Quigley, H Flannery, F Hayes; D Sweeney, A Flynn, D Moran; J Horan (0-1), M Minehan; J Gallagher (1-1), W Connors (0-3, 1 65), R Gleeson (0-2); T Gallagher (0-1), D Egan (0-6, 5f), P Flynn (0-1). Subs: J Loughnane for Minehan (24), E Kelly for Horan (45).
Referee: J McCormack (Knockavilla-Donaskeigh Kickhams).
