Sarsfields see off Athy to lift Aldridge Cup

SARSFIELDS 1-18 ATHY 0-12 

Sarsfields saw off Athy to lift their first Aldridge Cup since beating the same opponent in 2022 at Manguard Park this evening.

They were full value for the win and at one stage in the second half were 16 points ahead and it took a star turn off the bench from former county man Darroch Mulhall to make things respectable for Athy.

Sarsfields hit the ground running and scored their goal with only three minutes on the clock. Daragh Conlon dropped a ball into towards the square and under pressure from Gavin Anderson, goalkeeper Shane Jackman could only punch the ball against the inrushing Cian Costigan and he didn’t know a huge amount about it as it rebounded off him and into the net.

Sarsfields led 1-9 to 0-2 at half time and then scored six unanswered points before Niall Kelly scored Athy’s first point of the second half in the 44th minute.

Mulhall scored the first of his four two pointers of the final quarter from a 46th minute free, and that was followed by a point from Ben Purcell that flew narrowly over the Sarsfields’ crossbar.

Shane Higgins (2) Jake Loakman and Niall Costigan made sure there was never any danger of the Sarsfield performance slipping.

After adding two more two pointers from frees, Mulhall saved the best for last in the final minute of the game when he landed a booming point from play from at least 55 metres. He was close to an injury time goal as well but his shot flew just past the post.

His display aside, Athy were second best by a distance and Sarsfields are undoubtedly moving well but, of course, it’s only shadow boxing at this time of year and there are bigger tests to come, starting with the league that gets underway next weekend.

SARSFIELDS: Jamie Lyons; Alan Scully, Ethan Moutaine, David Higgins, James Aspell 0-1, Daragh Conlon, Jimmy O’Neill 0-1; Gavin Anderson, Shane Higgins 0-2; Rian Beagan 0-2, Ryan Kearney 0-1, Barry Coffey 0-5 (1tpf, 2fs), Jake Loakman 0-3 (1f), Cian Costigan 1-0, Conor O’Donovan 0-2. Subs: Cathal White, James Loughman, Niall Costigan 0-1, Donal O’Brien, Dylan Dunne, Dan Fox, Daithí Dowling.

ATHY: Shane Jackman; Dara English, Darren Lawler, Niall McEvoy, Killian Mulhall, Mark Hyland, Sean Moore; Conor Kelly, Jack Dooley; Barry Kelly, Tony Gibbons 0-1, Liam Byrne, Brian Kelly, Ben Purcell 0-1, Niall Kelly 0-2 (1f). Subs: Darroch Mulhall 0-8 (1tp, 3tpfs), Max Conway, Cormac Kennedy, Feidhlim Behan, Micheal Behan, Donal McGrath.

REFEREE: Damien Whelan.