Crazy red card and a two-point equaliser as Moorefield and Sarsfields finish all square

The points and bragging rights were shared in an all Newbridge battle between Moorefield and Sarsfields in Hanlon Concrete Kildare Senior Football League Division 1.

This game sat level, 2-8 to 1-11, with 13 minutes to go in what was to that point a rather unremarkable encounter between these local rivals.

Back-to-back scores from the recently introduced Shane Doyle gave the visitors their first lead by more than a single point since the 13th minute. It was all about substitute appearances at this stage of the game and Moorefield’s Adam Tyrell would leave an unforgettable mark on this fixture in a multitude of ways.

Tyrell unloaded a brilliant two-pointer to level this game before firing The Moores in front with another fine score from out wide. This positive contribution would quickly turn sour when he was sent off for barrelling into the back of an unsuspecting Cian Byrne. The Sash defender was scuffling and shoving with his opposite number before being clattered from behind, an incident which referee Fergal Barry didn’t see at the time (and couldn’t possibly have with it being so far away from play) but the official reached for red after consultation with the umpires and the right decision was reached.

The Moores knocked over a free-kick through Evan O’Brien moments after the dismissal, which they had earned in the time since the incident.

O’Brien’s free-kick gave his side a two-point lead and capped a fine display from the home corner-forward after a brilliant goal two minutes into this game to set Moorefield on their way.

It had been a lacklustre affair in terms of local rivalry tension to that point but those deep-rooted feelings began to come forward with one Sash fan throwing out a classic “you’d swear they’d won the Championship” following The Moores extending their lead.

There was one final sting in the tail for the home side however with Sarsfields earning a free just outside the arc in the fifth minute of injury time. Shane Doyle stood over the set-piece and raised that all important orange flag to level this game and those previously embittered fans were now in full celebration themselves, and rightly so.

The restarting of the game brought it to a close after a dramatic finale and honours even with Moorefield 2-12 and Sarsfields 1-15 the final score.

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Moorefield, Evan O'Brien 1-4 (0-3 frees), Cian Moore 1-0, Adam Tyrell 0-3 (1 x 2pt), Karl Shelly 0-2, Aaron Masterson 0-1, Mark Murray 0-1, Eoin Meehan 0-1.

Sarsfields, Ryan Kearney 0-5, Tom Kinsella 1-0 (Own Goal), Shane Doyle 0-4 (0-3 frees, 1 x 2ptf), Jake Loakman 0-1, Matthew Byrne 0-1, James Aspell 0-1, Cian McHugh 0-1, Conor O'Donovan 0-1, David Higgins 0-1.

MOOREFIELD: Tom Kinsella; Mark Dempsey, Conor Walsh; Sean Dempsey; Tommy McGrath, James Murray, Karl Shelly; Cian Moore, Aaron Masterson; Eoin Meehan, Mark Murray, Jack Butler; Evan O'Brien, Dan O'Callaghan, Tommy Rooney. Subs: Kevin Murnaghan for Tommy McGrath (15 minutes), Adam Tyrell for Dan O'Callaghan (46 minutes).

SARSFIELDS: Marc Courtney Byrne; Alan Scully, Ethan Mountaine, David Higgins; Rian Beagan, Jimmy O'Neill, James Aspell;  Matthew Byrne, Gavin Anderson; Shane Higgins, Cian Costigan, Ryan Kearney; Jake Loakman, Cian McHugh, Conor O'Donovan. Subs: Karl Hartley for James Aspell (39 minutes), Shane Doyle for Jake Loakman (47 minutes), Cian Byrne for Alan Scully (50 minutes).

Referee: Fergal Barry