Wade's goal puts Sarsfields on right track

Sarsfields  1-14 - Carnmore 1-12

A Kerril Wade goal just 14 seconds in may have set Sarsfields on their way, but as the scoreline underlines this was far from a comfortable victory for the New Inn/Bullaun men over a gritty Carnmore outfit at Kenny Park on Saturday evening.

Indeed, having manufactured an ideal start, following good work from Kevin Hynes, Alan Ward and Liam M. Kelly to set up Wade, Sarsfields subsequently found themselves in arrears seven minutes later when Carnmore’s sharpshooter Kevin Killilea goaled.

That all came about from a mistake from goalkeeper Ciarán Dolan who attempted to scoop the ball clear but instead he fluffed his lines and allowed Killilea and Carnmore in for what, at the time, was a tonic score.

In truth, the opening quarter lacked nothing in endeavour from both outfits with Wade tallying two frees to add to his goal but it was a plucky Carnmore outfit that led 1-4 to 1-2 by the 19th minute after Killilea (two frees), wing-back Eoin Grealish and centre-forward Barry Hanley registered a plethora of neat points.

Unfortunately for Carnmore, they would not score again for another 15 minutes – including first half injury time – while Mike Murray’s Sarsfields hit four unanswered points through Eanna Dolan, Niall Quinn and Wade (two frees) to take a 1-6 to 1-4 lead at the interval.

However, a feature of the opening half was the number of missed opportunities by both sides, with Sarsfields hitting eight wides and Carnmore clocking up six. The final tally was 13 to 10 respectively.

Added to this, Wade was unlucky not to add a second goal for Sarsfields on five minutes with an overhead pull that just went wide of the post while, for Carnmore’s part, Seamus Qualter’s charges were left to rue a number of efforts they struck short into the grateful arms of Sarsfields custodian Dolan.

Still, despite the waywardness of the shooting, the contest continued to command attention. A Wade free in the opening minute of the second period pushed the victors three ahead but Carnmore then came storming back to level at 1-7 apiece with points from Killilea (free), George Hanley and Barry Hanley.

All of that action took place in the opening four minutes of the half and there proved to be little or no let-up as Sarsfields centre-half back Joseph Cooney – a huge effort from distance – and Wade (free) both hit the target in the space of 90 seconds to shunt their side two in front again.

Full report in this week's Connacht Tribune.