JHC Group 3-Round 3
St. Brigid’s 2-13 Sarsfields 1-31
Report and Pics: Brian McKee
Sarsfields secured top spot in this Junior Championship group after a high-powered second-half performance blew past a spirited St Brigid’s side at Musgrave. Despite a brilliant first-half fightback from the hosts, the Division 3 champions showed their experience after the break to run out comfortable winners on a 2-13 to 1-31 scoreline.
Sarsfields started at a blistering pace. They took a first-minute lead through a Daniel McKernan free, quickly followed by points from Kevin Barry McArdle and Kevin McKernan.
St Brigid’s responded with a pointed free from James Kelly—who enjoyed a productive afternoon with six converted frees—but Sarsfields unleashed five unanswered points in response. By the 13th minute, the Paddies led by six. They extended that gap to eight points after 20 minutes, with six different players already on the scoreboard.
The final third of the half saw St Brigid’s spark into life. A vital goal from Oisin McDonnell ignited their revival. Kelly slotted over his second free in the 26th minute. Though Sarsfields hit back with two points of their own, St Brigid’s finished the half with four consecutive scores. This late surge completely revived their prospects, leaving just two points between the sides at the interval.
Half-Time: St Brigid’s 1-09 Sarsfields 0-14
Sarsfields emerged for the second period completely transformed, playing with a renewed intensity that suggested a lot of plates had been broken in the half-time dressing room by Déaghlán Coleman.
Daniel Smyth led the charge, firing over six of his seven points in the second half, while an impressive total of eight different players contributed to the scoreboard after the restart.
Within 12 minutes of the throw-in, Sarsfields had raced into a seven-point lead. Conn Flannery rallied hard to reignite the St Brigid’s challenge, but the final 20 minutes saw the visitors unleash a relentless offensive blitz, capped off by a well-taken goal from Fionn Jeffrey.
St Brigid’s struggled to contain the firepower of their more experienced opponents. Though Donncha McGurk bulged the Sarsfields net in the closing minute, it proved to be a mere consolation.
Both sides now progress into the knockout stages of the Junior Championship. Despite the heavy defeat, St Brigid’s can take heart from their refusal to quit. Undefeated Sarsfields march on full of confidence as they look to regain Intermediate status. On today’s display, they will be very hard to stop.
St Brigid’s: Dara Sidebottom, Conor McElhatton, Michael Kerr, Ronan O’Loughlin, Joseph McCarney, Toirealach Brolly, Conn Flannery, James Kelly (0-06 frees), Jake Massingham, Seamus Brady, David Prenter, Fionn McCann (0-01), Donncha McGurk (1-02), Oisin McDonnell (1-00), Peadar Middleton, Alex Miller Perry, Michael Mullan, Finbar Brockley, Conor Kelly, Garrett Gilleece, John Carlin, John McGuckian.
Sarsfields: David Ward, Dárágh Coleman, Mark McCavanagh, Jay Ward, Jay Maguire, Caolan McKernan (0-01), Donal McKernan (0-03, 1f, 1 ’65), Darren Delander (0-03), Nicolas O’Mullane, Daniel Smyth (0-07, 4f), Kevin McKernan (0-02, 1f), Daniel McKernan (Snr) (0-04), Kevin Barry McArdle (0-06), Niall Mac an Lia, Fionn Jeffrey (1-03), James McKenna, Oisin Coleman, James McKernan, Ciarnan Rea (0-02), Aidan McKernan, Patrick Braniff, Ronan McKenna, Gary Lennon.
Referee: Kevin Parke
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