ACFL Division One
St Galls 1-13-0-15 Sarsfields
Kevin Herron reports from Milltown
St Galls made it two wins from two with a hard fought 1-13-0-15 win over a determined Sarsfields side at Milltown on Sunday morning.
The Paddies were first off the mark through a Daniel Smyth free after the hosts were penalised for an overcarrying offence within the first two minutes.
Manus McCrossan restored parity from Barra McCaffrey’s lay-off and the sides continued to trade scores until the half concluded.
Sarsfields lead was restored when Kevin Barry McArdle burst forward and popped over, though a close range Daniel Quinn free levelled things.
Smyth doubled his account after Jay Maguire was felled and Maguire would extend his side’s lead after Cormac Murray claimed a mark from Chris Kerr’s kick-out and played a direct pass into Maguire to swing over.
In response St Galls notched up three unanswered points to lead for the first time. Gerard O’Neill charged forward from defence, played a one-two and dropped over an angled point.
O’Neill then turned provider, winning a loose ball in midfield and switching the play to Quinn to score his second of the half, and Quinn added to his tally after Caolan McKernan conceded a free that was moved forward for dissent.
A fine Garry Lennon score had the sides level for the fourth time and a minute shy of the interval Daniel Smyth converted his third free of the half to ensure his side held a slender 0-6-0-5 advantage at the midway point in proceedings.
Sarsfields made a lightning start to the second half with points from Philip McPeake and Cormac Mulligan giving them a three-point cushion.
At the other end a goal opportunity presented itself when Dubhaltach Wilson popped the ball across and Niall Fallon could only palm the ball over the bar rather than to the net, nonetheless the hosts were up and running for the second period.
A high Tomas Skillen shot dropped over after good work in the build-up by Philip McPeake and Conor Glenholmes.
St Galls had the opportunity to net the opening goal in the 37th minute when Callum Walsh was brought to ground by Conor Laverty and referee Brendan Toland signalled for a penalty.
Walsh himself took the penalty, but despite sending Michael Brady the wrong way, he rolled his penalty wide of the post.
Successive scores from Manus McCrossan and Daniel Quinn (free) closed arrears to the bare minimum, before Garry Lennon tapped over a close-range free that was awarded for a breach.
Points were traded between Conall Murray and Tomas Skillen as the game entered the final quarter with a nine-minute purple patch ultimately deciding the game.
Ten minutes after Walsh’s penalty miss, St Galls found the net and led for just the second time.
Niall Fallon threaded a pass into the path of Daniel Quinn and he swept the ball beyond Brady into the corner to make it 1-9-0-11.
Almost instantly Dubhaltach Wilson popped over and converted Quinn free was his side’s third score in the space of two minutes.
Substitute Tomas Skillen landed his third point since his introduction to briefly halt the hosts momentum, though Callum Walsh swung over and the lively Gerard O’Neill doubled his tally for the afternoon to open up a 1-13-0-12 lead.
Sarsfields didn’t go down quietly as talisman Daniel Smyth clipped over a free and then sent over an angled two-pointer to reduce the deficit to the bare minimum again.
The visitors were unable to find an equaliser in the closing minutes however as St Galls held on to secure back-to-back league victories.
ST GALLS: C Kerr, G O’Neill (0-2), A McDonagh, E McCurdy, C Murray (0-1), D Wilson (0-1), L Lynn, M McCrossan (0-2), A Gallagher, M Murray, D Quinn (1-5, 0-4f), O Delaney, B McCaffrey, C Walsh (0-1), N Fallon (0-1). SUBS: J McCaffrey for O Delaney (HT), M Shannon for E McCurdy (52).
SARSFIELDS: M Brady, M McPolin, C Laverty, KB McArdle (0-1), P McPeake (0-1), C McKernan, J Ward, E Mervyn, C Murray, D Smyth (0-6, 0-4f, 1×0-2pt), C Glenholmes, J Maguire (0-1), C McMahon, P Murray, G Lennon (0-2, 0-1f). SUBS: C Mulligan (0-1) for P Murray (HT), T Skillen (0-3) for C McMahon (HT), S Walsh for E Mervyn (38), D Coleman for S Walsh (57).
REFEREE: Brendan Toland (LÁMH DHEARG)