SLICK SARS SHOW
Quarter-final place sealed in style
SARSFIELDS 6-14 R’GAROGUE-C’TOWN 0-4 SARSFIELDS BOOKED their spot in the quarter-finals of the Wexford People Minor football Roinn 1 championship with a powerful performance against previously unbeaten Rathgarogue-Cushinstown in Páirc Charman on Wednesday.
The Wexford town lads were in irresistible form, scoring goals for fun and picking off points from a range of positions on the field.
This was their fifth win on the bounce and one more, next time out against struggling Ballyhogue, will wrap up top spot and, theoretically, give Sars an easier quarter-final against the fourth-placed team in Group A.
This looks like a sharp Sarsfields outfit. They are a well-drilled, improving team. Their movement and running off the ball is impres- sive, their passing was crisp and on-point, and most impressively they kicked several sensational scores.
The first-half was a sign of things to come. Rathgarogue-Cushinstown popped over the first score in the opening minute, through Eric Cummins, and the last, a Tadhg Cody free, but in between that it was all Sarsfields.
The visitors weren’t helped by their own indiscipline, with Cummins black carded and Fionn Slattery dismissed in the first period.
Shane Hall and Adam Carroll breaking from deep was the main feature of the first-half. Hall kicked three superb points while Carroll was continually involved.
Wexford Youths Under-17 goalkeeper Adam Dempsey grabbed the opening goal from the penalty spot after Lee Whelan was fouled, while Darragh Goodison drilled home the second to give his side a 2-6 to 0-2 interval lead.
Goodison half-volleyed home his second major after Danny Walsh’s shot was parried by replacement stopper Jack McGrath. With Andrew Harrington coolly slotting dead-balls, Sarsfields moved into a 3-9 to 0-2 lead after 38 minutes.
Shortly after, Walsh finished to the net from Seán Banville’s pass, and it was followed by two superb points from Seán Hopkins and Darragh Goodison.
Rathgarogue-Cushinstown were struggling to match their opponents’ tempo, however, they did get a point back through Cody at the end of the third quarter. It only momentarily halted the momentum as opportunist substitute Ryan Dempsey punched to the net from close range to make it 5-11 to 0-3.
Dempsey went close to a second when his shot was blocked. However, this time it was Youths Under-19 goalkeeper Dylan Furlong finding the net from the rebound, sliding home soccer-style to help wrap up an excellent victory.
The sixth round of Minor football fixtures is scheduled for August 10, with the final set of group games to follow two weeks later before the knockout action begins.
Sarsfields: Jake Clancy; Rian Carty, Terry Whitty, Daire Reville; Shane Hall (0-3), Fiach Ó Crualaoich, Adam Carroll (capt.); Adam Dempsey (1-0 pen.), Cathal Kirwan; Dylan Furlong (1-1), Andrew Harrington (0-4 frees), Darragh Goodison (2-2); Seán Banville, Danny Walsh (1-1), Lee Whelan. Subs. - Seán Hopkins (0-3) for Kirwan (31), Ryan Dempsey (1-0) for Whelan (36), Eoghan Goodison for Carty (41), Cameron Farrell for Banville (42).
Rathgarogue-Cushinstown: Fionn Slattery; Shane O’Connor, Ricky McGrath, John O’Keeffe (capt.); Jack Murphy, Liam O’Shea, Cian Roche; Tadhg Cody (0-2, 1 free), Eric Cummins (0-1); Shane Delaney, Paddy Barron (0-1 free), David Thorpe; Jack McGrath, Ben Sutton, John Forristal. Sub. - Brian Creane for Cummins, black card (13).
Referee: Seán Whelan (St. Martin’s).