JUST LIKE LAST year’s final the scoreboard gap was narrow at the final whistle, and just like last year it was Sarsfields who emerged triumphant against Midleton in a Cork club hurling showdown. There was a two-point buffer for Sarsfields in the 2023 final, today it was just a single point that put them clear of their East Cork rivals at the semi-final stage. That score arrived in the 63rd minute courtesy of Aaron Myers, drafted into the Sarsfields starting team before throw-in, just moments after Conor Lehane held his nerve from a free to land his 13th point of the day for Midleton and look to have potentially set the game on course for extra-time, Sarsfields survived a major examination of their title-holding credentials, trailing by three points at half-time, 0-12 to 0-9, but wiping out that deficit and surging ahead during a powerful second-half showing.
They were two points in arrears on the 40th minute, 0-15 to 0-13, before they registered five points on the bounce courtesy of Daniel Hogan (2), James Sweeney, Bryan Murphy and Myers. Sarsfields didn’t trail for the remainder of the game, and while Midleton twice drew level, Johnny Crowley’s team produced the goods when they were required to fashion a victory. Sarsfields made the brighter start, leading 0-5 to 0-1 after ten minutes, yet Midleton gradually worked their way into contention.
Lehane stood up predictably as their leading light, he shot their first five points of the game and notched eight overall in that.