Sarsfields manager Kevo McKernan
By Brendan McTaggart
Having secured promotion to Division Two in their last match against Rasharkin, Sarsfields are on the crest of the wave. With the footballers also going well in the championship and also gaining promotion, it has been a stellar year for the Paddies.
Under the astute guidance of Kevo McKernan, Sarsfields have had the perfect season. An unbeaten run in Division 3&4 means a win against Naomh Éanna in their next league match and the league title will be going back to the Bear Pitt.
Larry Scullion has been assistant to McKernan this year and he told us that they have had high expectations from the word go in 2017: “At the start of the year we had our eye on the championship but to be honest this year has been all about getting out of the league and play at a higher standard of hurling next year. Don’t get me wrong, we’ve had aspirations for the championship as well and now we’re this length the belief is there that we can win this.”
Cannice McCavanagh makes up the trio with Scullion and McKernan and the Paddies assistant manager told us that the Paddies squad has been in good condition throughout the year and praised their attitude when he continued: “The three of us got together at the start of the year, around October time and we knew that the ability was there within the squad. It was up to us to get the lads fit and get a style of hurling that would get us out of Division 3/4.
“There were times throughout the year when it was tough to keep the lads from getting complacent or losing focus but we have a panel of 25 or 26 players this year and we haven’t had that for easily ten years. We’ve been able to use matches to give all the lads plenty of game time and it has paid off.
“We were in this league for a reason at the end of the day and it’s the vast majority of these boys that got us into the Division but the way they’ve went about their business this year has been a credit to them. The way they’ve applied themselves in training as well has matches has shown a maturity and at the end of the day it’s still a young squad. The average age is about 25 or 26 but they’ve matured this year and reaping the rewards.”
Sarsfields have been hugely impressive in their run to the final but as Scullion told us that they weren’t looking beyond their opening round tie against St Galls: “St Gall’s was the game we were focused on. They beat us in the senior championship not that long ago and I thought on the night we were brilliant. I think they only scored one point from play, 1-9 from frees and it was after that match that the lads started to believe that they could win this championship.
“Naomh Éanna was always going to be a tough match but we came into the tie knowing that if we hurled to our ability then we wouldn’t be far away. We drew with them in the league and beat them by six points but the first half performance we put in had the game won. I think Daniel McKernan hit eight points and kept the scoreboard ticking along in the second half but we knew we had the game won at half time.”
Carey Faughs stand between Sarsfields and a perfect season. Scullion told us that they are weary of the threat that the Ballintoy side will bring on Saturday, despite their woes in the league: “We know they’re a good side. We watched them against St John’s and although they got beat, the conditions were awful so we didn’t learn too much about them. We watched them against St Gall’s over in Milltown as well and they have some very, very useful hurlers. They have our full respect, at the end of the day their record stands for itself. It’s something like four finals in the last eight or nine years.”
County star Niall McKenna is still a major doubt for the Paddies but Scullion stopped short of ruling him out of the final completely: “We’re giving Niall as long as we can. He still hasn’t held a hurl yet but he’s probably 50-50. He’s champing at the bit to get going but we’re not putting him under any pressure. If he’s fit then happy days, if not then we’ll have to deal with it.”
Scullion did rule out Mark Rea (shoulder injury versus St Galls) and corner back Peter Corr after his injury in the semi-final win against Naomh Éanna. Donal McKernan has been suffering with a dead leg but the Sarsfields management are expecting him to make a full recovery.