Sarsfields' minors claim Division 1 title

Manguard Plus Minor League Division 1 Final

Sarsfields 4-11 Maynooth 3-6 

Sarsfields are the Manguard Plus Minor League Division One champions after they came from six points down early in the opening half to eventually win out by eight courtesy of two goals in each half.

Both sides have been familiar with each other over the past few years and they didn't disappoint the sizeable Cedral St Conleths crowd with a high quality game Sarsfields started brightly and two points from Cillian O' Donovan and Ross O'Hagan gave them the perfect start.The Newbridge men were then dealt an injury blow when county minor Tj O Donoghue had to leave the field with only four minutes on the clock.

The delay in play seemed to settle Maynooth and when Ciaran Dunne played a long ball deep into the Sarsfields square full forward Cillian Madden got the flick for the games opening goal.Dunne then kicked a lovely left footed point and moments later when centre back Liam McDonald tried his luck from 20 metres his shot flew past Robbie Byrne in the Sarsfields goal.

Maynooth were in top gear and when Oran Byrne found Ciaran Dunne he fired over his second to move his side six ahead with 11 on the clock. Sarsfields desperately needed to stop the flow and three quick frees in a row from Dylan Dunne, Tadhg Murphy and Luke Mahon bridged the gap back to three. Ciaran Dunne was causing plenty of trouble for the Sash defence and after adding his third of the game he then turned provider for Brian Caffrey as Maynooth moved five ahead again.

After such a brilliant opening 23 minutes Maynooth would go 19 without a score either side of half time.It was hard to believe that Sarsfields would go to the dressing room at half time three ahead. The Sash hit 2-2 over the closing five minutes. Luke Mahon converted his second free on 25 and when the same player took a quick free from the sideline Tadhg Murphy was on hand to palm to the net. Dylan Dunne fired over from play and the comeback was complete when midfielder Daithi Dowling burst forward at pace before fisting across the square for the on rushing Murphy who flicked home his second goal.

Maynooth had to try turn around that three point deficit but they were dealt another blow on 32 as Cillian O'Donovan played in Luke Mahon for a third Sarsfields goal. Ross O'Hagan and Tadhg Murphy from a free eased the men in green eight ahead. Max Rainbow could have made it an eleven point lead but his shot was wide of the post.

Maynooth did ad a second fisted Cillian Madden goal and Ciaran Dunne kicked a brilliant two pointer but the damage had been done and with 12 minutes remaining Karl Ennis's side looked out on their feet.

Cillian O Donovan kicked a two pointer and when Dan Fox got on the end of Brion Donagh's pass he had Sarsfields fourth goal.

With eight minutes of normal time and four injury remaining the game petered out without a further score. A second yellow card for Maynooth's Liam McDonald was of little consequence as Ryan Moran brought things to a conclusion. Sarsfields had taken the title on a 4-11 to 3-6 scoreline.

SARSFIELDS: Robbie Byrne, Noah Donnelly, Oisin Murphy Cahill, Rian Beagan, Ross O'Hagan 0-2, Aaron Murphy, TJ O'Donoghue, Dan Fox 1-0, Daithi Dowling, Jamie Hargaden, Dylan Dunne 0-2 (1f),Brion Donagh, Luke Mahon 1-2 (2fs),Tadhg Murphy 2-2 (2fs), Cillian O'Donovan 0-3 (1tp). Subs: Conor Lawless for O'Donoghue, 4; Max Rainbow for Mahon, 36; Tom Bruce for Donagh, 55; Aaron Redmond for O'Hagan, 59.

MAYNOOTH: Diarmuid Flynn, Joe Harrington, Conall Knox, Tom Power, Hugh Reilly, Liam McDonald 1-0,Harry Egan, Oran Byrne, Aaron Larkin, Cillian Price, Ciaran Dunne 0-5 (1tp), Brian Caffrey 0-1, Finn Geraghty, Cillian Madden 2-0, Paddy Ryan. Subs: Paul Bean for Price, 41; Jerry Molloy for Harrington, 49; Fionn O'Dea for Geraghty, 53; Nicholas Jdanov for Larkin, 58.

REFEREE: Ryan Moran