Aldridge Cup play-off: Sarsfields defeat Moorefield by point to book final spot
Winners now take on Athy in Saturday evening's decider
Sarsfields booked their place in this Saturday's Aldridge Cup final and a meeting with Athy, following a one point win over local rivals Moorefield, at Moorefield this evening. Both sides had finished the round robin games on three wins each and Moorefield won the toss for home advantage in this Kildare GAA early season competition.
Moorefield opened the brighter and four early points inside seven minutes courtesy of Evan O Brien with three and Aaron Masterson left the Moors comfortable. Jimmy O Neill and Gavin Anderson responded for Sarsfields while an 11th minute free from Barry Coffey left the minimum between the sides in what was turning into an entertaining encounter.
Evan O Brien was a thirn in the Sash defence and he had his fifth point with a brillaint two pointer as the gap stretched to three. Eoin Meehan and Cian Costigan swspped points but Sarsfields assumed control with 10 minutes to the break.
Four Barry Coffey white flags and points from Cian Costigan and Conor O Donovan turned the Sarsfields lead into three after trailing by four early on. Evan O Brien added his sixth on the stroke of half time to level the visitors 0-11 to 0-8 to the good.
The second half continued in the same vein with the excellent Evan O'Brien reducing the gap to the minimum before the sides would share four points equally. A three point scoring burst between the 48th and 51st minutes saw Sarsfields into a four point lead courtesy of Cian Costigan Cian McHugh and a sixth from Barry Coffey.
Moorefield didn't go down without a fight and a Dan O'Callaghan point was followed by two Evan O'Brien frees but time ran out on the Moores as Sarsfields held on for a 0-15 to 0-14 win and into a final next Saturday.
In another Aldridge Cup game this evening Caragh defeated Raheens 1-18 to 0-13.
Moorefield: Tom Kinsella; Noah Gilroy, Conor Walsh, Sean Dempsey; Tommy McGrath, James Murray, Dan Hanniffy; Cian Moore, Aaron Masterson 0-1; Eoin Meehan 0-1,Mark Murray 0-1(1f), Jack Butler; Evan O Brien 0-10 (4f, 2pt), Dan O'Callaghan 0-1,Thomas Rooney. Subs: Kevin Murnaghan for Jack Butler 36; Aaron Martin for Cian Moore 43; Luke Sweeney for Eoin Meehan 49; Ryan Moore for Dan O Callaghan 55; Karl Shelly for Noah Gilroy 55.
Sarsfields Jamie Lyons; Ethan Montaine, Alan Scully, David Higgins; James Aspell, Darragh Conlon, Jimmy O Neill 0-1,; Shane Higgins, Gavin Anderson 0-1; Jake Loakman, Ryan Kearney, Barry Coffey 0-6 (4f); Cian McHugh 0-2, Cian Costigan 0-3, Conor O Donovan 0-2. Subs: Ryan Began for James Aspell 45.