Wolfe Tones make light work of Sash
Conor Egan of Wolfe Tones spins awafrom Sarsfields' Cillian Power. Photo: Martin Rowe
The Sallins and Kill amalgamation of Wolfe Tones dished out a comfortable 23-point win over Sarsfields in the opening round of the UPMC Kildare Junior Hurling Championship.
The Group B encounter was played in Conneff Park, Clane on Sunday afternoon and from the opening minutes Wolfe Tones were in total command as they had built up a 17-point lead at the break.
Wolfe Tones hit four unanswered points inside the opening eight minutes. Centre back Paddy McGrath fired over a second-minute point from play. The warning signs were there from the first minute as David Cronin forced a great save from Sarsfields keeper Oisin Power. Fergal Cronin, Mark Kiernan and Conor Egan all added points with no resistance from the Sash.
A tenth-minute 60-metre free from Jack Couch then flew all the way to the Sarsfields net for the game's opening goal.
Couch was involved in goal number two some 60 seconds later when his pass found full forward Fergal Cronin who had a simple finish.
David Cronin and Vinny Teehan quickly added points and as we passed the 15th minute the third goal arrived. County U20 player Mark Kiernan showed pace to skip past two defenders before finishing low past Oisin Power.
Sarsfields did eventually raise a white flag 17 mins in when Liam Crowley landed a free. He repeated the feat on 24 with another free for the second and only scores of Sarsfields opening half.
Sash lost Niall O'Connor to an ankle injury before the break, but Wolfe Tones finished the half with four in a row to leave the pitch 3-10 to 0-2 ahead, with Aaron Carney adding two and Vinny Teehan grabbing his second.
Conor Egan continued the Wolfe Tones dominance with an early point on the change of ends.
Liam Crowley quickly added a Sash free, but Jack Couch, substitute Conor Hayes, David Cronin and Mark Kiernan helping extend the Wolfe Tones lead out to 21 points.
Sarsfields substitute David Breslin got on the end of a Denis O'Callaghan pass for a much needed goal. But a three-minute spell between the 48th and 51st minutes saw Cronnin and Kiernan (two), add three goals between them - the Sallins and Kill amalgamation showing their championship credentials even at this early juncture.
To Sarsfields credit, they battled to the end despite playing second fiddle throughout. O'Callaghan added 1-1 before the end and Liam Crowley brought his tally to 0-5 but the game was long gone. Wolfe Tones comfortable winners.
Niall Gorry; Stephen Moran, Ciaran O'Gorman, Ronan Forde; Daragh McMahon, Paddy McGrath 0-1, Cillian Power; Aaron Carney 0-2, Jack Heading; Jack Couch 1-2 (1f), Vinny Teehan 0-2, Conor Egan 0-2; Mark Kiernan 3-3, Fergal Cronin 1-2 (1f), D Cronin 1-2 (1f).
Conor Hayes 0-3 for F Cronin (32), Jack Mulvihill for A Kearney (45), Kealan Murray for McMahon (56).
Oisin Power; Liam Og Dwyer, Damien Lynch ,Emmet O'Mahony; Fionan Sheehan, Conor O'Dwyer, Eoin O'Sullivan; David Bellew, Sean Fennell; Conor Lawless, Denis O'Calllaghan 0-2, Liam Crowley 0-5 (5f); Niall O'Connor, Danny Watson 1-1, Andrew Curran.
B David Breslin 1-0 for N O'Connor (23), Michael Og Aherne for D Lynch (46), Aidan Cooke for C O'Dwyer (46), Nick Cody for Curran (50).
PJ Cummins
