Gusserane in full command

figure between the posts.

Prior to that the eventual winners had picked off six points on the trot, despite the loss of midfielder Cillian Kehoe to a black card in the 15th minute.

Sarsfields deployed an extra defender but it made no difference as Gusserane had so much time on the ball to pick out an eager forward at every opportunity.

Adrian Flynn conducted the orchestra from centre-back and they reeled off points from Graeme Cullen, Flynn (’45), Jamie Cooney, Kenneth Cahill, Flynn (free) and Mark Rossiter before conceding that goal.

Even then it was only a minor blip as further unanswered points from experienced substitute Philip Wallace, Páraic Conway and Flynn (free) left them clear by six at the interval.

The same service continued on the re-start as Graeme Cullen widened the gap to seven, before Sarsfields substitute David Mooney kicked their first point from play in the 33rd minute.

A black card for defender Liam Barry was followed two minutes later by the concession of a game-clinching goal, midway through the third quarter.

Kenneth Cahill dinked a neat pass close to goal to Adrian Flynn who was flying in off his left shoulder, and the county player made no mistake (1-10 to 1-1).

It was only a matter of what the winning margin would be at that relatively early stage, and it was no consolation to Sarsfields to outscore their rivals by 0-5 to 0-4 before the end.

They finally opted to go 15 on 15 early in the last quarter and ended up with a numerical advantage for the last six minutes after Gusserane substitute Darragh Doyle was red-carded after an incident with John Gannon.

Seán Ryan’s constant hard work had been rewarded with a neat point beforehand after cutting in along the left endline, with Adrian Flynn (free), Jamie Cooney and Páraic Conway also posting points.

The consolation scores came from Shane Wilde (play and free), Eoin Roche, David Mooney and John Bridges (free) for Sarsfields who will need wholesale improvement for that must-win clash with Adamstown.