OB Construction Intermediate Football Championship
St Patrick’s Lisburn 0-5 Sarsfields 0-10
It took him a while to get the radar adjusted but when he did Kevin ‘Kevo’ McKernan gave a great display of point taking to steer his team to a 0-10 to 0-5 victory over St Patricks at Kirwood Park, Lisburn on Saturday.
In baking hot conditions both teams struggled to find the target during the opening half and the amazing stat from that first period is that after 29 minutes play the score was 0-1 to 0-0 in favour of the home team. Mark Chernek had put the Lisburn men in front with a well taken point on six minutes but that was to be their only score of that first half. The home side had plenty of possession but seemed content just to hold the ball, instead of going for scores. They did of course create chances, but just like their opponents the finishing touch was missing. Chernek’s point had come following a long ball into the edge of the square, but with Daniel McKernan falling back as a sweeper he cleaned up any stray balls that came his way. Sarsfields also created plenty of chances, but they shot wide after wide until Kevo broke the duck in the final minute of the half from a free and two minutes later he added another to send his team to the dressing room at half time with a 0-2 to 0-1 lead.
The standard in the second half improved immeasurably and after Kevo added a third two minutes after the restart, but St Patrick’s hit back right away and a well taken point by full forward Chernek and one from the left corner by left half forward Sean Burns brought them level on 0-3 apiece after 37 minutes. Burns and a great chance of putting them back ahead two minutes later when he cut through the middle of the Sarsfields defence, but elected to go for goal when a simple point was on and the Paddies keeper made a comfortable save.
Kevin McKernan edged Sarsfields back in front two minutes later and then good work in the left corner saw Philip McPeake fist the ball across the Lisburn goal to Liam Mitchell on the far post, who somehow managed to palm it back across the goal and wide at the other side.
Conor Dixon brought St Pat’s level again when he swung one over on 44 minutes, but just on the first half water break McKernan gave Sarsfields back the lead they were never to lose. The centre forward added one from play after a good pass from Niall McKenna and another from a free six minutes later to open a three point gap.
A fantastic save from substitute goalkeeper Ruadhan McKenna denied Sarsfields Sam Walsh from what looked to be a certain goal but Sarsfields kept pushing on and Kevo added two more, and Niall McKenna one, as they moved six clear. St Patrick’s needed goals at this stage, but it wasn’t to be their day and a free by centre back Mark Torbitt, which he tried to drop into the ‘square’ went all the way over to leave them five behind a the final whistle
ST PATRICK’S LISBURN
Peter O’Neill, Sean Casey, Josh McMullan, Thomas Burns, Oisin Gorman, Mark Torbitt (0-1), Colm Burns, Che Smyth, Adam Patterson, Conor Ewing, Eoin Dixon, Sean Burns (0-1), Conor Dixon (0-2), Mark Chernek (0-1), Jack McMullan.
SARSFIELDS
Michael Brady, Anthony McGarrigle, Marty McPolin, Michael Johnston, Philip McPeake, Daniel McKernan, Liam Mitchell, Cormac Murray, Niall McKenna (0-1), Caolan McKernan, Kevin McKernan (0-9), Kevin Floyd, Gary Lennon, Sam Walsh, Niall McAlea
Referee – Danny O’Neill (Gort na Mona)
