For Sarsfields, delirium. For Slaughtneil, despair. All-Ireland Finals are the holy grail for every club, but they’re an incredibly elusive destination for most.
Neither of our two Semi-Final combatants had ever got there. Now Sarsfields can pack their kitbags for Croke Park on January 19.
Whereas for the heartbroken Derry champions, the wait continues. This was their fifth Semi-Final defeat inside the last decade; they have never come closer to crossing the Rubicon and may never do so.
Here, a back-and-forth hour of winter hurling at Cedral St Conleth’s Park arguably boiled down to one pivotal sequence deep in stoppage-time.
Sarsfields’ Cian Darcy jostles with Slaughtneil counterpart Shane McGuigan during the sides’ clash
The sides were deadlocked at 0-15 apiece as the game entered four additional minutes. Sarsfields duly landed three of the next four points in a three-minute burst, Cathal McCarthy’s inspirational score from the terrace-side touchline (as referee James Owens played advantage) edging them two ahead.
But then, one final Slaughtneil foray deep into enemy terrain culminated in Cormac O’Doherty passing across the goalmouth to skipper Mark McGuigan.
For a fleeting second, it looked as if the Ulstermen were about to steal it at the death; instead, McGuigan’s shot flashed over the crossbar.
A Pyrrhic point, if there is such a thing.
Especially as, off the next puckout, Slaughtneil conceded a free for overcarrying. Aaron Myers shot wide; no matter.
“It was six inches from going home deflated or going home absolutely elated – and we’re absolutely elated, obviously enough,” said winning boss Johnny Crowley.
“You have to feel sorry for (Mark) McGuigan but, look, that’s the way the dice rolls, and thankfully, it’s rolled up a six for us.”
Sarsfields’ Liam Healy and Luke Elliott celebrate following their side’s victory over Slaughtneil
Thus, in a season where they fell at the final fence to divisional side Imokilly in defence of their county crown, Sarsfields will become the first Cork side to bestride the All-Ireland Senior Hurling stage since Newtownshandrum in 2006.
It has been an emotional roller-coaster for the Glanmire club, and not just on the pitch.
Their Riverstown home was devastated by floods during Storm Babet 14 months prior; their grounds have now reopened and will be renamed in honour of club and county legend Teddy McCarthy, who died suddenly 18 months previously.
“I’d say, in a funny way, Teddy was certainly looking down on us in the last minute of the game,” Crowley ventured.
“Maybe it was Teddy blew it over the bar as opposed to them putting it over.
“But look, it’s the one missing element of the whole thing, Ted and Conor McCarthy, Ger Mohally, three absolutely tremendous clubmen in three different ways.
“Teddy was a national treasure, really; Conor McCarthy was a club treasure, I mean the work that Conor did and played with the club, and Ger Mohally was an incredible administrator.
“So, it’s for the likes of them today. It’s a pity – God, I’d give my right hand for Teddy to be here today, but I think he’s looking down on us and I’m sure he’s the proudest angel in the sky at the moment.”
Sarsfields’ Jack O’Connor looks to fend off the pressure applied by Slaughtneil counterpart Seán Cassidy
Conor McCarthy’s son Cathal played an instrumental role in the victory, landing two points down the home straight. His fellow Cork panellist Jack O’Connor was better still, shooting 0-04 from play, two in each half, while haring back to force turnovers in a workaholic display.
But still, this was a game that could, so easily, have been lost.
“Trying to find the words,” mused Slaughtneil manager Paul McCormack. “Cruel is one adjective, I suppose. Heartbreaking. Just the reality it’s over.
“It’s not where we wanted to end, like. We were determined to win this match and go to Croke Park, represent Slaughtneil in Croke Park.
“A one-point game. You know, it wasn’t a pretty game, but we were in it. Nobody could tell me there was any difference between the two teams.”
McCormack wasn’t singing the praises of James Owens, either.
“Thought we were harshly done by a few times,” he suggested. “It was nearly like a polar opposite – the first-half, the second-half – but it was the same for both teams, I suppose.
“Nobody really knew what he was doing or what he was going to blow. Maybe we got a few harsh calls, maybe they’ll say the same.”
Sarsfields’ Bryan Murphy races away from Conor McAllister of Slaughtneil during the sides’ clash
What’s beyond dispute is that the first-half was pockmarked by too many frees and not enough hurling, either free-flowing or blood-and-thunder.
Colm McCarthy forced a save from Slaughtneil goalkeeper Oisin O’Doherty in the opening seconds; Sars eventually settled for a point from Myers, one of only six from play in a first-half that finished with the Cork men narrowly ahead, 0-08 to 0-07.
A necklace of five unanswered points in the second quarter was key to that admittedly threadbare lead.
The second-half initially followed a similar theme – Slaughtneil struck six of the first eight points to briefly establish three-point daylight at 0-13 to 0-10, only for Sars to hit the next five.
Two O’Doherty frees, bringing his dead-ball haul to 0-09, restored parity on the hour mark before that late bout of injury-time drama left Sars in dreamland.
Scorers, Sarsfields: A Myers 0-05 (2f); D Hogan (4f), J O’Connor 0-04 each; Cathal McCarthy 0-02; B Murphy, S O’Regan, L Healy 0-01 each.
Slaughtneil: C O’Doherty 0-09 (8f, 1 ‘65’); S McGuigan 0-03; S Cassidy, E Cassidy, M McGrath, R Ó Mianáin, M McGuigan 0-01 each.
Sarsfields: B Graham; P Leopold, C Roche, C O’Sullivan; B Murphy, E Murphy, L Elliott; Colm McCarthy, Cathal McCarthy; D Kearney, D Hogan, C Darcy; A Myers, J Sweeney, J O’Connor.
Subs: S O’Regan for Sweeney (42), C Leahy for Leopold (44), K Murphy for E Murphy (50), L Healy for Kearney (58).
Slaughtneil: O O’Doherty; F McEldowney, S Cassidy, P McNeill; S McGuigan, R Ó Mianáin, C McAllister; J Cassidy, M McGrath; C O’Doherty, B Rogers, M McGuigan; S Cassidy, S McGuigan, E Cassidy.
Subs: C McKaigue for Ó Mianáin (51), G Bradley for McGrath (56), P McCullagh for J Cassidy (58).
Referee: James Owens (Wexford)