Toomevara's Brislane shows the way

TIPPERARY SHC Final Toomevara 2-14 Thurles Sarsfields 0-17:VETERAN EOIN Brislane turned in a man-of-the-match display to send Toomevara to their 21st Tipperary senior hurling title as they defeated arch-rivals Thurles Sarsfields at Semple Stadium, Thurles, yesterday.

Brislane scored 1-5 from play but was fortunate to be on the field after an early incident for which he received a yellow card. However, he then went on to produce his best-ever showing in the Toomevara jersey.

He crowned it with a second-half goal that rocked Sarsfields and gave his side a six-point cushion that the Thurles side were never able to wipe out.

Wind-aided Toomevara took time to settle as Sarsfields bossed the first quarter to lead by 0-5 to 0-1. In the 16th minute Willie Ryan struck Toome's first goal. He scooped the rebound off a Brislane shot, bravely stopped by Thurles goalkeeper Patrick McCormack, to the net.

Now Toome were moving and with Benny Dunne a key figure at the heart of their defence, they finished the half leading by 1-5 to 0-6 with closing points from Brislane and Francis Devaney.

Sarsfields were in deep trouble but the accuracy of Johnny Enright from play and frees kept them in touch but inside five minutes of resuming they were in trouble.

Initially four points were shared by the sides but in the fifth minute Brislane took a pass from Deaveny to race through for a smashing goal. He followed with a point and a further point from Paddy O'Brien had Toome coasting, seven points clear and heading to their 11th title in 16 years.

TOOMEVARA:J McGrath; P Tuohy, D Young, P McGrath; P Hackett, B Dunne, J McLoughney (0-1); T Dunne (0-1), F Devaney (0-2); P O' Brien (0-1), K Dunne (0-4) E Brislane (1-5); M Bevans, J O Brien, W Ryan (1-0). Subs: J Delaney for Bevans; D Kennedy for J O'Brien; T Delaney for Ryan;

SARSFIELDS:P McCormack; M Collins, P Maher, K O'Gorman; M Cahill, L Cahill, T King; S Lillis, W Culley; S Ryan, J Enright (0-13), L Corbett (0-1); R Ruth (0-2), G O Grady (0-1), P Burke. Subs: G Mernagh for Ryan; J Corbett for Ruth; J Lawlor for King; T Ruth for O Grady.

Referee:N Cosgrove (Clonmel)