Sarsfields 2-10
Craughwell 0-14
SARSFIELDS CAPTURED THEIR seventh Galway SHC title and first since 1997 when they held off Craughwell in this replay at Pearse Stadium in Salthill.
They led 2-6 to 0-8 at half-time but hit six wides in a row after the break before Sean Kelly settled them with a point.
Niall Morrissey hit a four wides in the second-half but again he was their main man with six points, while Galway county star Joseph Cooney bagged their other goal.
Craughwell who played their first final since 1932 last time out, and despite nine points from Niall Healy, their wait goes on.
Sarsfields took a 2-6 to 0-8 lead into half-time after struck both goals against the breeze in the opening-half. Again it was a free-taking battle between Morrissey and Niall Healy.
The latter opened the scoring for his side from close range after four minutes. It was a feisty affair between the near neighbours and neither side gave an inch.
Morrissey hit back instantaneously for Sarsfields, but Jamie Ryan hit a sweet strike from the right wing.
Healy and Alan Callanan tagged on two scores as Craughwell took a 0-4 to 0-1 lead after eight minutes, but Morrissey responded.
Then Cooney burst through the heart of the Craughwell defence and rattled the net with a vicious shot.
Fergal Healy and Ryan hit points from play for Craughwell, but with Kerril Wade on target Sarsfields were in the ascendancy.
They hit three points in a row before Healy notched two points, and then Noel Kelly hit the vital goal.
They led by four at the break, and although they didn’t score until 12 minutes into the second-half, the healthy advantage had remained intact.
But three Healy points, and one from Alan Callanan brought Craughwell back into it. They still trailed 0-12 to 2-7 and couldn’t bridge that gap.
Healy hit over two more frees, but Sean Kelly, Morrissey and Kevin Cooney led them to victory.
Scorers for Sarsfields: N Morrissey 0-6 (0-5f); J Cooney 1-0, N Kelly 1-0; S Kelly 0-2; K Wade 0-1, K Cooney 0-1.
Scorers for Craughwell: Niall Healy 0-9 (0-8f); Jamie Ryan 0-2, A Callanan 0-2; F Healy 0-1.
Sarsfields
1. Ciaran Dolan
8. Kevin Hynes
3. Darren Skehill
7. Eamon Cleary
2. Cathal Murray
5. Niall Quinn
4. Diarmuid Murray
6. Ronan Quinn
9. Ian Fox
11. Joseph Cooney
12. Noel Kelly
14. Kerril Wade
13. Ian Skehill
15. Alan Ward
10. Niall Morrissey
Subs:
21. Kevin Cooney for D Murray (20mins)
20. Sean Kelly for N Kelly (35)
22. Ivan Kenny for Ward (57)
Craughwell
1. Aidan Ryan
2. Shane Dolan
3. Ian Daniels
4. Mark Monaghan
7. John Ryan
6. Adrian Cullinane
5. Mark Horan
8. Niall Callanan
9. Gerard O’Halloran
10. Fergal Healy
11. Stephen Hynes
12. Jamie Ryan
13. Thomas Monaghan
14. Alan Callanan
15. Niall Healy
Subs:
17. Andrew Greaney for O’Halloran (41mins)
20. Keelan Cullinane for Hynes (53)
Referee: Shane Hynes (Liam Mellows)