Antrim Football League – Division 1
Sarsfields 3-09 St Pauls 4-10
When right-half forward Daniel Smyth sent over a two-pointer early in the second half to put newly promoted Sarsfields five points clear, it looked as if their return to Division One in the Antrim Football League for the first time in 25 years was going to be a dream start against their next-door neighbours, St. Paul’s. They had led at half-time by a goal, 2-3 to 6 points, after playing against the breeze in the first half, but St Paul’s hit back and had the better of the last 20 minutes, scoring three goals to run out winners by four in the end.
St Paul’s had started the game well and were three points to the good before Sarsfields raised a flag. However, the home side hit back with two quick goals inside two minutes from Gary Lennon and Daniel Smyth, which turned the game on its head. The Paddies were in a strong position, but a couple of great scores before the break by St Paul’s Conal Duffy and Niall Carmichael saw them go in at half-time just three points in arrears.
A fierce hail shower just as the teams re-emerged for the second half caused a five-minute delay, and both sides were ordered back to the changing rooms by match referee Connell Duffy.
Half-time: Sarsfields 2-03 | St Paul’s 0-06
When play finally got underway, Smyth capitalized on a free from 40 metres out on the terrace sideline, landing a sublime two-pointer that seemed to put the men from the ‘Bear Pit’ in the driving seat.
St. Paul’s eventually settled into the new half, responding on 37 minutes with a well-worked point from Ciaran Rodgers-Duffy. Sarsfields’ Conor Glenholmes answered with a pointed free shortly afterwards, but the momentum shifted dramatically straight from the ensuing kick-out. The visitors worked the ball swiftly down the field, culminating in Niall Carmichael drilling the ball into the Sarsfields net to blow the game wide open.
Daniel Smyth was proving a real handful for the visitors’ defence, and on 44 minutes, he launched another spectacular two-pointer from play to steady the ship for the home side. However, St. Paul’s refused to lie down. A sharp attacking move two minutes later saw the ball squared across the face of the goal, and Rodgers-Duffy was on hand to palm it to the net, slashing the deficit to a single point.
The comeback was fully realized on 49 minutes when Rodgers-Duffy struck a brilliant two-pointer, bringing the sides dead level at 2-08 apiece.
The momentum was now entirely with the visitors. St. Paul’s hit the front on 51 minutes when substitute number 21 raised their third green flag of the day, followed shortly by a point from Conal Duffy to put them four clear.
Sarsfields fought desperately to salvage their homecoming. On 56 minutes, a sweeping move created a goal opportunity for Cormac Murray, but the St. Paul’s keeper, Jack McAufield, pulled off a magnificent save. A minute later, the visiting stopper was the hero again, turning a goal-bound shot from Murray around the post for a ’45’.
A point from St. Paul’s substitute Cormmac Trainor stretched their lead further, but hope flared once more for the Paddies on 59 minutes when they were awarded a penalty. It was coolly dispatched to the net by Garry Lennon, reducing the gap back to a single score as time ticked away.
However, the red and white hoops would have the final say. Deep into injury time, Brendan McMorrow struck for his second goal of the game, breaking Sarsfields’ hearts and sealing a hard-fought opening day victory.
Final Score: Sarsfields 3-09 | St Paul’s 4-10
TEAMS
SARSFIELDS: 1. Michael Brady; 2. Philip McPeake, 3. Cormac Mulligan, 4. Fintan McCallum; 5. Ethan Mervyn, 6. Joe McNally, 7. Caolan McKernan; 8. Cormac Murray, 9. Jay Maguire; 10. Daniel Smyth, 11. Conor Glenholmes, 12. Fionn Jemfrey; 13. Caolan McDonnell, 14. Niall Mac an Lia, 15. Gary Lennon.
ST PAUL’S: 1. Jack McAufield; 2. Aodhan Kavanagh, 3. Dairmuid O’Sullivan, 4. Niall McKenna; 5. Conal Burke, 6. Marcus Munce, 7. Michael Duffy; 8. James Farrell, 9. Lorcan Phillips; 10. Caoimhin Killyleagh, 11. Conal Duffy, 12. Ciaran Rodgers-Duffy; 13. Caoimhin Duffy, 14. Conor Hughes, 15. Niall Carmichael
Referee – Conal Duffy
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