Sarsfields bounce back in style with Raheens hammering in Kildare SFC

Joe Mallons Motor Senior Football Championship Group B, round two

Sarsfields 1-17

Raheens 0-6

The middle game of the three-game programme at St Conleth's Park on Sunday saw Sarsfields take on Raheens.
Sarsfields suffered a bit of a shock in their opening game when losing out, despite being on top for long periods, against Celbridge, while Raheens were very disappointed to go down by the minimum to Clane, so a lot at stake in this one.

The game, from a neutral point of view, was a very disappointing affair as the Newbridge side showed, from an early stage, they had too much power, too much guile and simply too much strength all over the field for the Caragh squad.

The winners were never put under any pressure from start to finish and while no doubt manager Davy Bourke will be more than pleased with his side's display,no doubt he would have hoped for a stiffer challenge, as no doubt they will get in the weeks to come.

Barry Coffey opened for Sarsfields inside 29 seconds with a fine effort and they showed their intent soon after when Alan Smith found Con Kavanagh in space with just Raheens' keeper Declan Campbell to beat but the custodian did extremely well to deny Kavanagh with a fine save.

Ben McCormack got his side's second of the day before Raheens attacked down the right wing, into the Kilcullen end, through Mikey McGovern but his effort blasted off the outside of the upright and was cleared.

On nine minutes Raheens opened their accounty, Paddy Woodgate converting a free. and when Collie Power hit an excellent long-range point the sides were level at 0-2 apiece with 13 minutes on the clock.

Sarsfields though were threatening at every attack and when a long punt forward saw Barry Coffey out quickest to gather, he duly converted the resultant mark.

Con Kavanagh was cuasing the Raheens defence all sorts of bother but he just could not find the posts, with three wides and one off the post but he finally converted straight in front of goal, albeit the ball crashing off the crossbar before going over.
Mickey McGovern punched over from that right wing again but a fine mark from Alan Smith had Sarsfields leading 0-6 to 0-3 on 25 minutes.

Ben McCormack hit a beauty despite being under pressure; Barry Coffey added another; McCormack another a point before the inevitable occurred when Ben McCormack made light work of two defenders before planting the ball in the Raheens net.
Liam Power picked up a yellow for a foul on Kieran Dwyer before Barry Coffery converted a free after Alan Smith was fouled to leave the half-time score reading Sarsfields 1-10 Raheens 0-3.

Barry Coffey and Colin Ryan exchanged points before Sarsfileds, totally in control around the middle, stepped it up again, adding three points before Killian Thompson replied for Raheens, mid-way through as Sarsfields led 1-14 to 0-4.

Fergal Durkan hit two on the trot while Liam Power picked up a second yellow and a red on 52 minutes.

Mickey McGovernn got his second of the game; Rory Donnelly picked up a black card before Shane Doyle converted a free, his second point of the afternoon as the final whistle arrived Sarsfields winning, as they liked, 1-17 to 0-6.

Very, very one sided affair so much so that the jury is probably still out on Sarsfields but they can only beat what is in front of them and Sarsfields did that impressively and comprehensively.

For Raheens a very bad day at the office and with the final game against Celbridge to come nothing easy on the horizon.
Sarsfields take on Clane in the final group game, which has the potential to be a fine game after the boys in white handed Celbridge a bit of a hiding at the weekend also.

Late drama as Maynooth and Eadestown share the points in Kildare SFC

Scorers: Sarsfields, Ben McCormack 1-3, Barry Coffey 0-6 (2 frees, mark), Fergal Durkan 0-2, Shane Doyle 0-2 (1 free), Alan Smith 0-2 (mark), Con Kavanagh 0-1, Cian Costigan 0-1.

Raheens, Mikey McGovern 0-2, Colm Power 0-1, Paddy Woodgate 0-1 (free), Colin Ryan 0-1, Killian Thompson 0-1.

SARSFIELDS: Marc Courtney Byrne; Tom Aspell, Shea Ryan, Ethan Mountaine; Con Kavanagh, Kieran Dwyer, Ciaran McEnerney Aspell; Dave Shalvey, Gary White; Darragh Ryan, Ben McCormack, Callum Bolton; Cian Costigan, Alan Smith. Barry Coffey.

Subs: Shane Doyle for Con Costigan (half-time): Fergal Durkan for Dave Shalvey (40 minutes); Dan Nea for Ben McCormack (45 minutes); Ronan Fitzgibbon for Callum Bolton (48 minutes); Dan Nea for Con Kavanagh (54 minutes).

RAHEENS: Declan Campbell; Colin Ryan, Jack Hamill, Jason Earley; Graham Waters, Thomas Dore, Killian Thompson; Paul Dolan, David Fitzpatrick; David Malone, Paddy Woodgate, Liam Power; Mikey McGovern, Colm Power, Rob Thompson.

Subs: Rory Donnelly for Paul Dolan (32 minutes); Adam Malone for Paul Dolan (32 minutes); Conor Murphy for Colm Power (36 minutes); Tom Early for Jason Earley (38 minutes); Sean McLoughlin for David Malone (52 minute).

REFEREE: Billy O'Connell.