2008 U-21 hurling final decided at last

Date Published: 17-Dec-2009

THIS may have been one of the longest championship campaigns in the 125 year history of the GAA, but that won’t concern Sarsfields as they clinched the 2008 championship with this hard earned victory over a gallant Clarinbridge side on Sunday last.

A championship, that started nearly 21 months ago, looked as if extra time was going to be needed to separate these fully committed sides, but two gilt edged chances for the ‘Bridge went abegging in the closing stages and so did Clarinbridge’s chance of victory as Niall Morrissey’s accuracy from placed balls proved decisive for Sarsfields.

Like the drawn game, this replay was dominated by two stubborn defences which meant scoring opportunities were at a premium. Every single ball was fought for with gusto, every puck out contested.

Played in ideal conditions, Clarinbridge were first out of the traps when the impressive Barry Daly pointed in the third minute. John Cannon and Niall Morrissey, free, swapped points before Niall Quinn levelled matters when he pointed after a neat hand pass from Joseph Cooney, wearing the number fourteen jersey but deployed at midfield from the start.

Sarsfields then took the initiative with three unanswered points to lead five points to two by the 20th minute. Niall Morrissey pointed a free for the New Inn/Bullaun outfit midway through the half and three minutes later Niall Quinn and Ian Skehill combined for Skehill to score. Quinn and Skehill were now causing trouble for the Clarinbridge defence and they combined again, this time creating the space for Joseph Cooney to dissect the posts.

There was only three minutes to go to half time before Clarinbridge responded and again it was Barry Daly who provided the inspiration. When Niall Quinn attempted to clear the lines for Sarsfields, Daly blocked, and picked up the loose ball and sent it over.

A minute later it was Daly again, this time adding an excellent solo effort to cut the deficit to a point with two minutes to go to the break. The Bridge tried hard to find an equaliser but couldn’t find the range as Ian Skehill scored his second point, for Sarsfields to lead by two at half time, six points to four.

Unfortunately, the second half didn’t continue on in the same vein as the first, as it became a dogged, sluggish affair dominated with frees and only one point from play between the two sides.

Eoin Forde and Niall Morrissey swapped pointed frees in the opening minutes but by the midway point of the half Clarinbridge had drawn level. Forde pointed a free on 42 minutes before Thomas Ganley pointed from play to bring the Bridge right back into contention. But this transpired to be their last score of the game.

With 11 minutes remaining, Niall Morrissey sent over a ’65 to edge Sarsfields back in front. The game was now there for the taking and it looked as if extra time was going to be needed to separate these sides.

Clarinbridge tried with all their might to draw level but found the Sarsfields defence hard to break down as Darren Skehill and Diarmuid Murray in the central defensive positions, marshalled an excellent rearguard.

The loser did have chances though and will rue a couple of misses opportunities in the closing stages that would have turned this game on its head, but it wasn’t to be.

With a minute to go, Niall Morrissey, calmness personified, sent over a free from midfield after Joseph Cooney was fouled as Sarsfields held out for victory.

For Clarinbridge, Conor Forde, Adrian Geraghty, Paul Callanan, John Cannon did well along with the impressive Barry

Daly.

For the victors, the defensive unit was to the fore, especially Darren Skehill, Brian McLoughlin, Diarmuid Murray and Ivan Kenny. Ian Skehill and Joseph Cooney foraged well in the middle of the park while Niall Quinn did the damage up front, together with the accurate free taking of Niall Morrissey.

What was disappointing at the end of the game was some Clarinbridge supporters airing their grievances with referee Sean Moran as he left the field, but help was on hand quickly to defuse the situation.