BRIDE Rovers' turbulent Senior Hurling Championship campaign came to an end last Sunday evening as they were thoroughly hammered by a rampant Sarsfields side at Pairc Uí Chaoimh. After the well documented trials and tribulations of the previous weeks it was no wonder that Rovers never really got to the pace of the game as they came out on the wrong side of a 2-20 to 2-6 score line.

Bride's failure however cannot solely be put down to their own poor performance as their opponents were truly magnificent on the night and were worthy winners over the 60 minutes. In truth Rovers could easily have lost this game by a greater margin if it were not for a combination of wayward shooting in the first half from Sarsfields and some stellar performances from the likes of Michael Collins and Donal Ryan in the Rovers attack.

Bride who opened the scoring with a pointed free from Barry Johnson received their first set back after eight minutes when a penalty they were awarded was saved by Sarsfield keeper Alan Kennedy. It was Kennedy's opposite number Denis Fitzgerald who ran the length of the pitch to take the free shot but saw his goal bound effort easily saved by the Sarsfields net minder.

A minute later the city boys got off the mark when Cian McCarthy slotted over a tasty point to bring parity to the score line. Both sides traded the next two points before McCarthy knocked a brace of fine scores in less than 60 seconds to open up a two point gap after the first quarter.

Johnson responded immediately for Rovers with an impressive long range pointed free but that was as close as they were going to get with a little less than three quarters of the game remaining. Sars were able to cut their wides to a minimum after that point and went on to outscore the lads in green, white and gold by seven points to one in the remaining 13 minutes of the half to lead by seven going in at the break.

Rover's midway team talk would surely have spoken about the need to get a fast start to the second half if there was to be any chance of them pulling this game out of the fire, but Sarsfields had no intention of letting the opposition back into this tie as they ramped up the pressure on Rovers right from the off with the first two points of the second period.

Again Johnson responded with a pointed free but one got the feeling that goals were a must if Bride were to have any hope of reaching the semi final. As it happened the next score was a goal but unfortunately for Rovers it went to the men in blue. Left fullforward Eoin O'Sullivan managed to pinch the ball from Fitzgerald as he was attempting to run it out of defence and the nippy corner man was left with the simple task of sliding the ball into an empty net to put the first nail in Bride's coffin.

Credit to Bride they didn't let their heads fall and within two minutes they had a goal of their own. Superb work from Collins on the wing set up full forward Donal Ryan who blasted home to cut the gap to a still achievable eight points. Rovers who conceded the next score when Robert O'Driscoll bagged a pointed free again rallied and netted for a second time. Again the damage was caused by Ryan who got his stick to the ball in a goal mouth scramble and diverted the sliotar past the flat footed Sars keeper.

With six points between the sides and 15 minutes remaining on the clock a memorable comeback was looking more likely as the Rovers players found an extra gear as they were beginning to smell a famous victory was there for the taking.

It wasn't to be, however, as Sarsfield again turned on the style with the irrepressible McCarthy leading to charge. Another brace from the Sars number 10 inside two minutes knocked the stuffing out of Rovers and when Cork star Micheal Cussen slotted home Sarsfields second goal minutes later the result was gone beyond doubt.

Cussen majestically bagged another point seconds later to rub salt into the wounds with only two minutes remaining but the best of the day's scores was still to come. Man of The Match McCarthy lined up to take a sideline cut from 35 meters out and as he went to strike the ball his hurley broke in two. However, his technique is so good at his cuts that he still managed a perfect connection and the ball sailed over the bar with plenty to spare.

Rovers managed a consolation point from Johnson in injury time but it was to be a sorry end to a campaign that promised so much and disappointed so many.

SARSFIELDS: A Kennedy; D Kenneally, J Barry, C O'Sullivan; D Roche, D Ryan, C Leahy; T Og Murphy, G O'Kelly-Lynch; C McCarthy 0-11 (0-5f, 0-1 65, 0-1 sideline), D Kearney 0-3, M Cussen 1-1; R O'Driscoll, K Murphy 0-1, E O'Sullivan 1-1. Subs: G Grey (57), C Duggan (57), B McCarthy(58), P Ryan (52), P O'Flynn (60)

BRIDE ROVERS: D Fitzgerald; S Kearney, B Walsh, T Moloney; B O'Driscoll, B Murphy, A Collins; P Murphy (0-1), Brian Murphy; K Collins, B Johnson 0-5 (all frees), M Collins; J O'Driscoll 0-3 (all frees), D Ryan 2-0, S Ryan. Subs: M Kearney (24), D Burke (30), D Dooley (38), P Cotter (49)

REFEREE: J Sexton (Ballyhea)

- Diarmuid Sheehan at Pairc Uí Chaoimh