Aghada 3-18, Sarsfields 1-14
Aghada are into the Co-Op Superstores IHC final after their win over Sarsfields at Dungourney on Friday night.
Three first-half goals were the key scores as
they had built up a 3-13 to 1-8 by the break, and they withstood an early second-half Sars fightback to run out worthy winners.
Sars suffered two last red cards, with Ronan Barry and Finn O’Connor both sent to the line in the last five minutes, but by then the game was over as a contest.
William Leahy opened the scoring for Aghada, and using the wind, they raced into a 0-4 to no score lead.
Fionn O’Connell, Michael Russell, and Tim Hartnett, the others pointing early.
Rory Higgins got Sars off the mark, with Leahy replying.
A free from Cian McCarthy for Sars made it 0-6 to 0-2 after 13 minutes.
Donnacha McCarthy raced out of goal for Sars to score from near the wing before the first goal of the half arrived.
Ronan Murphy was fouled, and Leahy buried the resultant penalty past McCarthy to make it 1-6 to 0-4.
Rory O’Connell added a point before Sars had a goal of their own, to make it 1-8 to 1-4 after 19 minutes.
But Aghada played the ball straight down the pitch from the restart for Charlie Terry to score their second goal
Murphy and John Looney were among the scorers for Aghada to see them lead 2-10 to 1-6 after 25 minutes.
Cian McCarthy and Rory O’Brien replied for Sars, but Aghada finished the half strongly.
Points from O’Connell, Sam O’Driscoll, and Leahy put them 2-13 to 1-8 ahead.
With the last shot of the half, Looney got their third goal to see Aghada lead by 3-13 to 1-8 at the break.
Early points from Sean King, Jack Huggins, and McCarthy reduced the deficit, with Looney replying for Aghada, in a low-scoring second half.
O’Brien and McCarthy scored for Sars, to make it 1-13 to 3-14 after 42 minutes.
Leahy and Terry replied, and Aidan Hackett scored at the other end.
Points from Fionn O’Connor and Leahy secured the win for Aghada before the two Sars players were sent off.
Aghada will now play the winners of Saturday's clash between Bandon and Midleton in the final in a few weeks time.
Scorers for Aghada: W Leahy 1-5 (f), J Looney 1-2, C Terry 1-1, R O’Connell, S O’Driscoll, T Harnett 0-2 each, F O’Connell, M Russell, R Murphy, F O’Connor 0-1 each.
Sarsfields: C McCarthy 0-6 (3f), F O’Connor 1-1, R O’Brien 0-2, R Higgins, D McCarthy, S King, J Huggins, A Hackett 0-1 each.
AGHADA: J Walsh; K O’Shea, J McDonnell, A Kearns; F O’Connor, M Russell, F O’Connell; R O’Connell, T Hartnett; W Leahy, C Terry, S O’Driscoll; R Murphy, J Looney, J O’Hanlon.
Subs: N Devoy for F O’Connell (55), P O’Neill for C Terry (57), J Devoy for R O’Connell (58).
SARSFIELDS: D McCarthy; J Huggins, D Roche, R De Barra; Rory Higgins, K Crowley, J O’Leary; S McNamara, J Tierney; S King, E Murphy, S Bracken; R O’Brien, C McCarthy, F O’Connor.
Subs: C Condon for D Roche (ht), A Hackett for J O’Leary (44).
A William Leahy penalty raised their first green flag
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