Ryan's late scores send Sash into winners' group
Daragh Ryan scored 1-6 for Sarsfields, including some crucial late scores Photo: Sean Brilly
Daragh Ryan scored 1-3 in the closing stages to turn what becoming an increasingly nervy second half for Sarsfields into a comfortable win.
There were a couple of stages during the second half when Carbury really believed an upset was on the cards.
Four points in a row from the electrifying Eoin Cully cut a five point back to single point with 17 minutes to go and after a 49th minute goal by Karl Hartley helped Sarsfields back into a four point lead, a two point free by Wayne Cummins in the 57th minute left the game in the melting pot with just two points between them.
But the most important score of the game came next when Ryan made full use of an advantage being played to swing over a two pointer from outside the 45. That took the wind out of the Carbury sails when he scored his goal shortly after once he had collected a pass from Ronan Fitzgibbon, Ryan had done enough to ensure that Sarsfields ended on the right side of the result.
Sarsfields had led 0-5 to 0-2 after 13 minutes but a two pointer by Jack Smyth and a Cully score levelled the game.
The second quarter belonged to the Newbridge men as they rattled off five unanswered points and although Jack Cully ended that run of scores before the break, a 0-10 to 0-6 lead was probably a fair reflection of the opening period.
Ben Loakman extended that lead to five soon after the restart but then followed a remarkable spell eight minute spell that was all about one man. Cully’s sharp turn of foot helped him score four points in a row, and he was also denied a goal during that time by smart Courtney Byrne save.
Vinny Walsh’s response on the Sarsfields sideline was to send on Cian Byrne to do a man marking job on Cully and that proved an effective move.
The first of the Sarsfields goals was another big moment in the game. With two points between the teams, Carbury lost possession as they poured forward and with their defence wide open, Sarsfields moved the ball at pace to Ben Loakman and then to Hartley who was composed in placing his shot beyond the reach of Cummins.
It was a free by the goalkeeper that breathed new life into the Carbury challenge but Ryan stood up when needed and made sure that Sarsfields take their place in the winners’ group.
Marc Courtney-Byrne; Daragh Conlon, Tom Aspell, David Higgins, Daragh Ryan 1-6, Ethan Mountaine, Jimmy O’Neill; Tadhg Hoey, Cathal White; Harry Redmond, Karl Hartley 1-1, Shea Ryan 0-1, Jake Loakman 0-3fs, Callum Bolton, Ben Loakman 0-5 (2fs). Subs: Ryan Kearney for Redmond, 42; Cian Byrne for Higgins, 42; Kieran Dwyer for Mountaine, 44; Ronan Fitzgibbon for B Loakman, 48; Barry Coffey for Bolton, 55.
Wayne Cummins 0-2 (1tpf); Brian Mllmoe, Dean Cummins, Justin Reilly, Stephen McKeon, Brian O’Flaherty, Tommy Gill; Alan Kearney, Conor Gallagher; Evan Boyle, Jack Smyth 0-2 (1tp), Michael Gill, Jack Cully 0-1f, Eoin Cully 0-7, Oisin Milmoe. Subs: Mark Cully for McKeon, 40; Ben Kearney 0-1 for O Milmoe, 42; John Paul Gill for M Gill, 53; Willie Groome for Smyth, 53; Adam Dowdall for Gallagher, 59.
Alan Archbold.
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