Sars lose in All-Ireland Club Final
Na Fianna delivered a masterclass to secure the All-Ireland Club Hurling title, overwhelming Sarsfields 2-23 to 0-20. Dominating from the start, they led 0-9 to 0-1 by the 16th minute and 1-16 to 0-7 by halftime. Tom Brennan starred with two goals, while AJ Murphy scored five from play, supported by a midfield duo of Brian Ryan and Seán Currie.
Their defense, led by Kevin Burke, stifled Sarsfields, who managed just one point from play in the first 19 minutes. Aaron Myers’ frees were Sars’ main scoring outlet. To their credit, Sars battled tirelessly until the final whistle, representing Cork with pride at the highest level.
T Brennan (2-1); C Currie (0-6, 0-5 frees, 0-1 65); AJ Murphy (0-5); D Burke (0-1 free), B Ryan (0-3); C Stacey (0-2); S Currie, J Meagher, P O’Dea (0-1 each).
A Myers (0-10, 0-8 frees); J O’Connor (0-5); D Kearney (0-3, 0-1 65); D Hogan, B Murphy (0-1 each).
J Tracey; S Burke, C McHugh, K Burke; P O’Dea, L Rushe, P Feeney; B Ryan, S Currie; J Meagher, D Burke, C Stacey; T Brennan, AJ Murphy, C Currie.
Subs: D Clerkin for Ryan (53); G King for Tom Brennan (56); D Ryan for P O’Dea (58); S Barrett for AJ Murphy (61); S Ryan for Meagher (62).
: B Graham; C Roche, C O’Sullivan, P Leopold; B Murphy, E Murphy, L Elliott; Colm McCarthy, Cillian McCarthy; D Kearney, D Hogan, C Darcy; J Sweeney, J O’Connor, A Myers.
Subs: S O’Regan for C Darcy, C Leahy for Elliott (both HT); L Healy for Colm McCarthy (40); K Murphy for E Murphy (45); E O’Sullivan for Sweeney (50).
: L Gordon (Galway).
Mascots Return for 2025!
We’re thrilled to announce that our mascots, a fan favorite from 2024, will be returning for our home league games in 2025! The mascots brought excitement and energy to our matches last year, and we can’t wait to see them back in action.
Have you got the mascot we want? This year, we’re giving YOU the chance to get involved with the fun. Details on how to join the mascot team will be revealed at 2 PM TODAY exclusively on our Instagram page. Make sure to follow @officialcorkgaa and @sportsdirectireland for all the updates!
Stay tuned and get ready for another exciting season with our mascots! Don’t miss out!
Jack O’Connor; ”It is Unreal”
By Cian O’Connell
Jack O’Connor grew up in an era when Sarsfields were delivering. Cork SHC titles were gleaned in 2008, 2010, 2012, and 2014 with final defeats suffered in 2009, 2013, and 2015.
Sars were relevant. That is exactly what they’re once more. So, the excitement is real as Sarsfields prepare for Sunday’s AIB All-Ireland Club SHC final against Na Fianna at Croke Park. “It is unreal,” O’Connor says.
“When I was growing up Sars were nearly in county finals every year, from 2008 until 2015, they were in a county final almost every year, bar one maybe. When I got into the panel in 2016, we had no success really up until last year.
“When you start off you’d be thinking I’ll be playing in county finals too, but that isn’t how it always works. The last two years have been great with the county final last year and the Munster success this year.”
The journey to this weekend’s showpiece, though, hasn’t been smooth. Imokilly beat Sars Leeside, but Johnny Crowley’s charges responded on the Munster stage. “I suppose the week after the county final, we thought that we had let ourselves down a small bit,” O’Connor reflects.
“We didn’t think we’d done ourselves justice with our performance because we do think we’re a better team than we performed on that day. I just think in the days that followed, we said we had a chance to knuckle down.
“We’ve nothing to lose here, there is no pressure on us. So, we tried to get something out of it. We got the win over Feakle, and then, obviously, Ballygunner, and things started rolling then. It has been great.”
Tradition is a help according to O’Connor. “Definitely, growing up, seeing some of the lads I’m playing with now, seeing them have all the success back then, it made players like me and other fellas my age want to grow up to have success with the club,” he replies.
“It is almost like a knock on effect in a way.”
Hurling talk is top of the agenda in Glammire. “It is unreal, even just looking back on it now, none of us would’ve thought that we’d be here preparing for an All-Ireland final on Sunday,” O’Connor beams. “So, there is a great buzz back home, it is unreal.
Crowley’s role in the Sarsfields story shouldn’t be underestimated either. “He is incredible, in fairness,” O’Connor says.
“I think it was 2010 when he was involved with Sars, he won a county and again last year. I think himself and the management team that he has brought, they’ve been so professional. They’ve been incredible in the last few years. It is a credit to him and everyone around him.”
There is a nice little history too with some members of both panels, who will participate in Sunday’s clash. Thirteen years ago, Na Fianna hosted Sarfields in the All-Ireland Féile na nGael. “When I was Féile, U14 in 2012, Na Fianna actually hosted the Féile back then,” O’Connor recalls.
