U21 FC. Sarsfields 2-12 Round Towers 1-9

 By Tony Ryan

An impressive Sarsfields had six points to spare over a battling Round Towers in the opening round of the U21 Football Championship played in Sarsfields Park on Saturday afternoon last.

Towers opened brightly with a Dean Maloney point straight from the throw in and followed up with a Neil Scanlan free to open up an early two point lead. Sarsfields replied with four successive points; Sean Cambell (0-3) and Dan Nea (0-1) to give them a two point lead with 7 minutes gone.

 With the influential Sean Cambell assisted by Caoimhghin McDonnell at midfield, Sarsfields continued to dominate territorially but a combination of over elaboration in front of the posts and some wayward passing prevented them from pressing home their advantage. Towers in comparison played the more direct football and were rewarded with three points without reply in 5 minutes to edge ahead 0-5 to 0-4 after two inspiring 40metre frees from full forward Neil Scanlon and a point from play by corner forward Keith Kinsella who were the chief architects of the Towers attack and who between them accounted for 1-8 of Round Towers’ final tally of 1-9.

With half forward Mattie Byrne and full forward Declan McKenna proving a handful for the Towers defence, Sarsfields again reasserted control and within 10 minutes scored 1-3, the goal coming from a Ray Cahill penalty after the full forward was hauled down in the square as he bore down on goal. Sarsfields five point lead; 1-7 to 0-5 was however short lived as a few minutes later Keith Kinsella reduced the deficit to two points with a well taken goal after a long delivery from midfielder Dean Houlihan. Just as injury time approached Neil Scanlan scored a point but Sarsfields had the last say of the half when Ciaran McInerney Aspell fired over a point after receiving a pass from Bobby Houghton who had weaved his way past two defenders to leave Sarsfields 1-8 to 1-6 ahead at the break.

Sarsfields more economical use of the ball and their improved passing paid dividends in the second half, though early on both sides spurned a number of scoring opportunities and the half was nearly ten minutes underway before the first score was recorded, courtesy of Sarsfields substitute Padraig Buckley with a well taken point from around 30metres. Two excellent points from Mattie Byrne and Sean Cambell left Towers trailing by a margin of four; 1-11 to 1-7 with a little over ten minutes remaining.

Sensing that the momentum was now swinging firmly in Sarsfields favour Towers upped the tempo and elected to go for goals instead of points. The Sarsfields rearguard defended resolutely with wing back Cathal McLoughlin in particular outstanding, making vital interceptions and block downs on numerous occasions. Towers in a attempt to get a goal pushed forward with defenders augmenting the attack but they were left exposed at the back and it was Sarsfields on a counter attack who got the goal that put the result beyond doubt, when substitute Barry Coffey rounded his marker and shot low to the net from close range to give Sarsfields an unassailable 2-11 to 1-8 lead with six minutes remaining. Towers valiantly continued to attack in an effort to get the goal that would have put them within striking distance of Sarsfields but it was not to be as the Sarsfields defence was impenetrable in those last frenetic minutes.  

Sarsfields: John Melia, Darren Somers, David Duggan, Stephen Dunne, Ciaran McInerney Aspell(0-1), Dan Doherty, Cathal McLoughlin, Caoimhghín McDonnell  Sean Cambell (0-4), Mattie Byrne (0-2), Ray Cahill (Capt) (1-1) Dan Nea (0-1) Darragh Horgan Declan McKenna, Bobby Houghton (0-1) Padraig Buckley(0-2) for Darragh Horgan(ht) Barry Coffey (1-0) for Bobby Houghton (45mins) Kevin Miller for Dan Doherty (52mins) Niall Cross for Ciaran McInerney Aspell, Alan Barrett for Declan McKenna (57mins)

Round Towers: James Nolan, Edward Cullagh, Michael Kelly, Brian Barry, Michael Vaughan, Darryl Cogan, Sean Daffy, Adam O’Brien, Dean Houlihan(Capt), Kevin Mahon, Anthony Ryan, Dean Maloney (0-1), Keith Kinsella (1-4) Neil Scanlan (0-4, 3f) Liam Cleary. Subs: Johnny Moore for Kevin Mahon (39mins) Michael Nevin for Dean Maloney(55mins)

Referee: D Lawless.