OB Construction Antrim Intermediate Football Championship, Group 1
Sarsfields 3-18-1-07 Rasharkin
Kevin Herron reports from the Bearpit
SARSFIELDS made it back-to-back victories and boosted their chances of advancing to the semi-finals of the OB Construction Intermediate Football Championship with a comfortable 3-18-1-07 win over Rasharkin at the Bear Pit on Thursday evening.
Having clocked up 8-unanswered scores without reply in the opening half, the hosts hit three goals in a three minute spell to pile more misery on Rasharkin- who showed a glimpse of life in the last quarter but it was far too late to affect the outcome of proceedings.
The Paddies came into the game off the back of a hard fought victory over one of their rivals for a semi-final berth in the form of Náomh Eanna after defeat to newly installed group favourites Moneyglass in their opener.
Rasharkin meanwhile made the trip to Stewartstown Avenue looking for some positivity after their late rally against St Patrick’s Lisburn came up short at Kirkwoods.
Sarsfields were forced into an early change when Sam Walsh went down clutching his ankle and was unable to continue, being replaced by Daniel Smyth.
It was the hosts who got the scoring under way in the form of a two-pointed Brian Healy free and Healy added a second free, this time only a one-pointed effort when Philip McPeake was hauled down as he was about to get a shot away.
Se Ferris shot over his sides first from play after combining with Tomas Skillen and Gary Lennon then shot over on the turn to make it five unanswered.
A sustained rain shower made conditions difficult for the remainder of the half and there was no let up in the Paddies scoring either.
Ferris was pushed in the back and that allowed Healy to kick his third free of the half, he clipped over his first from play 60-seconds later after Smyth’s quick thinking from a free and then dropped over an angled effort.
In truth things could have been a lot of worse for Rasharkin- however goalkeeper Tiernan O’Boyle pulled off a string of impressive saves to keep the hosts at bay.
Talisman Healy should have tapped home the opening goal after Conor Glenholmes slipped him in but O’Boyle parried his attempt.
He would add a second two-pointer, this time with an excellent angled shot that dropped over.
O’Boyle was on hand to superbly deny Conor Laverty before the half to a conclusion as Sarsfields held a 0-10-0-00 lead.
Sarsfields picked up where they left off prior to the interval as Healy converted his fourth free of the contest and Tomas Skillen then joined the scoresheet moments later.
A fourth Brian Healy score from play followed before the Dreen side finally got off the mark in the 39th minute, Killian O’Boyle popping over from an advanced mark.
It was brief respite for the visitors as Sarsfields extended their advantage with a quickfire three goal salvo.
The first coming in the 41st minute when Glenholmes seized upon O’Boyle’s skewed kickout and he sent Healy in the clear to find the net.
Less than 60-seconds later their second arrived after a flowing move that saw Gary Lennon thump home and it wasn’t too long before Se Ferris curled the ball home off the post to give his side a 3-13-0-01 lead.
To their credit, Rasharkin rattled home a goal in reply as Brian Og O’Neill swept the ball high past Michael Brady after Eamonn McNeill had squeezed an angled shot between the posts.
A further goal may have followed with little under a quarter of an hour remaining- though Philip McPeake opted for a fisted point instead.
An excellent Conor Glenholmes angled score saw him join the increasing list of scorers, and in the aftermath of that score Eamonn McNeill was black-carded for dissent to referee Paddy Tumelty for a grievance in the build-up.
Rasharkin added a further score from an Oisin Casey free, with Healy replying a few minutes later from the same scenario in his last act before departing.
Casey landed a two-pointed free for the visitors, but successive points from Gary Lennon and McPeake cancelled the brief cut in the deficit.
Upon his late introduction back to proceedings, Eamonn McNeill struck a fine two-pointer in added time, it proved mere consolation as Sarsfields were long home and hosed and are potentially a victory from securing their place in the semi-final when they make th short trip to Kirkwoods in September.
SARSFIELDS: M Brady, M McPolin, C Laverty, P Murray, P McPeake (0-2), L Mitchell, C Loughran, C Murray, C McKernan, T Skillen (0-1), S Walsh, S Ferris (1-1), G Lennon (1-2), C Glenholmes (0-1), B Healy (1-11, 1×0-2pt, 0-6f, 1×0-2ptf). SUBS: D Smyth for S Walsh (3), N McAlea for C Glenholmes (490, J McNally for C Laverty (49), J Maguire for B Healy (54).
RASHARKIN: T O’Boyle, D McGurk, C Higgins, P McTague, C Kennedy, F Quigg, J Higgins, C McMullan, O McMullan, D Quigg, E McNeill (0-3, 1×0-2pt), O Casey (0-3, 1f, 1×0-2ptf), B Og O’Neill (1-0), R Lynch, K O’Boyle (0-1m).
REFEREE: Patrick Tumelty (LÁMH DHEARG)
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