First win for Glynn
Greater goal threat downs the Sars
GLYNN-BARNTOWN SARSFIELDS 5-8 3-6
GLYNN-BARNTOWN picked up their first win in the New Ross Standard Under-13 football Division 1 championship in an entertaining contest with hosts Sarsfields at Páirc Charman on Tuesday.
On a lovely evening for football, both sides went after the game from the off and both attacked and defended as a team.
The contest was played with good physicality and sportsmanship on the field, and both sides can be proud of how they let the football do the talking.
However, Glynn-Barntown had the extra weapons around the pitch, the greater goal threat in the attacking third, and thus were able to pick off the scores at a constant pace throughout the encounter.
The midfield was probably the most even area of the field and featured a cracking battle between Sars playmakers Shay O’Leary and Billy Walker, and Glynn-Barntown workhorses Cillian Ferriter and Shane Donovan.
The Killurin-based club had a lot of the early pressure.
Exciting wing-forward Jack McNamara kicked a nice point before he sent Patrick Berry clear on goal for the game’s first major in the seventh minute.
Several other opportunities came and went for the visitors as Neil Hession played a stormer between the Sarsfields sticks.
Donovan kicked his first point in the tenth minute but that was countered by a classy Darragh Browne effort from the left.
Then Glynn-Barntown had a burst of scoring.
Craig Laffan found the net after Mark Walsh had initially been denied.
Despite a late Calum Finucane point, scores from Donovan and Kevin Rowe ensured their side led by 2-4 to 0-2 at the interval.
The hosts really needed a firm response after the break and they came out like a completely different team.
Shay O’Leary netted within seconds and it set off a flurry of Sarsfields attacks that could have led to more than the three Walker points that resulted.
Suddenly, with just two points between the sides, Glynn-Barntown found a response and it was game-ending.
Berry lashed home his second major from Evan Sweeney’s feed and completed his treble seconds later to make it 4-4 to 1-5.
The goals stung Sarsfields for a while and they fell further behind after Liam Cooney drifted up and kicked a classy point, and substitute Tom Deevey poked home to increase the lead to four goals.
An O’Leary major and a long- range Daragh Kirwan goal did halve the deficit heading into added-time, but a trio of McNamara points eased his side to their first win of the campaign.
Glynn-Barntown: Fionn Nolan; Cian Carty, Jack Sinnott, Mark Kavanagh; Liam Cooney (0-1), Kevin Rowe (capt., 0-1), Joe Gilhooley; Cillian Ferriter, Shane Donovan (0-2); Patrick Berry (3-0), Michael Furlong, Jack McNamara (0-4, 2 frees); Mark Walsh, Evan Sweeney, Craig Laffan (1-0). Subs. (rolling) - Ben Redmond, Cathal Sinnott, Tom Deevey (1-0), Josh Donovan, also Tristan Cuddihy.
Sarsfields: Neil Hession; Brandon Roche, Mark Tormey, Conall Murphy; Eoghan Cassin, Daragh Kirwan (1-0), Conall Keavney; Shay O’Leary (2-0), Billy Walker (0-4); Colm Roche, Jake Gilshinan, Darragh Browne (0-1); Calum Finucane (0-1), Christy Joss, Thomas Duignan. Subs. - Kyle Connolly, Dean Glynn, Michael McMahon, Lee Carty, Luke Smith, Charlie Redwick.
Referee: Damien Donovan (Volunteers).