Junior A Hurling Championship Final
Sarsfield’s v Lamh Dhearg – Sunday 4-00pm Davitt’s Park
Adam Murray’s 53rd minute goal for Lamh Dhearg was crucial in his side defying the odds and reaching the Final of the Casement Social Club Antrim JHC with a 1-14-0-13 victory over Glen Rovers Armoy at Dunsilly.
Four weeks and a day after the sides met at the same venue and the North Antrim men ran out convincing 0-30-2-14 winners, there was a lot more at stake on Saturday evening with the winner progressing to the decider against Sarsfields on Sunday.
Lamh Dhearg went into that game as underdogs but simply refused to let the underdogs tag or that previous group game defeat deflect them from their belief that they could overcome the challenge of favourites Glen Rovers.
Murray top scored for the Hammastown side with 1-7, Colm McConville Jnr also weighing in with scores while the experience of the Herron’s, PJ in goals and Mick at the other end of the field will be vital if Lamh Dhearg are to cause what would be a massive upset.
Sarsfiel’s made the drop from Intermediate at the end of last season and have lived up to their favourites tag with comfortable wins throughout the group stages.
They were pushed to the pin of their collars in the semi-final however by Gort na Mona at Dunsilly before finally running out 0-19 to 0-17 winners over the Mona Bye Pass side.
For the majority of this junior hurling championship semi-final, it looked like there was a shock on the cards. Gort na Mona had come to Dunsilly to make a mockery of the pre-championship tag adorned on Sarsfields and were in pole position to book a final place.
Leading by three with a little over 10 minutes remaining, Turf Lodge’s finest would only register one more score and the Paddies found an edge in the closing stages.
Sarsfield’s found another gear with a quarter of the game remaining to edge out a gallant opponent. McCartan and Ruairi O’Scollain split the posts by the 48th minute but the Turf Lodge men would only register one further point in the time that remained.
A brace of frees from Smyth in injury time ensured the Paddies would take the honours and seal their place in the junior decider with Lámh Dhearg their next hurdle on Sunday at Davitt’s.
Kevin McKernan top scored for the Stewartstown Road side and Daniel Smyth, Donal McKernan and Enda McCartan were prominent in the scoring stakes for the ‘Paddies’ who will start as firm favourites on Sunday on the Fall’s Road.
The Wards, David and Jay, Caolan McKernan, Nicholas O’Mullane and Fionn Jemfrey are others who will bring plenty to the table for Sarsfield’s in what looks on paper like a David v Goliath clash and the greater experience of Sarsfield’s should see them through.