RedFM Hurling League: Sars finish well to see off Carrigtwohill
Craig Leahy of Sarsfields tries to close down Carrigtwohill's Brendan Twomey during Sunday's RedFM Hurling League Division 1 game in Carrigtwohill. Picture: Howard Crowdy
A strong final quarter helped Sarsfields to pull clear of a stiff Carrigtwohill challenge in Sunday’s RedFM Hurling League Division 1 clash at Páirc Shéamus de Barra.
After the sides had shared ten points in the first half, Jack O’Connor put Sars ahead on the resumption but Carrigtwohill replied well as Daniel Nolan levelled following a good catch and then, following an Aaron Walsh Barry block on a Cian Darcy goal effort for Sars, a pair of Seán Walsh efforts, one a free, made it 0-13 to 0-11 for the senior A side.
However, Sars hit the front again as O’Connor conjured a superb goal, picking up pace as he waved through the Carrig defence before depositing the ball in the top corner of the net.
That was followed by points from impressive centre-back Cillian Roche, Darcy – who was influential after dropping to a deeper role in the second half – and a Daniel Hogan 65 as Sars established a cushion, though Carrigtwohill corner-back Brendan Twomey did halt the sequence with a fine long-range score.
Wing-back Craig Leahy made it 1-16 to 0-14 before O’Connor brought his tally to 1-4 as he opened up the six-point lead that would pertain at the end. To Carrigtwohill’s credit, they didn’t allow the deficit to grow any further and hardworking midfielder Jay Horgan provided the assist for Seán Walsh’s ninth point of the day.
Carrig, who had lost just two of their five games up to this, needed a goal if they were to get something from it but Sars’ defence did not look like losing its clean sheet. A second major might have materialised at the other end but, after Darcy’s 52nd-minute delivery was brilliantly claimed by Hogan, goalkeeper Shane Devlin produced a save of outstanding quality to divert the ball out for a 65.
The game petered out from there as Sars eased to a fourth victory from six games but Carrigtwohill were certainly able to take positives from going toe-to-toe with the county champions.
In the first half, there was little to separate the sides, with Seán Walsh displaying his scoring threat early on while Sars had scores from Barry O’Flynn and O’Connor – the visitors’ midfielder Sam McNamara did have a goal attempt by Devlin saved well to deny him.
On 11 minutes, Carrig wing-forward Daniel Nolan capitalised on a loose Sars clearance and a goal was half-on but he fired over to put them 0-4 to 0-3 ahead; Colm McCarthy replied for Sars before Walsh had the game’s first free and his brother Patrick opened up a two-point lead.
Sars always looked dangerous, though and after Luke Elliott levelled at 0-6 each and Seán Walsh put Carrig back in front, McNamara and midfield partner Killian Murphy combined to create an opening for Darcy, whose shot was narrowly over the bar.
As the half wound down, Liam Sullivan’s good work was the catalyst for a nice point by Carrig midfielder Justin Oke but and wing-back Daniel Murnane also registered but Sars finished the half well with frees from Hogan and a beauty from Roche, profiting when Colm McCarthy won a puckout and fed Leahy.
That put them 0-10 to 0-9 ahead with Walsh tying matters by the break with a free when no advantage had accrued to him.
The game remained close in the third quarter but O’Connor’s goal gave Sars the upper hand and they never relinquished it.
S Walsh 0-9 (0-4 f), J Oke, D Nolan 0-2 each, D Murnane, P Walsh, B Twomey 0-1 each.
J O’Connor 1-4, D Hogan 0-5 (0-4 f, 0-1 65), C Roche, C McCarthy, C Leahy 0-2 each, C Darcy, C McCarthy, L Elliott, B O’Flynn 0-1 each.
S Devlin; P Sullivan, A Walsh Barry, B Twomey; S Brennan, S de Búrca, D Murnane; J Oke, J Horgan; D Nolan, P Walsh, C O’Riordan; J Mulcahy, L Sullivan, S Walsh.
M O’Connor for Mulcahy (39), S Rohan for L Sullivan (46).
D McCarthy; D English, E Murphy, C O’Sullivan; K Crowley, C Roche, C Leahy; S McNamara, K Murphy; J O’Connor, C McCarthy, L Elliott; B O’Flynn, D Hogan, C Darcy.
J Leahy for E Murphy (15, injured), S O’Regan for Elliott (44), L Hackett for O’Flynn (48), S Bracken for K Murphy (52), J Tierney for O’Connor, J Huggins for McNamara (both 59).
C McAllister (Aghada).
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