U21B Football Championship (preliminary round)
Ardoyne 2-12 Sarsfield’s 0 – 5
Report and Photographs: Liam MacAlasdair
A strong Ardoyne side overcame the challenge of a shot shy Sarsfield’s in Monday night’s preliminary round U21B Football Championship game at the Cricky to progress to the quarter-final.
Ardoyne led all the way but Sarsfield’s missed quite a number of opportunities which would have kept them in contention. Never the less a strong and well organised Ardoyne were full value for their win and on this showing could be serious contenders for honours.
Two early scores from James Og McCauley and a super score after some great play from Cormac Barnes got the Ardoyne wheels rolling and they never looked back. It would be six minutes before the Paddies got their opening score with a point from Cormac Mulligan.
It was the Kickham’s who continued to edge the exchanges and Brendan Hamilton hit three points on the trot, a super 2 pointer out of the hands and a well struck ‘45’ to put a bit of distance between the sides.
The Stewartstown Road side were creating chances themselves but their finishing was letting them down and a couple of goal opportunities went a begging as they fought to get themselves going.
It would be 23rd minutes before they would register their second score when Jay Maguire pointed a free.
At the other end Ardoyne, while kicking a few wides and missing goal chance themselves that would have ended the game as a contest, still finished the half strong with 2 points from Odhran McKee.
Half – time score: Ardoyne 1-7 Sarsfields 0-2
Sarsfield’s needed to up their game in the second half if they were to get themselves into contention but it was Ardoyne who struck first and a well taken goal after 3 minutes from Callan Hardy left the visitors with a mountain to climb.
Trailing by 11 points, Sarsfields took the game to the home side for the next ten minutes, pushing hard to get themselves back into the game and scoring the next 3 points through Sé Ferris, Darren Delander and another from Ferris to give themselves a glimmer of hope.
Some great fielding from their captain Sé Ferris was now driving the young Paddies forward but slowly Ardoyne found their rhythm again and Sarsfields would not score again for the rest of the contest.
A great score from Hoisin Maskey got the Kickham’s going again and was followed by a super point from Caloan Hardy who was outstanding throughout the game.
Ardoyne finished as they had started and there was still time for Thomas McKinney, and midfielder Hoisin Maskey and Cormac Barnes to link up and share 3 more scores as the hosts booked a place in the quarter-finals against St Joseph’s Glenavy.
A good win for Ardoyne against a young Sarsfield’s team with quite a number of their Minor Football team in action and the Paddies youngsters will have benefited from the experience of playing at this level.
It’ hard to pick a man of the match for Ardoyne with Caolán Hardy, Cormac Barnes, Brendan Hamilton and Hoisin Maskey having great games but Brendan Hamilton caught the eye and provided the vital scores when needed and finished the game with 1-3, one a 2 pointer that was the score of the game.
Best for Sarsfield’s was Darren Delander who never stopped running as well as their captain, Sé Ferris who gave a great display of fielding and scoring 0-2 from midfield.
Scorers:
Ardoyne.
Brendan Hamilton 1- 3 ( 12pt )
Caolán Hardy. 1-1.
Cormac Barnes 0-2.
Hoisin Maskey. 0-2.
Odhran Mac Kee 0-2
Thomas Mc Kinney 0-1
James óg Mc Auley 0-1
Sarsfields :
Jay Maguire 0-1
Sé Ferris 0-2
Darren Delander 0-1
Cormac Mulligan 0-1
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