Sarsfields end Naas' long unbeaten run
Ben Loakman scored eight points for Sarsfields in the win over Naas Photo: Sean Brilly
Sarsfields blew the Joe Mallon Motors Senior Football Championship wide open as they ended Naas’ near five year unbeaten run in emphatic fashion at Cedral St Conleths Park,
1,820 days and 31 games have passed since Naas last tasted Championship defeat in Kildare, that against Celbridge in 2020, but they were very much second best on the day as Sarsfields turned on the style.
Callum Bolton, Karl Hartley, Daragh Ryan and Ben Loakman scored two pointers inside the opening 14 minutes as the Newbridge side made a fast start.
Darragh Kirwan scored a ninth minute goal for Naas during that spell but Sarsfields were 0-11 to 1-1 ahead by the 19th minute.
Naas struggled in attack generally but put together their best move in the 20th minute when Elliott Beirne linked up with Paddy McDermott but Beirne’s shot was narrowly over.
It was 0-13 to 1-3 at half time but Naas ramped up the pressure in the second half. Darragh Kirwan scored a two point free with 20 minutes to go to leave four points in it and then Neil Aherne was denied by a good save from Cathal Moore.
But it was to be Sarsfields’ day and they wrestled back control with three Loakman points before Hartley rounded off the scoring on a memorable day for the Sash. It was a real statement of intent on an excellent day for Sarsfields.
Cathal Moore; Shea Ryan, Tom Aspell, Alan Scully, Jimmy O’Neill, Daragh Ryan 0-3 (1tp), Daragh Conlon; Tadhg Hoey, Callum Bolton 0-2 (1tp); Matt Byrne, Ryan Kearney 0-1, Cian Costigan, Conor O’Donovan, Karl Hartley 0-5 (1tp), Ben Loakman 0-8 (1tpf, 3fs). Subs: Kieran Dwyer for Conlon, 25; Ben McCormack for O’Donovan, 48; Harry Redmond for Costigan, 48; David Higgins for O’Neill, 50; Barry Coffey for Byrne, 54.
Jack Rogers; Mark Maguire, Brian Byrne, Rob Fitzgerald, Jack McKevitt, Eoin Doyle, Paddy McDermott 0-1; Fintan Quinn, Paul McDermott; Kevin Cummins, Neil Aherne, Elliott Beirne 0-1, Darragh Kirwan 1-3 (1tpf), Alex Beirne 0-1f, Ryan Sinkey 0-1. Subs: Eoin Lawlor for Quinn, 20; Tom Kelly for McDermott, 30; Cathal Daly for E Beirne, 38; Tim Ryan for Lawlor, 46; Daniel Lenihan for Aherne, 54.
Conor Daly.
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