Sar’s bag title number 30
Thurles Sarsfields 0-14 Drom & Inch 0-5
Thurles Sarsfields bagged their 30th Tipperary SHC title thanks to a comprehensive 0-14 to 0-5 win over Drom & Inch before an attendance of 9,967 spectators at Semple Stadium.
In a repeat of 2005 final pairing, Sarsfields may have amassed 12 wides over the course of the hour but they were relatively untroubled by a Drom & Inch side that only scored two second half points.
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 Thurles outfit were hugely dominant in the opening stages with as many wides as scores, as Drom & Inch really struggled to make an impression.
It was always going to be a huge task for the side captained by county star James Woodlock to claim their first ever SHC title, but they eventually opened their account in the 13th minute thanks to a Johnny Ryan effort.
Sarsfields kept up the momentum by scoring three of the next five points to hold a fully deserved 0-9 to 0-3 half-time lead.
Drom & Inch struggled for possession with Tipperary senior ace Seamus Callanan kept reasonably quiet.
Callanan and his charges did begin the second half brightly as he linked with Woodlock for a 32nd minute point, but Drom & Inch flattered to deceive as Sarsfields once again found their groove.
Pa Bourke continued to be deadly accurate from open play along with Enright, while substitute 'Redser' O'Grady also made a major impact.
Sarsfields, last winners in 2005, showed greater hunger throughout and although the gap was cut to six points with five minutes remaining Drom & Inch were unable to find the necessary goals required.
After the game, a delighted Thurles Sarsfields captain Johnny Enright accepted the Dan Breen Cup from Tipperary GAA Chairman Barry O'Brien, with full-back Padraic Maher confirmed as the man-of-the-match.
Thurles will go on to face Cork champions Newtownshandrum in the Munster Club SHC quarter-final on November 1.
Notably, Semple Stadium will play host to a number of celebrations to mark the GAA's 125th anniversary on that day.
Thurles Sarsfields: 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 used: 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: 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 used: 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).
Referee: Sean Bradshaw
