Andrew nets twice
Strong second-half puts Sars through
TWO GOALS from Andrew Harrington in the third quarter put Sarsfields firmly on the road to a convincing win over depleted Gusserane in this Greenstar Under-20 football Division 1 championship quarter-final in a bitingly cold Tom Somers Memorial Park, Ballygarvan, on Saturday.
While the visitors trailed by 0-5 to 0-3 at the break, they outscored their rivals by 3-7 to 1-0 in the second period to claim their first victory of the campaign at the most important time.
Sarsfields – who finished with 17 wides – had lost all three group games, two in February and one in July, but, with every team assured of a quarter-final spot regardless, they did the business when it mattered most.
In contrast, Gusserane’s sole previous outing was almost seven months earlier when they beat St. Martin’s, before getting and then giving a walkover.
And in fairness to the hosts, they were minus the services of three county Under-20 players – Sam Wall, Mark Rossiter and Mark O’Neill – who are all recovering from injuries.
For a club team to be down so many key men made their task nigh on impossible, but they still managed to claim a 0-5 to 0-3 interval lead after a tight first-half.
The sides were level on three occasions before points in added time from Kevin O’Donohoe and Oisín Foran left Gusserane with that advantage, while their captain, Micheál Ryan, had made a good save in the 21st minute to deny David Gouldson a goal.
The tide started to turn firmly in favour of the Sars in the 40th minute when Jack Finucane in- tercepted a crossfield free and set up full-forward Andrew Harrington for a composed finish to the net (1-4 to 0-5).
County Minor Conor Kehoe made a big impact after his introduction at half-time, and when he won a Gusserane kick-out in the 45th minute it ultimately led to a second goal for Harrington.
Kehoe and Harrington (free) added points before the home side’s sole score after the break arrived in the 53rd minute when Oisín Foran sold a neat dummy before rattling the roof of the net (2-7 to 1-5).
However, Sarsfields were well on top by that stage, even though they had lost their best player in the first-half, wing-back Ryan Furlong, to a shoulder injury shortly after play resumed.
Conall Clancy, David Gouldson and Conor Kehoe all kicked points before the latter unselfishly set up attack-conscious defender Cathal Kirwan for a palmed goal in added time.
The victors now face either St. Martin’s or Naomh Eanna in the semi-final.
Sarsfields: Jake Clancy; Cian Ó Finneadha, Cathal Kirwan (1-0), Fiach Ó Crualaoich (capt.); Ryan Furlong, Shane Hall, Conall Ó Crualaoich; Dylan Furlong, Cillian Gahan; David Gouldson (0-1), Conall Clancy (0-1), Jack Finucane; Danny Walsh (0-2 frees), Andrew Harrington (2-3, 0-1 free), Gary Carroll. Subs. - Conor Kehoe (0-3, 1 free) for Walsh (HT), Adam Carroll for R. Furlong, inj. (32), Seán Kelly-Komolafe for G. Carroll (48), Lee Donohue for Ó Finneadha (55), James Crean for Finucane (55).
Gusserane: Micheál Ryan (capt.); Donal Kinsella, Tommy Ryan, Stephen Whelan; Eoin Codd, Gavin Sheehan (0-1 free), Micheál Hennessy; Mark Kehoe, Jamie Sheehan; Martin Stafford, Eoin Ryan (0-1), Oisín Foran (1-2); Seamus Murphy, Kevin O’Donohoe (0-1), Dylan Ryan. Sub. - Seán Maher for Murphy (41).
Referee: Eric Molloy (St. James’).