All County Hurling League Division 2
Naimh Eamma 0-14 Sarsfields 0-13
A great exhibition of score taking by full forward John McGoldrick saw Naomh Eanna edge out table toppers Sarsfields by the narrowest of margins on Wednesday evening at Hightown and in doing so take over top spot in Division 2 of the All County Hurling League. In driving wind and rain Sarsfields sprung from the traps and despite being short a few regulars they raced 0-5 to 0-0 clear after just six minutes. When the two sides met in the early stages of the league at the Bear Pit the Glengormley men had been way off the pace and it looked like we were in for a repeat this time also, but to their credit they knuckled down and clawed their way back into the game. McGoldrick dragged them back with some excellent free taking and they were level at half time on eight points apiece, despite having faced into the elements. Conditions improved in the second half and Sarsfields again got in front but they missed a good few chances and Naomh Eanna fought back to seal it with a McGoldrick point in injury time, his twelfth of the night.
It was all Sarsfields in the opening minutes and three long range points from Kevo McKernan frees, plus one apiece from Niall McKenna and Ryan Carson had them in total control. Naimh Eanna were finding it hard to get out of their own half but they eventually broke their duck when McGoldrick converted a free from 40 meters. When he added another from distance soon afterwards Naomh Eanna started to believe and when Joe Maskey slotted one over, sandwiched in between two more from McGoldrick, the sides were level. Sarsfield came back to retake the lead with three more points from Kevin McKernan but McGoldrick popped up with two more and Niall O’Connor added one from play to go in at the break on level terms.
Sarsfields retook the lead early in the second half when Niall McKenna fired over from play and when Kevin McKernan converted a 65 they were two to the good, but again McGoldrick stepped up to the mark and pointed frees in the 37th and 40th minutes brought Naomh Eanna back on terms. There were chances for the home team to go in front for the first time but some wayward shooting let them down, and indeed it was a feature of the game as Sarsfields squandered even more opportunities, especially from placed balls. ‘Kevo’ McKernan, a man who I would regard as one of the top free takers in the country, was having a rare off-night in the terrible conditions, but when Niall McKenna took over the free taking duties the Paddies went two ahead once again, the centre forward converting frees from around fifty metres. McGoldrick trimmed the lead back to a single point again on 49 minutes but when McKenna hit his third in a row to restore that two point Sarsfields cushion they appeared to be in a strong position.
The gap was still two with five minutes of normal time left to play but Naomh Eanna produced a storming finish, and again it was that man McGoldrick who produced the goods. He started the run for home with a point from play from out on the right to reduce the deficit to the minimum, brought his team level on 57 with one from a 65 before nailing a free in injury time to give his team the win.
NAIMH EANNA: Martin Curran, Matthew O’Hare, Rian Gillan, Michael McGivern, Cormac Rosss, Mark Donagh, Niall O’Connor (0-1), Ryan Bogue, Ruairi Diamond, Jason Higgins, Joe Maskey (0-1), Killian Jennings, Conor McSteen, John McGoldrick (0-12), Oliver Breen.
SARSFIELDS: David Ward, Kevin Ward, James Cunningham, Malachy Campbell, Niall McAlea, Caillin Caldwell, Jack Daniels, Kevin McKernan (0-7), Darragh McGuinness, Aaron Stewart, Niall McKenna (0-5), Ryan Carson (0-1), Gary Lennon, Ryan O’Neill, Tom Doherty.
Referee – Colm McDonald
