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Juniors unable to cope with young Shels
Shelmaliers 3-11, Sarsfields 1-7
A speedier, fitter and more skilful Shelmaliers side
always had the edge over District rivals Sarsfields in this
Roban Financial and Mortgages Junior 'C' football
championship Group 1 encounter in Wexford Park on Sunday
last.
The victors paraded many of the players who have blazed a
trail on the under-age scene in recent years, and their
ability to always create an overlap while coming through
from midfield left the town team in all sorts of bother.
Indeed, the outcome was all but decided in the opening
quarter as the Shels eased into a 1-5 to nil lead by the
13th minute, with one of their more seasoned campaigners,
Denis Kelly, pulling a lot of the strings.
Their first score was a family affair as Denis and Michael
combined to set up Joe for a point. Denis and James Murphy
followed suit before the former picked out Brian O¹Connor
for a well-worked goal in the tenth minute (1-3 to nil).
Murphy and David Kenny had added points before Jack Ennis
got Sarsfields off the mark from a free after 14 minutes,
but it got worse before it got better for the eventual
losers. Indeed, they conceded a further two goals before
half-time, with Denis Kelly once again creating the opening
for Brian O'Connor to fire in his second in the 22nd minute.
Joe Kelly bundled in another major from a David Kenny cross
in added time, leaving Shelmaliers with an interval lead of
3-6 to 0-3.
They never looked in any real danger as the second period
progressed, with Denis Kelly hitting the crossbar while
lively substitute Stephen Cash struck a trio of points.
However, a Francis Dempsey goal in the 56th minute did spark
a Sarsfields revival, with a second effort from the same
player kept out by Thomas Moore's boot shortly afterwards.
Referee Justin Heffernan didn't agree that it was a foul by
the netminder, and Kevin Carty received a second yellow card
for his protestations.
Adam Doyle, who went to full-forward after the break while
Damien Dempsey manned the posts, then hit the post and also
had another effort well saved, but the points ended up where
they belonged with the superior Shels.
Shelmaliers: Thomas Moore; Niall Kelly, Colm Tynan, Conor
O¹Shaughnessy; Seamie Harding, Paudie Quill, Ciarán
O¹Shaughnessy; Denis Kelly (0-1), Conor Walsh (0-1); Eoin
Doyle (0-1 free), Michael Kelly, James Murphy (0-2); David
Kenny (0-1), Joe Kelly (1-1), Brian O¹Connor (2-0). Subs. -
Stephen Cash (0-3) for Doyle, André O¹Brien for Harding,
Brendan Larkin for Murphy, Thomas Byrne (0-1) for J. Kelly.
Sarsfields: Adam Doyle (0-1 ¹45); James Whelan, Donal Walsh,
Damien Dempsey; Justin Whitty, Brian Furlong, Lloyd Byrne;
Seán Ó Corcora (0-1), Paul Gannon (0-1); Blayne Dalton,
Kevin Carty, Dylan Sparrow; Rory Carty, Jack Ennis (0-3, 2
frees), Francis Dempsey (1-0). Subs. - John Dempsey for
Byrne, Killian Lawlor (0-1) for R. Carty.
Referee: Justin Heffernan (Blackwater). |
