Sarsfields top group with win over a gallant Maynooth side

Sarsfields topped Group B following a hard-earned six point win over a very dogged Maynooth side at Cedral St Conleth’s Park, on Saturday afternoon. The score line may flatter the winners somewhat but they certainly deserved their victory.

The opening half was certainly a lively affair, level on no less than five times but it was the two Sarsfields goals that had the Newbridge boys in front, they coming from a Barry Coffey penalty and second from midfielder Gavin Anderson.

Maynooth’s Paddy O’Mahoney was on fire in that opening half however, and it was the no. 13 who kept his side in it with no less than three two-pointers (1 free), along with a point from play and one from a free.

At the break it was Sarsfields who led however on a score line of Sarsfields 2-8 Maynooth 0-12.

Matthew Diamond opened for Maynooth on resumption but Sarsfields hit back with five points, two two-pointers from Barry Coffey and Cian Costigan to go six clear.

The next four points were shared before Cillian Geraghty pointed for Maynooth before Paddy O’Mahoney dispatched a penalty to the net to set up a grandstand finish.

O’Mahoney added a free to reduce the lead to one but Sarsfields responded with a Barry Coffey free, a Callum Bolton point and then topped it off with Conor Donovan finding the net to leave the final score reading Sarsfields 3-17 Maynooth 1-17.

Scorers,

Maynooth: Paddy O’Mahoney 1-10 (1 two-pointer free, 2 two-pointers, 2 frees, penalty), Matthew Diamond 0-2, Niall O’Sullivan 0-1 (free), Sean Hever 0-1, Kevin Donovan 0-1, Cillian Geraghty 0-1, Ruadhan Ó Giolláin 0-1,

Sarsfields: Barry Coffey 1-4 (penalty, 1 two-pointer, 2 frees), Conor O’Donovan 1-2, Gavin Anderson 1-0, Cian Costigan 0-3 (1 two-pointer), Cathal Moore 0-2 (2 frees), Cathal White 0-2, Callum Bolton 0-2, Daragh Conlon 0-1, Shea Ryan 0-1.

MAYNOOTH: Mark Donnellan; Cathal Quinn, Sean Mahon, Alex Tilly; Liam McDonald, Niall O’Sullivan, Callum McCabe; Ciarán Flanagan, Matthew Diamond; Sean Hever, Kevin Donovan, Conor O’Grady; Paddy Mahoney, Paddy Ryan, Niall Cullen. Subs: Paul Maguire for Matthew Diamond (blood sub 2-6 minutes); Paul Maguire for Kevin Donovan (38 minutes); Cillian Geraghty for Paddy Ryan (44 minutes); Cathal Flynn for Cathal Quinn (56 minutes); Ruadhan Ó Giolláin for Niall Cullen (60 minutes).

SARSFIELDS: Cathal Moore; Colm Harnett, Cian Hughes, Alan Scully; Daragh Conlon, Shea Ryan, Cathal White; Matty Byrne, Gavin Anderson; Callum Bolton, Ryan Kearney, Cian Costigan; Ben McCormack, Barry Coffey, Conor O’Donovan. Subs: David Higgins for Colm Harnett (38 minutes); TJ Donohoe for Ben McCormack (39 minutes); David Shalvey for Daragh Conlon (45 minutes); Darah Ryan for Cian Costigan (45 minutes); Kieran Dwyer for Ryan Kearney (54 minutes); Karl Hartley for David Shalvey (blood sub 61-63 minutes).

REFEREE: Henry Barrett.