Sarsfields weather the storms to reach the main event

After the deluge comes the glory for Sarsfields.

It's 19 years since a Cork side trooped out in the All-Ireland club hurling final. In the wake of last October's county decider, you'd have got long-ish odds on that drought not extending to 20.

Bidding for a first ever back-to-back, Sarsfields had built up a six-point half-time lead over Imokilly, the powerful East Cork divisional outfit.

However, on a day when the gale force wind exerted a comically outsized influence, they were overwhelmed after the restart, conceding 10 points on the trot in the final quarter.

It didn't appear the most promising launchpad for a tilt at the Munster and All-Ireland series.

Imokilly, much like your East Kerrys and your South Kerrys in the football, are not eligible to progress to the provincial club phase - four of their starting team were part of Watergrasshill's intermediate All-Ireland winning side. Sars' would go on in 2024-25 although the consensus outside the camp was that morale could hardly be sky high.

Twelve months earlier, they had pipped Midleton to win their first Cork title in nine years. In their Munster opener, with events back at home possibly still clouding their thoughts, they were devoured by Ballygunner in a rain-soaked Walsh Park.

"A few days after the county final, you'd be fairly gutted and disappointed with yourself," Jack O'Connor said to RTÉ Sport this week.

"We went back training on the Saturday and we just kind of said to each other, look, there's no expectation on us at all, from anyone in the country, to get a result in the Munster championship this year.

"So, we kind of went in there with no pressure. We just went in there thinking we'll give it a go and see where it takes us."

Manager Johnny Crowley, in his second