McKernan brothers run riot at Whitehill.

ACHL Div. 2

Tír na nÓg 0.13 (13)

Sarsfields 1.26 (29)

Arriving at Whitehill this evening Sarsfields entered the fray as firm favourites after recording 5 wins from 5 starts and they stayed on course for the division 2 title as the two McKernan brothers; Kevin and Daniel ran riot, leaving Tír na nÓg chasing their tails.

With a 7 point advantage built up at half time and the McKernan brothers scoring 12 out of 13 points they were well on their way for their sixth win from six games. Tír na nÓg could count themselves lucky that the half time score had only 7 points between them as Sarsfields shot 10 wides in the opening 30 minutes.

Kevin Sheerin opened the scoring with a well taken point, but Sarsfield’s responded with two scores through star man Daniel McKernan. Pearse Sheerin got the fourth score of the game opening his shoulders and landing a score from distance. This was quickly cancelled out by 3 more Daniel McKernan points, Tír na nÓg were struggling to live with him at this early stage of the game. Ciaran McKeown pulled a score back for the home side before Kevin McKernan got in on the act scoring a 21meter sideline cut. The two McKernans spilt the posts again before Darragh McGuiness at mid field pointed for the ‘Paddies’.

Tír na nÓg were coceeding frees inside scoring range and the in form Daniel McKernan was making no mistake with his placed balls, scoring his 7th point of the game with 22 minutes played. The Sheerin brothers Pearse and Kevin pulled two points back for the blues before Kevin McKernan pointed from within his own half. Before the short whistle Daniel McKernan struck two more points, one from play and one from a free. Kevin Sheerin got the last point of the half leaving 7 points the margin.

The trend continued in the second half and shortly after the restart Daniel McKernan had two more scores on the board. Ciaran Logan struck back with a point of his own before Sarsfield’s keeper David Ward was called upon as he saved an Eamon Óg McAllister effort on his chest. Sarsfield’s broke up the field, no surprise who ended up on the end of the score but only Daniel McKernan. Centre half forward Tomas Doherty, Darragh McGuiness and Caolan McKernan tagged further points on the board for the visitors to extend their lead to 12 points.

The nightmare was far from over for the home side. McKernan got another score before Malachy Duffin hit his first free over the bar. Sarsfields changed things up and introduced Niall McDonald and Malachy Campbell into the forward line. Ciaran O’Neill and Caillin Caldwell traded scores before Malachy Duffin landed his second free of the evening.

**Daniel McKernan who scored 1-12 in Sarsfields win over Tir na nÓg**

Kevin McKernan got his fourth of the game before Ciaran Logan and Aaron McNeilly tried to reduce the deficit. With 5 minutes remaining Kevin McKernan pointed after a fine pass from Daniel. Not being content with a handful of points McKernan went direct and put the nail in the coffin by scoring a major. Stephen Carey got the last score for the home side before Darragh McGuiness, Kevin McKernan and Niall McDonald signed off on another win for Sarsfields taking their point tally to 12 and doing a lot of good for their score difference.

Tír na nÓg

1. K. Kerr 2. B. Kerr 3. Ryan. O’Neill 4. T. Martin 5. M.Higgins 6. Ronan O’Neill 7. C. Fitzgerald 8. C. Duffin 9. C. McKeown 10. P. Sheerin 11. K. Sheerin 12. C. Logan 13. E. Og McAllister 14. M. Duffin 15. A. McNeilly 16. R. Graham 17. N. Shannon 18. S. Carey 19. C. O’Neill 20. D. Martin 21. E. Martin

Subs: S. Carey for K. Sheerin (34- inj), C. O’Neill for M. Higgins (38mins), N. Shannon for C. Fitzgerald (41mins), M. Higgins for M. Duffin (59mins – inj)

Scorers: K. Sheerin (0.3- 1 free), P. Sheerin (0.2), C. McKeown (0.1), C. Logan (0.2), M. Duffin (0.2- 2 frees), C. O’Neill (0.1), A. McNeilly (0.1), S. Carey (0.1)

Sarsfields

1. D. Ward 2. J. Daniels 3. J. Cunningham 4. K. Ward 5. N. McAlea 6. C. Caldwell 7. J. McKernan 8. K. McKernan 9. D. McGuiness 10. C. McKernan 11. T. Doherty 12. D. McKernan 13. G. Lennon 14. R. Carson 15. A. Stewart 16. P. Carson 17. M. Campbell 18. N. McDonald 19. G. McKernan

Subs: N. McDonald for T. Doherty (45mins), M. Campbell for R. Carson (45mins)

Scorers: D. McKernan (1.12- 4 frees), K. McKernan (0.7), D. McGuiness (0.3), T. Doherty (0.1), C. McKernan (0.1), C. Caldwell (0.1), N. McDonald (0.1)

Pics by Bert Trowlen