Intermediate Football Championship Group 4
Glenavy 0-8 Sarsfields 2-13
A goal from Brian Lennon in the 23d minute of the second half and a cheeky chip from Gary Lennon from the penalty spot with time almost up, ensured Sarsfield’s victory over Glenavy in the opening game in Group 1 of the Intermediate Football Championship at Chapel Hill on Friday night.
Sarsfield’s were the side who looked most up for this game and raced into an early lead through Gary Lennon 0-2 and Brian Healey before Fergal Henry got St. Joseph’s off the mark with a point in the 12th minute.
Healey and Lennon would play a prominent role in attack for the men from the Bear Pit and they added further points to move the visitors 0-6 to 0-1 ahead by the 19th minute before Finn Shannon and Fergal Henry replied for Glenavy to close the gap to three.
Gary Lennon extended that lead to four in the 24th minute but points from Ciaran Loney and Finn Shannon in the closing stage brought the Chapel Hill side right back into contention as they closed the gap to two at the short whistle.
The sides exchanged points on the restart with Brian Healey on target in the opening minute for Sarsfields and Michael Morgan getting his name on the Glenavy scorecard.
There was nothing between the sides at this stage with the excellent Healey pointing from a 4th minute free but Glenavy seemed to be getting to grips as they replied through Fergal Henry and Michael Morgan to close the gap to three at the end of the third quarter.
It would be as close as they would get however as Sarsfield’s found another gear going down the home straight with Caolan McKernan pointing and Brian Healey firing home the game’s opening goal in the 23d minute to put a bit of daylight between the sides.
The visitors turned the screw in the closing minutes as they added a couple of points, the best of these coming from Dan Smith and Gary Lennon rubbed salt in the wounds when he chipped the keeper from the penalty spot in what was virtually the last action of the game.
Next up for Sarsfields is a home game with Gort na Mona on the 12th August and anything from that game would ensure them a quarter final place while Glenavy travel to Enright Park for the final game in their group on 26th August.
