Sarsfields show true grit in surviving fierce onslaught

 Loughrea 3-13

Alan Dooley at Kenny Park

WHEN Loughrea full forward Darren Shaughnessy turned inside to shoot from a central position twenty metres out from the Sarsfields goal deep into stoppage time, an unlikely comeback appeared set for an astonishing finale in Sunday’s gripping U20 A1 final.

Two points in arrears, a goal was the only option for Shaughnessy, who had already played a huge part in Loughrea’s revival with an earlier green flag. But as the enthralled crowd held its collective breath, the sliotar whistled wide of the left upright at the Town end of Kenny Park and Sarsfields had survived a heartstopping scare.

How had it come to this? Twenty minutes earlier Sarsfields had one hand firmly on the trophy when Jordan McMahon drilled a shot to the net to cap a superbly-crafted attack propelled by Alex Connaire and Fiachra Garvey. A five-point half time advantage had morphed into a comfortable cushion of nine, despite the concession of a Kieran Hanrahan goal 15 seconds after the restart.

Sarsfields were seemingly cruising, with Connaire and Liam Donohue in commanding form in the middle third, assisted by flashes of brilliance from John Cooney, but there was a kick left in Loughrea. By the second water break the lead had been trimmed to just four, as Michael Murray, Shane Corrigan and Shane Morgan pointed alongside Shaughnessy’s well-taken goal.

Loughrea were now hurling with a purpose and intensity that had Sarsfields on edge, but the storm appeared to have been weathered as Adam Donohue and Connaire (free) pointed to push them five clear once again. Tiernan Killeen then hit back for Loughrea before Shaughnessy was fouled on the run, with Killeen rattling a shot off the post during the advantage and Corrigan depositing the rebound to the net.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.

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