Andersonstown Social Club
Antrim Intermediate Hurling Championship quarter-final
Sarsfield’s 0-19 Tír na nÓg 0-10
Sarsfields advanced to the semi-final of the Antrim Intermediate Hurling Championship following this nine point win over Tir na Nog, Randalstown at Creggan today. In a tough and sometimes tempestuous contest it was the boys from the Bear Pit who had nine points to spare at the final whistle.
Sarsfields enjoyed the better of the exchanges from early in the game with Kevin McKernan and Niall McKenna keeping the scoreboard ticking over.
Indeed, it was a long-range free from McKenna inside the first 50 seconds which got the West Belfast men on their way, but their shooting was somewhat wayward after that and Tir na nOg took full advantage.
Some of the challenges were not for the faint hearted as 18 of the 29 scores over the hour came from placed efforts with Kevin Sheerin’s free taking accounting for 0-8 of his side’s 0-10 losing tally.
Ciaran O’Neill landed a fine point from play before Sheerin hit back-to-back frees to move his side into a 0-3 to 0-1 lead after 10 minutes and at this stage it was looking good for the Whitehill side.
At the other end the Stewartstown Road side were wayward in their shooting but they soon found their range with seven unanswered points to take control of proceedings.
McKenna got them on their way from a brace of frees before Caillin Caldwell fired over an inspirational score from play.
Three further frees from McKenna followed before midfielder McKernan split the posts with a stunning effort from inside his own half.
Kevin Sheerin ended an 18-minute spell for Tír na nÓg as he sent over but McKenna replied immediately as Sarsfields began to get on top.
The ‘Paddies’ finished the half on the ascendancy as Ryan Carson (two), Caolan McKernan and McGuinness added points from play with Tir na nOg’s only reply coming from Sheerin who sent over an injury time free.
Trailing 0-13 to 0-5 at the break, the Whitehill side had a mountain to climb in the second half but with the wind behind them they were still hopeful but three wides in the opening minutes certainly didn’t help their cause.
The introduction of Eamon Óg McAllister gave a bit of impetus to the Randalstown attack and he fired over a point moments after coming on. The South West side then enjoyed a spell on the ascendancy as a couple of Kevin Sheerin frees cut the deficit to six points.
Sarsfields had the armoury to respond however as Kevin McKernan pointed a long range free from all of seventy yards, an inspirational score that gave his side a lift as they began to turn the screw again. Kevin Sherrin responded to a McKernan point from play with another couple of pointed frees
but Tír na nÓg couldn’t get closer than six points and another from play from McKernan looked to have killed the game off inside the closing 10 minutes.
Things got heated as the clock ticked down with players from both sides getting involved. The game was over at this stage with Sarsfields adding a couple of late points from McKenna and McKernan and Sheerin bringing his tally to 0-8 for the losers in injury-time.
SARSFIELD’S: D Ward; K Ward, J Cunningham, J Daniels; N McAlea, C Caldwell 0-1, J McKernan; K McKernan 0-5 (0-2fs), D McGuinness 0-1; T Doherty, N McKenna 0-8 (0-8fs), R Carson 0-2; C McKernan 0-2, M Rea, G Lennon.
Subs: D McKernan for Doherty (33mins), A Stewart for K Ward (45mins).
TÍR NA NÓG: K Kerr; T Martin, R O’Neill, N Shannon; C Fitzgerald, C Duffin, M Higgins; C Duffin, C O’Neill 0-1; P Sheerin, K Sheerin 0-8 (0-8fs), M Duffin; E Martin, C Sheerin, C Logan.
Subs: E Óg McAllister 0-1 for E Martin (36mins), S McKinley for C Sheerin (50mins).
REFEREE: C McAllister (St Gall’s).
PICS BY CATHAL McOSCAR PHOTOGRAPHY