“So, a lot of the players had to stay in the Na Fianna players houses at the time. It is a cool thing really that all these years later we’re playing them in an All-Ireland club final after staying in some of their houses back then.” The respect is mutual.
AIB All-Ireland Club Senior Finals take Centre Stage at Croke Park;
The 2024/25 AIB GAA All-Ireland Senior Club Championships draw to a close as Sarsfields take on Na Fianna in the hurling final while Errigal Ciarán face off against Cuala in the football final. All four clubs will travel to Croke Park on Sunday, January 19th for a chance to claim their first ever AIB GAA All-Ireland Senior Club Championship adding extra excitement to what should be two thrilling finals. To celebrate the finals, AIB will host the ultimate Club House experience at Croke Park, inviting fans to take in the immersive environment honouring the dedication of club athletes, the rich history of both codes and the power and passion of club hurling and football.
The AIB GAA Hurling All-Ireland Senior Club Championship final between Sarsfields (Cork), and Na Fianna (Dublin) will get proceedings underway in Croke Park at 1.30pm. Following their emphatic win in the Munster final against Ballygunner, Sarsfields overcame a tense semi-final against Ulster Champions Slaughtneil on a scoreline of 0-18 to 0-17 to book their place in the final. Na Fianna overcame a four-point half time deficit against Loughrea in their semi-final to prevail by a single point. Colin Currie was the star of the day, scoring ten points, while it was AJ Murphy’s 64th minute point that sealed Na Fianna’s place in the final.
The AIB GAA Football All-Ireland Senior Club Championship final sees Errigal Ciarán (Tyrone) take on Cuala (Dublin) at 3.40pm. The Tyrone club overcame Munster Champions Dr Crokes in an exciting semi-final, which ended 2-18 to 1-18 after extra time. Errigal Ciarán’s victory was inspired by the Canavan brothers Darragh and Ruairi, who between them kicked 1-13, while Joe Oguz’ goal in extra time proved to be the difference between the sides. Cuala will be aiming to become the fifth Dublin club to win the senior club football All-Ireland title and just the second club to win senior All-Ireland titles in both football and hurling, alongside St Finbarr’s from Cork. The Dublin County champions beat Coolera-Strandhill by 0-14 to 0-9 in the semi-final following a fantastic display from Con O’Callaghan, who finished the game with five points.
Club action doesn’t finish this Sunday as the AIB GAA Football All-Ireland Junior Club Championship final will take place next Sunday, January 26th when An Cheathrú Rua (Galway) come up against Naomh Pádraig Uisce Chaoin (Donegal). An Cheathrú Rua reached the final following a 1-9 to 0-11 points win over Ballinagar. It was substitute Paudie Mac Cormaic who scored a sensational point in stoppage time to separate the sides. In the other semi-final it took 80 minutes of football and a penalty shootout to separate Naomh Pádraig Uisce Chaoin and Kilmurry. It’s a result which will see Naomh Pádraig Uisce Chaoin play in their first ever AIB GAA Football All-Ireland Junior Club Championship final on Sunday, January 26th.
The AIB GAA All-Ireland Club Championships consistently showcase #TheToughest players, drawn from communities across the nation. Now in its 34th year, AIB’s sponsorship celebrates the vital role these communities play in nurturing the passion and excitement of Gaelic Games. This year, AIB further strengthened its commitment by expanding its sponsorship to include Ladies Football, making history as the first Gaelic Games sponsor to unite Gaelic Football, Hurling, Camogie, and Ladies Football under one sponsorship.
This season, AIB also launched ‘The Toughest Traits’ series, showcasing the sacrifices that club players make to be able to represent their communities with distinction and highlight what it truly means to be #TheToughest. From gruelling training sessions to demanding work schedules and the constant pressure to perform, these athletes go above and beyond. Kieran Read, with 12 years of experience at the highest level of professional rugby, shadows the players on their day-to-day lives, offering a unique insider’s perspective. The first two episodes of ‘The Toughest Traits’ are available now at the AIB YouTube channel, @AIB, with the remaining two episodes to be released on January 16th, and 23rd.
Commenting on the upcoming action, AIB’s Chief Customer Officer, Orlaith Ryan said: “This year’s AIB GAA All-Ireland Club Championships have been absolutely thrilling, culminating in some truly unique final pairings. We’re seeing history being made with first-time appearances and some exciting new chapters in GAA history being written. AIB is incredibly proud to be a part of these moments, celebrating the heart and soul of Gaelic Games, Camogie and Ladies Football with the players, the communities, the volunteers and supporters. We’re all looking forward to witnessing the drama unfold in Croke Park and the best of luck to all the clubs involved.”
Uachtarán Chumann Lúthchleas Gael, Jarlath Burns, stated: “These AIB GAA All-Ireland finals represent the culmination of a season of incredible skill, determination, and community spirit. The teams who have battled their way to Croke Park have shown the very best of what the GAA represents. We anticipate some truly thrilling contests with this year’s matchups, promising some truly unforgettable moments for players and fans alike. We wish all the finalists the very best of luck in what are sure to be fiercely contested battles.”
