Sarsfields look to All-Ireland after silencing Ballygunner

Fifty-two years after donating the Billy O'Neill Cup to the Munster Council, Sarsfields finally get to bring it home but the Cork club have no intention of stopping at a provincial title.

The Glanmire club picked themselves off the canvas after losing the Cork SHC final to Imokilly. With the divisional side precluded from representing Cork in the Munster club championship, Sarsfields lived to fight another day and capped a fine campaign with Sunday's shock defeat of four-in-a-row chasing Ballygunner.

Sars became the first Cork side in 15 years to win the title, reversing a 17-point hammering at the hands of the dominant Waterford champions at the quarter-final stage in 2023.

An All-Ireland semi-final in a fortnight's time against Slaughtneil is firmly in their sights now and defender Luke Elliott believes the Cork side have no reason to fear any side after that win in Walsh Park.

"I think Ballygunner have been the best club team in Ireland for the last six, seven years. If we can beat the best, why can't we be the best? Two weeks until the semi-final now and we'll give that absolutely everything. We'll prepare the same way we prepared for this game," said the wing-back, who scored two points.

"I don't think when you start out in February you're thinking of winning a Munster. That might be Ballygunner's plan but they're 11 years on the road. It's absolutely fantastic, we'd have loved to win the county but we're the best club in Munster this year I believe.

"Bigger and better for the next few weeks, massive, what else would you want to be doing at Christmas," asked Elliott, who said the team truly believed they could down the Waterford champions, provided they start the game with intent.

"If a team as good as Ballygunner get on