Round 3 of the County Senior hurling League took us to the Outside field in Thurles on Wednesday evening to take on the Sars. Despite both sides missing quite a number of regulars the game was still very competitive with both sides serving up decent fare. These games are providing plenty of opportunities for all panel members to get game time ahead of more serious business down the road. The match was nip and tuck the whole way through with never more than three points between the sides at anytime. As was the case in Toomevara a fortnight previous, Brackens running game caused problems for the opposition with the Sarsfields free count quite high. Once again Lyndon Fairbrother was in good striking form and he accounted for all but one point of Brackens half-time tally of 1-9, Eoin Fitzpatrick grabbing the other, with the goal coming from a penalty. One of those getting an opportunity to impress was Ned Delaney at corner-forward and he caused endless problems for the Sars defence in the opening half, at the end of which Brackens led by a point, 1-9 to 0-11. There was little change after the break until Billy McCarthy's 38th minute goal edged Sars in front. Dean McEnroe, Neil Quinlan, Fairbrother and Fitzpatrick again got points from play to keep Brackens in touch. Sars led by three with time running out before two more frees from Lyndon left the minimum between the sides. Unfortunately the clock stopped in the Sars favour and they held out for a 1-19 to 1-18 victory.

Team and Scorers: Jack Kennedy Jamie Bergin Tom Murphy Martin Delaney Adrian Bourke Jack Bergin Stephen Cahill Dean McEnroe (0-1) Eoin Fitzpatrick (0-2) Ned Walsh Neil Quinlan (0-1) Diarmuid Delaney Ned Delaney David O'Shea Lyndon Fairbrother (1-14, 0-11f, 1-0 pen). Subs: Keith Kennedy for Tom Murphy (inj), Darragh Doyle for Walsh, Jordan Moloney for David O'Shea, Eddie Bergin for Fitzpatrick.