Hurlers start championship campaign with real purpose

Maynooth got off to a good start last Thursday evening (Aug 11th) as they earned a penalty with 90 seconds of the throw in.

They elected to take their point (it was tapped over by corner forward Mark Cummins) and it seemed a strange decision as the university town men were playing into a strong wind in the first half. Indeed, scores were to be at a premium for them as Sarsfields, sensing that they had been let off the hook somewhat, went on to completely dominate the first half. James Carroll, from a free, got the Sash off the mark in the fifth minute. Some clever work from Brendan Cawley, who kept a ball in play that looked to be going wide, set up Mick Aherne and the corner forward finished to the net from close range. Some strong running from David Breslin drew a foul and James Carroll punished the opposition to see the Sash 1:02 to 0:01 clear with less than ten minutes on the clock.

Feargal Molloy, who was to prove Maynooth's most effective forward on the night, kept his team in the hunt with a fine point on the turn but trouble was on the horizon for the men in black. A long range free was delivered down into the Maynooth goalmouth and the unfortunate custodian Cushen was adjudged to have carried the ball over his own goal line while in the process of taking posession over his own crossbar. From the resulting restart David Breslin was again fouled and James Carroll did the needful to push his team eight points clear by the end of the first quarter.

Maynooth were somewhat shell shocked at this stage and Sarsfields piled on the pressure. Mick Aherne, with a neat touch and point, and Denis O'Callaghan witha mazy solo run and point kept the umpires busy.

Some tremendous 'hurling from the front' from corner back Niall O'Connor broke up Maynooth's increasingly sporadic attacks and when he set up full forward John Joyce for another score, it looked like curtains for the Maynooth men.
Indeed, the game game appeared over as a contest, when a long ball from Gary Hogan found it's way to Mick Aherne who turned his man and finished to the net with aplomb. Amazingly, Sarsfields found themselves leading 3:06 to 0:02 by the twentieth minute.

Feargal Molloy lifted the seige briefly with a deft score and another point from play reduced the gap but Sarsfields were in no mood to facilitate a comeback. A pair of Carroll frees along with a brace of points from play from Joyce saw the Sash leading by a whopping fourteen points at the short whistle.

Sarsfields, who were tactically very astute on the day, had made good use of the long ball in the first half whereas their opponents, time and again, saw their moves break down due to over use of the handpass. Those roles were to be somewhat reversed in the second half as Maynooth, desperate for a way back into the game, began to get a foothold on proceedings. Indeed, they got the first two points of the half as some of their talented forwards began to make an impression on proceedings. Joyce, with another fine point from play, lifted some pressure off his team but Maynooth were to score their only gaol of the game shortly after. A long free was dropped on the edge of the square and was finished to the net from close range to narrow the gap to ten points.

That was about as good as it got for the North Kildare men as Sarsfields, sensing the danger, dropped back an extra defender to cover off the space and it worked a treat as scores began to dry up. It was inevitable that Maynooth would have a period of dominance but they failed to make it count on the scoreboard. Some great fielding from Freeney at centre forward relieved the presure on a now over worked Sarsfields defence. Three on the trot from play for Maynooth kept them just about in touch but the goals they craved never looked like coming until a great piece of play from Molloy saw him turn Senan Clandillon and head for goal. The Sarsfields full back can feel a little lucky that his tackle only resulted in a yellow as well as a penalty conceded. Maynooth sent the penalty wide and with it went any chance of making a comeback.

As darkness beagn to settle on the Donore venue, the last ten minutes took on a sense of inevitability. Substitute Danny Watson got in on the scoring act and Sarsfields tacked on a few more points to run out convincing winners on a scoreline of 3:15 to 1:10.

Sarsfields played some fine hurling on the night mixing a long and short game to good effect and must now be considered serious contenders for a third successive county title. Mick Aherne top scored for the Sash with 2:01 though he was closely followed by John Joyce with an impressive six points from play. James Carroll, who had a 100% return from the five frees he took on the night also finished with six points to his credit.

Sarsfields are now due to meet Naas in the next round, also at the Donore venue (August 18 at 7:00 pm)

Sarsfields: Dermot Maguire, Niall O'Connor, Senan Clandillon, Conor O'Dwyer, Gary Hogan, David Roche, Alan Barrett, Tomás Lawless, David Breslin, James Carroll (0:06 5f), Enda Freeney, Denis O'Callaghan (0:01), Brendan Cawley, John Joyce (0:06), Mick Aherne (2:01). Subs: Danny Watson (0:01) for Cawley (45 mins), Ian Cooney for Lawless (55 mins), Conor O'Mahony for Clandillon (57 mins)

Maynooth: Colin Cushen, Andy Horan, Shane Barry, Harry Oliver, Ger Greally, Joe Brennan, Paul Moylan, Mickey Gillick, Fiachra Lohan, Conor Nolan, Eanna Lohan, Andrew Higgins, Mark Cummins, Feargal Molloy, Graham Kenny. Subs: Hughie Nevin, Brendan Coffey.