Charlestown Sarsfields will definitely be without inspirational midfielder David Tiernan for their Connacht club final showdown with Galway’s Corofin this weekend. As the Mayo News revealed the other day, a story repeated in today’s Indo, Ginger fractured a bone in his ankle during Charlestown’s Connacht semi-final win over Castlerea and so he’s definitely out of Sunday’s decider. Richard Haran broke a bone in his hand in the same match and so is rated as extremely doubtful for the final but he hasn’t given up hope yet of playing some part in the game. On the credit side, goalkeeper John Casey – who also got crocked against Castlerea – should be okay to line out on Sunday.
If you were to pick two players that Charlestown simply couldn’t do without then Tiernan and Haran would be top of the list. Ginger was MOTM in the county final against Knockmore and Richie was Sarsfields’ top scorer that day. It’s safe enough to conclude that had they been missing for that one, Charlestown wouldn’t have won the county title and it’s hard to see them toppling the defending Connacht champions if both players are missing the next day. Mind you, as that Indo report also points out, Corofin aren’t without their own injury problems, with county player Kieran Fitzgerald and Michael Comer definitely sidelined while their top scorer Alan O’Connor is also doubtful.
