Sarsfields win battle of the 'Bridge and progress to Kildare SFC quarter-finals with Moorefield win

Joe Mallon Motors Senior Football Championship preliminary quarter-final

Sarsfields 2-11

Moorefield 0-10

In front of an excellent attendance at St Conleth's Park, Newbridge, on Sunday, Sarsfields had too much power, strength and physicality for Moorefield as they booked a place in the quartere-final proper and a mouth-watering clash with champions Naas, this Sunday.

Sarsfields got off to a fine start with points from the ever-improving Callum Bolton and Ben McCormack.
Moorefield who started somewhat tentatively replied with a Ciaran Kelly free on four minutes.

Sarsfields attacked down the right wing, Ben McCormack's punched effort came off the crossbar but in the subsequent scramble the ball was cleared.

Ben McCormack hit an excellent point; Adam Tyrrell replied with a beauty.
David Shelvey extended the lead out to two but Adam Tyrrell fired over after Aaron Masterson knocked down a high ball to him.

Both sides were using the long ball tactic, and to effect, with Sarsfields deploying Tadhg Hoey inside and Moorefield doing something similar with Jason Philips and Aaron Masterson at times.
Barry Coffey got his first point of the game mid-way through.

A long high ball from Ciaran Kelly was brilliantly fielded by Adam Tyrrell who duly converted the mark to leave a single point separating the sides on 18 minutes.

In a game in which both sides had no shortage of players behind the ball, the long range point taking of Sarsfields was a real plus factor as Barry Coffey split the posts.

Three minutes from the break another high ball into the danger area seemed to be going wide of the post but Tadhg Hoey made a mighty catch before firing it across to Callum Bolton and the no. 11 made no mistake from close range.

The long ball tactic was seen again at the opposite end, this time Ciaran Kelly with another excellent delivery saw Jason Philips make another excellent fetch, converted the mark to make it 1-6 to 0-5 at the break in favour of Sarsfields.

On the resumption James Murray cut in along the end line, Kilcullen end, and while Adam Tyrrell got a touch the ball was deflected out for a 45 which was duly converted by Aaron Masterson.

Three minutes in and the writing was on the wall when Sarsfields corner back, Ethan Mountaine gained possession just over the half-way line, carried the ball forward and with the Moorefield defenders backing off, Mountaine hit a screamer than caught the top right hand corner of Tom Kinsella's net to make it 2-6 to 0-6.

Two minutes later and The Sash were down to 14, Cian Costigan picking up a straight red card after referee Paddy McDermott consulted with his linesman.

Sarsfields responded to that with a Barry Coffey free and while Adam Tyrrell responded with a similar score, Ben McCormack made it 2-8 to 0-7 with 44 minutes on the clock.

Adam Tyrrell and Ciaran Kelly gave Moorefield hope, but with Gary White using all his experience plus excellent play from Sash keeper Marc Courtney-Byrne, kept The Moores at bay.

Two points from Ben McCormack, Adam Tyrrell replying, and a final free from Ray Cahill saw Sarsfields over the line on a final score line of Sarsfields 2-11 Moorefield 0-10.

Scorers: Sarsfields, Calum Bolton 1-1, Barry Coffey 0-3 (1 free), Ben McCormack 0-4, Ethan Mountaine 1-0, David Shalvey 0-1, Shea Ryan 0-1, Ray Cahill 0-1 (free).

Moorefield, Adam Tyrrell 0-5 (2 frees, 1 mark), Aaron Masterson 0-2 (1 free), Ciaran Kelly 0-2 (2 frees), Jason Philips 0-1 (mark).

SARSFIELDS: Marc Courtney-Byrne; Shea Ryan, Tom Aspell, Ethan Mountaine; Con Kavanagh, Kieran Dwyer, Cian Costigan; Tadhg Hoey, Gary White; Ben McCormack, Callum Bolton, Daragh Ryan; Alan Smith, Barry Coffey, David Shalvey. Subs: Ciaran McEnerney-Aspell (half time); Fergal Durkan for Ethan Mountaine (47 minutes); Ronan Fitzgibbon for Callum Bolton (55 minutes); Ray Cahill for Alan Smith (58 minutes); Shane Doyle for Ben McCormack (62 minutes).

MOOREFIELD: Tom Kinsella; Danny Hanniffy, Liam Healy, Tom Harrington; Kevin Murnaghan, James Murray, Ryan Houlihan; Jason Philips, Aaron Masterson; Eamonn Callaghan, Ciaran Kelly, Harry O'Connor; Adam Tyrrell, Anthony Durney, Liam Callaghan. Subs: Ian Meehan for Eamonn Callaghan (half-time); Mark Murray for Anthony Durney (35 minutes); Evan O'Brian for Harry Carroll (42).

REFEREE: Paddy McDermott.