Munster Club HC Semi-finals/Toomevara 2-13 Na Piarsaigh - 0-13: If Toomevara, the great under-achievers of the Munster club scene, can replicate the 15 minutes they hurled after half-time in this game, there could yet be a significant shine to the Tipperary season.
Leaves fluttered around the famous stadium in Thurles yesterday afternoon and barely over 5,000 people passed through the turnstiles, but, for a quarter of an hour, Toomevara hurled with the zest and cleanliness of a high summer match.
The two goals they wrapped home just after half-time courtesy of Ken Dunne and young Willie Ryan were the difference in scores when the game ended, completely blowing away the painstaking and disciplined lead Na Piarsaigh had crafted in the first half.
Yesterday afternoon represented a stark change in circumstances for the Cork city club. A week ago, they had just won their first Cork championship in almost a decade. The preparation for this game was overshadowed by the sudden departure of Aisake Ó hAilpín, who has been lured by Australian Rules club Carlton where his totemic brother Setanta already plays.
Perhaps the Cork champions were resigned to bowing out here. Certainly, very few of the black and amber jersey's travelled up for the match. And interviewed after receiving his GPA Hurler of the Year award on Friday evening, Seán Óg Ó hAilpín, looking fairly downbeat, said that winning the All-Ireland and county championship had already made his year.
For the first half, though, Na Piarsaigh played as though completely untroubled by absent friends. Ger Shaw, drafted in as Aisake's replacement, was little short of sensational, landing frees from all distances, harassing Toomevara's steady but heavier half-back line and generally revelling in life as a starter.
Seán Óg switched wings to tail Tommy Dunne and generally contained the most lethal of the Toomevara brothers - he drifted away from his marker on 19 minutes and, when he turned, Tommy was nimbly striking his first point.
Operating on the left wing did not inhabit John Gardiner one bit. Cool and intelligent, Gardiner can look a class apart even in the most elevated company. His point after 13 minutes was reminiscent of his celebratory score against Cloyne a week ago, hit on the run, flush against the sideline, the trajectory high and true. He led an excellent first-half defensive effort by the visitors and, although the score was 0-7 apiece after 22 minutes, Na Piarsaigh fully deserved the 0-11 to 0-07 half-time lead, courtesy of four points in succession from Shaw.
The situation was sobering for Toomevara. As against Eire Óg/Golden in the county final a fortnight ago - when they did come into the game - it was with considerable venom.
And again, Eoin Brislane was at the heart of it. His long, perfectly-delivered ball over the top of the Na Piarsaigh back line afforded Ken Dunne the time and space he thrives in. Dunne's pick-up was perfect and the strike on goal unstoppable.
Coming two minutes after half-time, it was a critical moment for Na Piarsaigh. Dunne added a free and then full forward Paddy O'Brien, beavering out at the halfway line, took a ball from Terry Dunne and went the same route as Brislane. This time, Willie Ryan, although limping from an injury, profited. Tommy Dunne fired the game's next score, a free.
It was over the next 25 minutes that Na Piarsaigh must have rued the loss of the Ó hAilpín's. They managed just two points in the second half, both frees from Shaw.
None of the O'Sullivan's could work any space to eat into the four-point lead and Shaw took a couple of bad options when the team needed points. Against Cloyne, players like Ronan McGregor and Cian O'Mahony broke the game open with lovely, dashing runs. Not here. Toomevara closed off everything, their half-back line strong and the back three completely untroubled.
Brislane bounced around the middle like a site foreman eager to get the scaffolding down before dark. Ferociously strong and impatient, his power sometimes seems detrimental to his game. But such was his domination here that Na Piarsaigh were forced to move Seán Óg up to midfield to keep him company.
Ten minutes later, John Gardiner was moved to full forward - the break-up of Na Piarsaigh's excellent half-back line was the last, desperate stand for the Cork side.
They never really threatened the goal that was needed as Toomevara eased themselves towards a more comfortable position with points from Brislane and O'Brien.
It was a pity that Na Piarsaigh did not get to give the Munster championship a rattle at full-speed and the absence of the youngest Ó hAilpín did cast a slight pall over the occasion.
TOOMEVARA: J Cottrell; J Boland, T Delaney, P Shanahan; Terry Dunne, B Dunne, D Young; P Hackett, E Brislane (0-1); K Dunne (1-4), F Devanney (0-1), Tommy Dunne (0-3, two frees); M Bevans (0-2), P O'Brien (0-2), W Ryan (1-0). Substitutes: J O'Brien for W Ryan (38 mins inj).
NA PIARSAIGH: M O'Sullivan; D Mannix, R O'Byrne, D Murphy; J Gardiner (0-2), D Gardiner, S Óg Ó hAilpín; R McGregor, M Prendergast; C O'Sullivan, C O'Mahony, SR O'Sullivan; G Shaw (0-9, 7 frees), C Connery (0-1), SP O'Sullivan (0-1). Substitutes: R Healy for SR O'Sullivan (57 mins).
Referee: P Moore (Waterford).
