U21B Hurling Final
Sarsfields 3-17 All Saints 0-11
Daniel Smyth was in sparkling for as he led Sarsfield’s to the U21B Hurling title when they overcame a young All Saints side at Whitehill on Monday night. Condition were certainly not conducive for good hurling with rain falling throughout the 60 plus minutes.
Despite this these sides served up an excellent game of hurling and matters seemed to be in the balance as they headed for the dressing rooms at half time tied on seven points apiece.
Indeed the Ballymena side will feel that the half time whistle came at just the wrong time as they came from five down to hit six of the last seven scores with Darach Bradley in sparkling form from the placed ball.
He was matched all the way by the excellent Daniel Smyth for the Stewartstown Road side who finished with 1-8 to his name as he gave a commanding performance around mid-field.
Two goals early in the second half turned the game on its head and the Ballymena side will feel they could have been prevented.
The first came after only 30 seconds when keeper, Luke Walsh got caught in possession when he had time to clear with Conlai Mervyn applying the finish with a simple tap in.
All Saints looked to have recovered as their own sharp shooter, Darach Bradley replied from two pointed frees to close the gap to the minimum but when Daniel Smyth fired a 25 meter free through a packed goalmouth in the 9th minute the game swung decisively in favour of the ‘Paddies’.
They went on to play some great hurling and added a further 1-8 as the All Saints challenge flounder with their only response coming from two Darach Bradley pointed frees.
It was fitting that Daniel Smyth would be the man to receive the cup from Antrim committee member Danny McLarnon. Smyth scored 3-6 last week in the semi-final against Tir na nOg and added another 1-8 tonight and looks one for the future.
It certainly wasn’t a one man show however with Oisin Coleman, Eoin McBriarty, Conlai Mervyn, Jay Maguire, Fionn Jemfrey and Brendan Jackson catching the eye in a good all round Sarsfield’s side.
All Saints will be disappointed at their second half performance but a side who are all under age next year can be proud of the effort they put in this year in the clubs first ever U21 Hurling campaign.
Peadar McGuckian, Archie McGreevey, Sean McDermott and Jakub Kaczmarek gave it everything on the night while Darach Bradley was their outstanding performer and contributed all of his side’s 0-11 total.
Sarsfields: 2 Daragh Coleman 3 Oisin Coleman, 4 Ahmad Soda 5 Jay Ward 6 Anthony McGarrigle 7 Jay Ward 8 Eoin McBriarty 6 Michael Johnson 18 Conlai Mervyn, 9 Tiernan Ward, 28 Daniel Smyth, 7 Eamonn O Cuinneagáin 9 Tiernan Ward, 10 Jay Maguire, 13 Brendan Jackson 0-1, 14 Anthony McGarrigle, 17 Conal Jemfrey, 23 Fionn Jeffrey 0-1, 15 Oisin Coleman 0-1, 18 Brian Healy 0-2, 25 Andrew McStay
All Saints: 1 Luke Walsh 2 Finn Connon, 3 Peadar McGuckian, 4 Diarmuid Casey, 5 Senan O’Boyle, 6 Harry Connon, 7 Archie mcGreevey, 8 Sean McDermott, 9 |Daniel Kelly, 10 Jakub , 11 Darach Bradley, 12 Fintan Brady, 13 Eddie McKendry, 14 Patrick Murphy, 15 Michael Connolly.
Subs: Pearse Martin
Referee: Piarais McCaffrey
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