RedFM Hurling League: Sarsfields up and running with win over Douglas
Sarsfields' Aaron Myers in possession in in Sunday's RedFM HL Division 1 game away to Douglas. Picture: Larry Cummins
Munster club champions Sarsfields were always in control as they picked up a first RedFM Hurling League Division 1 victory of the year away to Douglas on Sunday morning.
Having lost to Fr O’Neills a fortnight ago, Sars benefited from the inclusion of Cork panellists Cathal McCarthy, Daniel Hogan and Jack O’Connor, though management will still be pleased that the win was achieved with a relatively youthful side as experienced squad members are given extended time off.
Leading by 0-15 to 0-6 at half-time, Sars started the second half well and an excellent team goal, finished by Ben Nodwell, helped them to hold a 1-18 to 0-8 advantage after 37 minutes. To Douglas’s credit, they did not fall any further behind and a goal from Cathal Hallahan helped them to close to within seven points with 13 minutes remaining. It looked as if the gap had been cut to six after a Hallahan shot was initially signalled as a point but, following consultation between referee Simon Stokes and his umpires, it was waved wide and Sars stemmed the mini-revival, a late Douglas goal by Andrew O’Connell notwithstanding.
In the opening half, Sars – winners of the last two league titles – moved the ball well, with Aaron Myers’ frees and some nice Shane O’Regan points helping them to build their tally.
Douglas stayed with the early on and might even have moved ahead when Alan Cadogan had a 16th-minute goal chance but he was denied by a brilliant Cillia Roche block.
With Donal English and Cathal McCarthy others on top in the Sars defence and Cian Darcy tireless at midfield, they were able to make hay at the other end, with Hogan and Nodwell among the scores as they moved 0-11 to 0-5 in front by the 20th minute.
Three points on the trot coming up to half-time ensured that they held a healthy nine-point interval advantage and that became ten as O’Connor claimed the break from the throw-in and had put the ball over the bar before the clock had reached ten seconds.
After Cadogan and O’Regan exchanged points, Sars struck for their goal, with O’Regan’s lovely pass setting Hogan away. He picked out James Sweeney, who in turn unselfishly squared for Nodwell to net.
Douglas did respond well to that, with sub Seán Barron and Joseph Harte (free) scoring points before Barron’s low delivery allowed Hallahan to fire home. The same pair almost combined again moments later, English alert to the danger, and, after the let-off over the disputed score, Sars moved eight in front again as Myers and Sweeney combined to set up O’Connor.
While Cadogan was off-target with a late goal effort for Douglas, he did set up O’Connell for his green flag, leaving it 1-23 to 2-14 with six minutes left. Sars, for whom Seán Bracken did well after coming, stayed on top though and O’Regan might have even capped their display with a goal, Donal Maher saving from him.
At the death, Maher’s Sars counterpart Ben Graham similarly denied Douglas’s Niall Hartnett, though the outcome had been decided by then.
A Cadogan 0-5f, A O’Connell 1-2, C Hallahan 1-0, J Harte (0-1 f), C Kingston 0-2 each, C Lucas, B O’Connor, S Barron 0-1 each.
A Myers 0-9 (0-5 f), D Hogan, S O’Regan 0-6 each, B Nodwell 1-1, J O’Connor 0-2, S Bracken, J Sweeney 0-1 each.
D Maher; J O’Callaghan-Maher, B O’Neill; K McSweeney; S O’Leary, M Howell, M O’Callaghan; A O’Connell, C Kingston; C Hallahan, J Harte, C Lucas; A Cadogan, C O’Donovan, B O’Connor.
D O’Callaghan for M O’Callaghan, S Barron for O’Connor, N Hartnett for O’Donovan (all 40), C Mac Phaidín for Kingston, S O’Donoghue for O’Leary (both 50).
B Graham; D English, K Crowley, C Roche; K Walsh, Cathal McCarthy, J Leahy; C Darcy, D Hogan; J O’Connor, S O’Regan, J Sweeney; A Myers, B Nodwell, C O’Rourke.
Cillian McCarthy for Nodwell (37), S McNamara for Walsh (39), S Bracken for Leahy (42), R O’Brien for O’Rourke (50), C Austin for Sweeney (54).
S Stokes (Tullylease).
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