Sallins see off Suncroft to seal semi-final spot
Suncroft's Eoghan Lawless on the run with Daragh Mangan of Sallins in hot pursuit during their sides' IFC quarter-final on Sunday in Manguard Park, Newbridge. All Photos: Martin Rowe
Sallins can look forward to a semi-final with Milltown after battling past Suncroft, on what was a sunny and breezy Manguard Park last Sunday afternoon. The favourites had a game on their hands in the first-half, and led by the bare minimum at Half-time. But goals in the 50th and 63rd minute, matched with the overall performance shifting up a gear, gave them the momentum they needed to kill off Suncroft and register a comprehensive victory. For large parts of the opening 45 minutes, it was more the opposite.
Sallins had rushed into a five-point lead by the 12th minute, their first score coming after just 20 seconds from Colm Dalton. The half-forward would then add a brace, before Paul Farrelly and Luke Killian ensured the entire half-forward line all contributed to the scoreboard. Suncroft responded through Eoghan Lawless after 16 minutes, but the main scoring threat for them would be corner-forward Fionn Dowling, who would finish scoring seven of their nine points. The only other player to score for the duration of the match for them was Mikey Troy. Dowling would land a two-pointed free in added-time, before scoring a brilliant orange flag raiser from play moments later for Suncroft. Paul Farrelly, Stephen Kelly, Ruairi O’Domhnaill and James Dalton would all chip in for Sallins to leave Jonathan Daniels men 0-8 to 0-7 in front at the break.
The hard tackles kept coming in the second-half. Suncroft would point through Fionn Dowling on the loop just 25 seconds into the second-half, but from this point forward, Sallins would suffocate their opponents. After Colm Dalton pointed Paul Farrelly’s shot off the upright, Stephen Kelly would strike off his left foot to register a superb two-pointer for the green and white. After Colm Dalton’s point and Stephen Kelly’s free, the gap was out to five by the 46th minute, and at this stage, the monumental Suncroft effort was beginning to wilt.
Another Stephen Kelly free was registered two minutes later, before Sallins got a decisive goal in the 50th minute, when Luke Kelly and Colm Dalton were involved before centre-back Eoin McConnon would palm the ball into an empty net. Fionn Dowling would slot over a free moments later, but Suncroft were on the back-foot by this stage.
Substitute Cian Grimes would score a lovely two-pointed free on 56 minutes, before slotting over a single free moments later. Further scores came from Luke Kelly and Luke Killian, before Cian Grimes grabbed goal number two deep into added-time. A move involving Luke Kelly and Luke Killian ended up with Grimes slotting the ball into the net, and so for Sallins, a mouth-watering tie with Milltown awaits them.
Cian Grimes 1-3 (0-1free, 1two-pointer free)Luke Kelly 0-1, Eoin McConnon 1-0, Luke Killian 0-2, Colm Dalton 0-5 (0-1free), Paul Farrelly 0-1; Stephen Kelly 0-5 (0-2frees, 1two-pointer free), Alan Marshall, James Dalton 0-1.
Fionn Dowling 0-7 (2f, 1tp, 1tpf) Mikey Troy and Eoghan Lawless 0-1 each.
Matthew Farrelly; Ruairi O’Domhnaill, Mark Moynihan, Sean O’Domhnaill; Luke Kelly, Eoin McConnon, Glen McEvoy; Daragh Mangan, Emmet Ralph; Luke Killian, Colm Dalton, Paul Farrelly; Stephen Kelly, Alan Marshall, James Dalton.
Cian Grimes for Marshall (35), Aaron Carney for McConnon and Jamie Cox for Ralph (46).
Dave Sutton; Jack Setright, Danny Morgan, Harry Dillon; Conor Kiely, Adam Talbot, Mikey Troy 0-1; Conn Kehoe, Tom Martin; Eoghan Lawless 0-1, Chris Philips, Sam Murphy; Fionn Dowling 0-7 (0-2frees, 1two-pointer, 1two-pointer free), Darragh Malone, Mark Brown.
Sennan Brannock for Adam Talbot (25), Kevin Crowley for Tom Martin (38), Jack Doyle for Darragh Malone (42), Ben Crawford for Conor Kiely (59).
Ken Doyle.
Luke Kelly (Sallins).
