Athy narrowly beat Sarsfields to progress in Aldridge Cup

2022 Aldridge Cup Group C Round 3

Athy 0-13

Sarsfields 1-8

Athy edged out Sarsfields in a tight game at Geraldine Park. This means the hosts progress into the next round of the Aldridge Cup after their narrow victory. Athy’s eventual win seemed extremely unlikely just before the break, Sarsfields broke through on goal and finally beat goalkeeper James Rycroft. The Athy keeper had been superb early in the first half with two exceptional one-on-one saves. But goalscorer Ben Scanlon changed tactics for this one and put his head down and smashed the ball home. 

The goal came just three minutes after Athy’s Cathal McCarron was sent off after appearing to punch his opposite number in frustration after both men were dragging one another off the ball. The hole in the defence left by the Athy cornerback was exposed for the Sarsfields goal. The score was 1-6 to 0-6 at the half and with a man less for the trailing side it was hard to see a way back into this one.

The game devolved after the red card and both sides became far more interested in lying down and feigning injury than playing any football. Multiple petty scuffles broke out for the rest of this tie and disrupted any chance of this being a free flowing game. It’s clear to see that the schoolyard level squabbles we see from county panels on the TV each week can be seen at every level of the GAA.

Seemingly in control at the second half restart and still with both a three point and one man advantage Sarsfields’ Shane Hurley kicked the back of his opponents leg in retaliation of another in the many sessions of opponents pulling and pushing one another. Hurley left the referee no choice and was dismissed just three minutes into the second half and the sides were back to 14 men each.

The home side were naturally lifted by this levelling of the playing field and began to claw their way back into the game. Athy were within a point with 13 minutes to go and as the scores edged closer, tensions grew again and brought about a scoreless eight minutes that both sets of forwards would like to forget. 

Either team could have won this game had cooler heads prevailed with some key decision making errors in front of goal from both sides. After a long shot rebounded off the Sarsfields goalpost, Athy were presented with a golden chance to get a goal of their own but the shot was snatched wide. Sarsfields had plenty of goal chances of their own but Athy can thank keeper James Rycroft for keeping out the Sash forwards time and time again.

With five minutes to go Athy finally put themselves in front, only for the visitors to get their first score in over 15 minutes to bring them immediately level. Athy regained their lead through marauding midfielder Pascal Connell who was superb throughout this game. James Eaton put the hosts two points clear and after a period of controlled possession Athy ran out the victors.

Athy, Pascal Connell 0-4, James Eaton 0-4, John Moran 0-2, Killian Mulhall 0-2, Cian Reynolds, Darroch Mulhall 0-1.

Sarsfields, Ben Scanlon 1-2, Kieran Dwyer 0-3, James Aspell 0-3.

Athy: James Rycroft; Killian Mulhall, Sean Ronan, Cathal McCarron; Shane Jackman,  Mark Hyland, Sean Ronan; Pascal Connell, Oisin O'Rourke; John Moran, Cian Reynolds, Barry Kelly; Kieran Farrell, James Eaton, Darroch Mulhall.

Subs: Cathal Kennedy for Darroch Mulhall, Darren Lawlor on for Sean Ronan, Padraig Behan for Kieran Farrell.

Sarsfields: Courtney Byrne; Colm Harnett, Tom Aspell, Shane Hurley; Jake Loakman, Ciaran Dwyer, Ciaran Aspell; Matty Byrne, David Shalvey; James O’Neill, Barry Coffey, James Aspell; Karl Hartley, Ben Scanlon, Shane Doyle.

Referee: Cathal Daly