Andersonstown Intermediate Hurling Championship – Group 2
Con Magees 1-13 Sarsfields 3-25
Sarsfields bounced back from their surprise defeat to neighbours St Paul’s on Wednesday evening when they travelled to Glenravel and beat the Fr Maginn Park men by 3-25 to 1-13 to set up a last day meeting with Oisins at the Bear Pit in two weeks’ time.
The Belfast side made a strong start and were three clear after four minutes as Daniel Smyth sent over two from play and Niall McKenna added one from a free, but the Con Magees hit back to level by the sixth minute as Cormac McKeown’s opening point was added to with two from Conleth O’Loan.
Niall McKenna and Kevin McKernan came back with points for Sarsfields in the seventh and eighth minutes and though Cormac McKeown cut the Glenravel deficit to just one, the Paddies were starting to gain the upper hand and three in a row from Daniel Smyth, Ruairi McAreavy and Dan McKernan put the visitors four clear by the end of the opening quarter.
Conor Deery pulled a point back for Glenravel on 16 minutes but the rest of the half saw Sarsfields take control of the game. The run started with a goal from Donal McKernan and Niall McKenna and James Cunningham added points, and while Conleth O’Loan pulled one back for Glenravel two late points from Daniel Smyth and Niall McKenna gave the visitors a 1-11 to 0-5 lead at the break.
Conleth O’Loan gave the Con Magees some hope when he grabbed his team’s goal early in the new half but McKenna came back with two pointed frees in the 35 and 37th minutes to stretch the Paddies lead. Cormac McKeown and Conleth O’Loan (2) kept the Glenravel scoreboard ticking over as the game entered the final ten minutes, but two quick goals from Daniel McKernan and Garry Lennon ended any lingering hopes the home side may have had as they pushed on to a compressive win.
They now have home advantage against Oisins in what basically is a quarter final meeting in two weeks’ time in what promises to be a great contest. A draw would do the Paddies on the day, as they have a five point advantage in score difference, but it could either way as the Intermediate Championship once again throws up a great contest.
