Sarsfields and Clane share the points in Kildare SFC cracker

Joe Mallon Motors Senior Football Championship Group B, Round 3

Sarsfields 1-7

Clane 0-10

This game certainly lived up to its pre-match expectation all that was missing were a few more scores but make no mistake these are two serious sides who, at times played some mighty football, took some great scores, some magnificent defending and in the end a draw was probably what both deserved.

It means that Clane top the group, Celbridge finish second with Sarsfields in third spot and must go through the pre-quarter final route with the top two going straight to the last eight.

Clane came out of the traps firing on all cylinders and for the opening five minutes were in full control.
They hit three excellent points between the second and fifth minute courtesy of Cormac Vizzard, Brian McLoughlin and a free from the latter after alert match official, Niall Colgan, spotted an off-the-ball foul 'inside.'

Sarsfields slowly but surely worked their way into the game, opened with a Barry Coffey point on six; followed by a Ben McCormack white flag and a lovely effort from Daragh Ryan after a delicate chip over the top from Con Kavanagh.
Kavanagh was very influential in that opening half playing some very intelligent football and finding a man with a few delightful kick passes.

Half way through and Sarsfields hit the front with Kavanagh again in thick of things, this time finding Alan Smith inside and the former county man made no mistake with a fine finish to make it 1-3 to 0-3 after 15 minutes.

Shane O'Sullivan reduced the gap to two before a brilliant run by Ben McCormack — pace and power in abundance — he set up Alan Smith who duly split the posts.

Clane though were not going away and points from Brian McLoughlin and Jake Burke cut the deficit back to one.
A brilliant Ben McCormack effort had The Sash ahead by two at the break, 1-5 to 0-6.

On the resumption Clane leveled it up with points from Shane O'Sullivan (free) and fine points from Tadhg Montgomery.
Scores were not as plentiful in this half, some great defending by both sides ensured that but Callum Bolton edged Sarsfields back in front on 40 but Shane O'Sullivan squared it up again three minutes later.

Sarsfields had a great chance to put a bit of a gap between the sides after a line-ball from Barry Coffey was gathered by Cian Costigan, referee Colgan pointing to the spot deeming the n. 14 had been fouled.

Up stepped Barry Coffey but Cian Burke in the Clane goal was equal to the task and denied Coffey.
Back came Clane as Robbie Philips found the upright from a mark before Tadhg Hoey edged Sarsfields in front front on 57 minutes. However two minutes later it was Shane O'Sullivan, with a cracking point who leveled matters and that was the way it stayed, Sarsfields 1-7 Clane 0-10.

Some great performances on the day, Dwyer, Kavanagh, Daragh Ryan and Smith for Sarsfields while Robbie Philips, McLoughlin, O'Sullivan all did well as did Harry O'Neill, a tigerish defender who is growing in confidence; he held Barry Coffey scoreless from play and that in itself is no mean feat and that's for sure.

Celbridge sweep aside Raheens to set up quarter-final clash with Johnstownbridge in Kildare SFC

Scorers

Sarsfields, Alan Smith 1-1, Barry Coffey 0-1 (free), Ben McCormack 0-2, Daragh Ryan 0-1, Callum Bolton 0-1, Tadhg Hoey 0-1.

Clane, Shane O'Sullivan 0-4 (mark, free), Brian McLoughlin 0-3 (1 free), Cormac Vizzard 0-1, Jake Burke 0-1, Tadhg Montgomery 0-1.

SARSFIELDS: Marc Courtney Byrne; Tom Aspell, Shea Ryan, Callum Bolton; Con Kavanagh, Kieran Dwyer, Ciaran McEnerney-Aspell; Gary White, Tadhg Hoey; Daragh Ryan, Barry Coffey, Ben McCormack; Alan Smith, Cian Costigan, David Shalvey. Subs: Fergal Durkan for Ciaran McEnerney-Aspell (40 minutes); Shane Doyle for Alan Smith (43 minutes); Cian McHugh for Cian Costigan (51 minutes); Ronan Fitzgibbon for David Shalvey.

CLANE: Cian Burke; Harry O'Neill, Robbie Philips, Cian Shanahan; Shane McCormack, Chris Byrne, Jake Burke; Cormac Vizzard, Sean Christanseen; Tadhg Montgomery, Brian McLoughlin, Danny Egan; Adam Fanning, Sam McCormack, Shane O'Sullivan. Subs: Sam Reilly for Danny Egan (temporary 24-26); Cathal O'Brien for Cormac Vizzard (43 minutes); Sean Callan for Adam Fanning (45 minutes); Sam Reilly for Shane McCormack (51 minutes); Hugh Prendergast for Jake Burke (57 minutes).

REFEREE: Niall Colgan.