Healys star as Sash down Larries

JOE MALLON MOTORS KILDARE LGFA SFC - GROUP A – ROUND 2 

SARSFIELDS 4-8 ST LAURANCE’S 1-11 

The battle of champions turned out to be just that at a damp Rickardstown in Round 2 of Group A of the Joe Mallon Motors SFC on Tuesday evening with the result in doubt until Erin Healy scored Sarsfield’s fourth goal in the 59th minute to confirm the Division 1 League champions victory over County Champions, St Laurence’s, their second victory in the Group.

Healy and her sister Freya were standout performers for Sarsfields but it would probably be unfair to single out just two performers from the home side as goalkeeper, Sadie Burke, who proved unbeatable in the second half, a water tight defence, led by county player, Aisling Irhue and an attack as well as the Healys that included Siofra Galvin, Grace Mountaine and the returning Ciara Price all delivered on the night.

Sarsfields lined out without the experienced Róisín Byrne and Gemma Harnett and lost Rebecca Kavanagh and Orlagh Judge during the game so their performance will have pleased the Management Team of Shane McCormack, Liam McGovern and Paudie Nugent with former Armagh and Meath manager, McCormack enhancing his credentials as a future Kildare LGFA senior manager.

County Champions, St Laurence’s, will be disappointed with the loss. They got an early goal from Jean Miley and were full value for their 1-8 to 1-4 lead at half time but the concession of three second half goals and a lack of scores at the other end didn’t help their cause and will be a worry for Seamus McClean and his Management Team.

Like last week’s victory over Kilcullen, Larries started on the front foot and led 1-1 to 0-1 inside five minutes with Eimear Glancy sending in Jean Miley for the opening goal of the game. Sarsfields responded positively to this setback with points from Erin Healy (free) and Jessica McNulty and they went in front for the first time when Erin Healy fed McNulty for the goal. A long-range point by Caoimhe O’Sullivan brought the sides level at 1-3 apiece as the first quarter ended and in the second quarter Larries took a grip on the game and outscored the home team 0-5 to 0-1 before the break. Four more points came from the boot of the impressive Caoimhe O’Sullivan and Gillian Wheeler added a fifth with the only Sarsfields response coming from full forward, Judge.

An early second half point from Miley stretched the Larries lead out to five points but the County Champions were not to score again until the 51st minute. In the meantime, two Sarsfields goals in the space of four minutes turned the game the way of the Division 1 League Champions. Substitute Grace Mountaine’s pass sent in Freya Healy for a goal in the 40th minute and after a great run by Erin Healy, Mountaine got in for a goal in the 44th minute. Sash goalkeeper, Burke, denied Larries on two occasions before full forward, Maire Kealy, who had a great battle with Irhue, pointed in the 51st minute to just leave a point between the sides at 3-5 to 1-10 with nine pulsating minutes remaining. 

Points from play by Freya Healy and substitute Ali Kaye put the home side three up before a Caoimhe O’Sullivan free brought it back to two again by the 56th minute. Sarsfields finished with a flourish, though, with a point from substitute Price and a goal from Erin Healy to seal a six-point victory.

SARSFIELDS: Sadie Burke; Kate McNulty, Aisling Irhue, Muireann O’Loughlin; Elaine Keogh, Anna Lawless, Shauna Kendrick; Molly Cassidy, Síofra Galvin 0-2; Ellie Kendrick, Erin Healy 1-1 (0-1 free), Jessica McNulty 1-1; Rebecca Kavanagh, Orlagh Judge 0-1, Freya Healy 1-1. SUBS: Ali Kaye 0-1 for Rebecca Kavanagh 26, Lily O’Connor for Kate McNulty H/T, Ciara Price 0-1 for Muireann O’Loughlin 35, Grace Mountaine 1-0 for Orlagh Judge 37, Madeline Roynane for Anna Lawless 55.

ST LAURENCE’S: Chloe Wright; Grace Nolan, Elaine Marron, Sadhbh Fennin; Emma Wheeler, Ava Marron, Niamh O’Connor; Ciara Wheeler, Ciara Dempsey; Eimear Glancy, Gillian Wheeler 0-2, Caoimhe O’Sullivan 0-7 (0-1 free), Aoibheann O’Sullivan, Maire Kealy 0-1, Jean Miley 1-1. SUBS: Ailbhe Hennessy for Eimear Glancy H/T, Megan Alcock for Aoibheann O’Sullivan 46.

REFEREE: Rebecca Brereton 

KILDARE LGFA CHAMPIONSHIPS – MAIN RESULTS 

Joe Mallon Motors SFC – Group A – Round 2 

Sarsfields 4-8 St Laurence’s 1-11 

Kilcullen 2-17 Maynooth 0-11 

Joe Mallon Motors SFC – Group B – Round 2 

Balyna 2-8 Kill 3-9 

Eadestown 7-20 Suncroft 0-5 

Joe Mallon Motors IFC – Group A – Round 2 

Na Fianna 1-6 Kilcock 3-5 

Naas 3-17 Leixlip 1-5 

Joe Mallon Motors IFC – Group B – Round 2 

Confey 0-12 Raheens 1-11 

Carbury 1-10 Cappagh 2-12 

Naas Racecourse Junior “A” Championship – Group A – Round 2 

Two Mile House 6-5 Sallins 2-9 

Athy 3-10 Clane 0-12 

Naas Racecourse Junior “A” Championship – Group B – Round 2 

Rathangan 2-5 Celbridge 2-13 

Milltown 4-22 Moorefield 0-2