Thurles Sarsfields 0-14 Drom And Inch 0-5

Thurles Sarsfields - Pic courtesy John O'Loughlin

Thurles Sarsfields netted their 30th Tipperary SHC title with a comprehensive 0-14 to 0-5 win over Drom & Inch before an attendance of almost 10,000 spectators at Semple Stadium.

Thurles Sarsfields blazed a trail in the opening quarter as two points each from Johnny Enright and Pa Bourke along with an Alan Kennedy score saw them race into a 0-5 to 0-0 lead by the 11th minute.

The Sars were hugely dominant in the opening stages  as Drom & Inch struggled to make an impression eventually opening their account in the 13th minute thanks to  Johnny Ryan.

The Sars kept up their momentum by scoring three of the next five points to hold a well deserved 0-9 to 0-3 at half-time.

Drom and Inch constantly struggled for possession throughout and Pa Bourke continued to be deadly accurate from open play while Enright and substitute ‘Redser’ O’Grady also made their presence felt.

Sarsfields showed a great  hunger throughout play and although Drom and Inch closed the gap to six points with five minutes remaining they were unable to find the necessary scores required.

Final Score: Thurles Sarsfields 0-14  Drom And Inch 0-5

Sarsfield Captain Johnny Enright accepted the Dan Breen Cup from Tipperary GAA Chairman Barry O’Brien, and full-back Padraic Maher was rightly confirmed as the Man-of-the-Match.

Thurles will now face Cork champions Newtownshandrum in the Munster Club SHC quarter-final on November 1.

Thurles Sarsfields Team: P McCormack; M Cahill, P Maher, K O’Gorman; B O’Dwyer, L Cahill, S Lillis; A Kennedy (0-2), M Gleeson; P Bourke (0-4, 0-2f), S Ryan, D Maher; R Ruth (0-1), L Corbett, J Enright (0-5, 0-1f).

Subs Involved: D Kennedy for Ryan (16 mins), R O’Grady (0-2) for Ruth (47), J Lawlor for L Cahill (60), D O’Dwyer for A Kennedy (62), M Collins for O’Gorman (63).

Drom & Inch Team: D Young; Martin Butler; E Costello, M Costello; D Kennedy, P Stapleton, Michael Butler; J Woodlock, S Butler; E Woodlock, S Callanan (0-2, 0-1f), J Kennedy (0-1); D Butler, M Long, Johnny Ryan (0-2, 0-1f).

Subs Involved: E Buckley for Stapleton (27 mins), D Ryan for Long (31), M Ryan for E Woodlock (44), D Collins for D Ryan (53), James Ryan for J Woodlock (65).