Sarsfields win but far from convincing against Kilcock

Sarsfields 1-11

Kilcock 0-9

Sarsfields lined out without Ben McCormack (holidays) and the injured Barry Coffey but those star players were not missed (at least not in the first half) as The Sash were in control for most of that period, without setting the place alight.

Jake Loakman opened for The Sash before Shane Farrell converted a free on eight minutes after Con Kavanagh pulled down David Duke, which to the astonishment of all did not warrant a black card from referee Colm Kearney.

The welcome return after a long absence through injury, Ray Cahill hit a 50m free and as we reached the mid-point a move involving Callum Bolton, Karl Hartley and David Higgins ended with the corner back finding the Kilcock net to make it 1-2 to 0-1 after 15 minutes.
Points from Karl Hartley and Ray Cahill pushed out the lead to four points.

Kilcock did work a goal chance when a great ball crossfield pass was brilliantly caught by Mark Gibbons but his goal attempt went left and wide.

Sarsfields added four more points before the break with flags from Shane Doyle, Dan Nea, Karl Hartley and Jake Loakman and while Shane Farrell replied for Kilcock, it was Sarsfields who led comfortably at the break 1-8 to 0-4.

Just four minutes into the resumption Shane Doyle picked up a bad knee injury and was stretchered off, being replaced by Alan Smith, another player making a return after a long injury absence.

Kilcock upped their game somewhat with points from Brendan Gibbons, a brilliant left footed effort; David Duke and Daniel Courtney to reduced the lead to four on 42 minutes, Sarsfields yet to score in the second half.

Alan Smith just missing getting a touch with a cross-square ball before Jake Loakman finally got his side's opening point of the second half on 50 minutes – 1=9 to 0-7.

Alan Smith and Mark Gibbons exchanged points before Ray Cahill converted a free and while Shane Farrell replied with a point, the last of the game, Sarsfields keeper Marc Courtney Byrne made a special save to deny Keith Farrell.

The final whistle finally arrived with Sarsfields booking a place in the winners' group, albeit not overly convincing (just three points in the second half) but when you consider the players to come back in, that won't overly bother the Sarsfields management.

Final score: Sarsfields 1-11 Kilcock 0-9.

Scorers: Sarsfields, David Higgins 1-0, Ray Cahill 0-3 (2 frees), Jake Loakman 0-3, Karl Hartley 0-2, Shane Doyle 0-1, Alan Smith 0-1, Dan Nea 0-1.
Kilcock, Shane Farrell 0-3 (1 free), Mark Gibbons 0-2, Findlay Nairn 0-1, Daniel Courtney 0-1, David Duke 0-1, Brendan Gibbons 0-1.

SARSFIELDS: Marc Courtney Byrne; Ethan Mountaine, Sean Campbell, David Higgins; Shea Ryan, Con Kavanagh, Colm Hartnett; Gary White, Callum Bolton; Dan Nea, Ray Cahill, Jake Loakman; Shane Doyle, Tadhg Hoey, Karl Hartley. Subs: Alan Smith for Shane Doyle (34 minutes); Cian Byrne for David Higgins (46 minutes); Fergal Durkan for Dan Nea (56 minutes).

KILCOCK: Jason O'Brien; Luke Sheridan, Mark Durkan, Johnny O'Sullivan; Niall McKenna, Danny Byrne, Daniel Courtney; Kevin Diffley, Brendan Gibbons; Danny Maguire, David Duke, Mark Gibbons; Findlay Nairn, Shane Farrell, Rory O'Brien. Subs: Sean O'Sullivan for Danny Byrne (49 minutes); Shane O'Rourke for Rory O'Brien (38 minutes); Eoin McArdle for Danny Maguire (38 minutes); Keith Farrell for Findlay Nairn (51 minutes); Sean O'Sullivan for Danny Byrne (49 minutes); Joe Fitzmaurice for Mark Durkan (62 minutes).
REFEREE: Colm Kearney.

LARRY McCORMACK, RIP
A minute silence was observed before the start of this Sarsfields v Kilcock SFC game at Manguard Park on Saturday for the late great Larry McCormack. Larry won three senior championships with his local club Kilcock while he was an integral part of the Kildare Leinster winning side of 1956. A top class player and a gentleman to boot.