Jack O'Connor helps Sars to dominant victory over 14-man Carrigaline
Carrigaline's Nathan O'Keeffe and Sarsfields' Jack O'Connor tussle for the sliotar during the Red FM HL Division 1 game at Carrigaline. Picture: Eddie O'Hare
Sarsfields had too much firepower for Carrigaline in a free-flowing RedFM Senior Hurling League Division 1 clash at sun-drenched Carrigaline.
The home side were not helped when Sean Andrews was shown a straight red card in the 20th minute, which certainly put them under pressure. Andrews made contact with a Sars player and although it looked a mistimed challenge by the letter of the law referee Ian McCarthy had little other option but to send the Carrigaline player off.
Jack O’Connor will have been disappointed to lose out to the Cork panel for the Limerick clash but he put in a decent shift for his side finishing with a 1-5 tally.
Sars will be without both Aaron Myers and Paul Leopold as both are heading to Australia and players like Cork U20 ace Barry O’Flynn will be given an opportunity.
After a Harry Andrews point in the second minute for Carrigaline, O’Connor showed his class and pace on the next possession to bring the sides on parity.
The Riverstown outfit were lucky two minutes later when Tomás Vaughan got in on goal and just as he was about to pull the trigger, he was hooked by the Sars corner-back Donal English.
In fairness Carrigaline only trailed 0-7 to 0-4 when Sean Andrews picked up his red card but two minutes later the 14 men were punished with a classy goal.
The energetic Shane O’Regan got in behind the Carrigaline defence and his slick pass to Ben Nodwell saw the full forward billow the back of the net from close range.
Two minutes later a powerful run by Killian Murphy saw the Sars man find the back of the net with a precise strike.
The pressure continued on the Carrigaline defence when a high Craig Leahy ball towards the square was caught by Nodwell who registered goal number two without too much fuss.
The striking from placed balls by Brian Kelleher kept the Carrigaline scoring ticking over but they had a mountain to climb at the interval when they trailed 3-10 to 0-8.
On the restart, Sars Shane O’Regan gave an exhibition of striking opening up with three unanswered points before Carrigaline could blink.
The Sars management began emptying their bench giving some of the younger players an opportunity but it made little difference as the 14 men of Carrigaline were now on the ropes.
Indeed, the biggest excitement of the second half came with five minutes remaining when we had a mini brawl with three players receiving yellow cards for their efforts.
O’Connor showed his class again just six minutes into the restart when he picked up a loose ball and from a very acute angle, he managed to find the roof of the net with a sublime strike.
Carrigaline continued to battle but their understrength squad's only score from play came in the 50th minute when full-forward Kevin O’Reilly blasted a terrific shot past the bewildered Sars keeper.
That’s as good as it got for Carrigaline as Sars were simply at another level when they needed to be.
B Kelleher 0-11 (0-7 f, 0-2 65), K O’Reilly 1-0, R McCarthy 0-2, H Andrews 0-1.
J O’Connor 1-5, B Nodwell 2-0, C McCarthy 0-6 (0-5 f), S O’Regan 0-5, K Murphy 1-1, C O’Sullivan, C Darcy, D Hogan 0-2 each, C Leahy 0-1.
C McCarthy; N O’Keeffe, C Vaughan, D Stack; D Greene, D Kind, R McCarthy; H Andrews, S Andrews; C Kearney, B Kelleher, R Kelleher; T Vaughan, K O’Reilly, C O’Farrell.
I O’Donovan for C O’Farrell (h-t).
B Graham; D English, K Crowley, C Walsh; C O’Sullivan, C Leahy, C Roche; C Darcy, K Murphy; D Hogan, S O’Regan, J Sweeney; J O’Connor, B Nodwell, C McCarthy.
D Long for C Darcy (h-t), B O’Flynn for B Nodwell (35), S McNamara for S O’Regan (40), J Leahy for K Walsh (40), S Ring for J Sweeney (48), C O’Riordan for C Roche (50).
Ian McCarthy (Bandon).
App?
