Experience Prevails for Sarsfields

In the early stages of this match things weren’t looking too good for Sarsfields. As might have been expected St. Peter’s saw this match as a possible first win of the season and they came out with all guns blazing. Sarsfields sent a couple of chances wide, but the livelier Peters side hit over a couple of early points and were beginning to dominate in terms of possession. Sarsfields hit a further couple of chances wide and had a ‘point’ cancelled out by the referee after the umpires disagreed over the score. The home side sent over a free and things were looking poor enough for the nervous looking Highmoss side. The Hoops followed this with a further wide from a forty-five and a handy chance was dropped into the keeper’s hands to further reduce the team’s confidence. Sarsfields fortunes turned on a great piece of play from Paul McGeown and he had the presence of mind after a run to send the ball across the goal for Paul McGaughey to palm the ball to the net. Chris McGaughey quickly added a point and in the space of a minute St. Peter’s had gone behind after being in control. Chris had a great chance to add a goal to his tally but saw the chance go wide of the post. Gaining confidence Sarsfields piled the pressure on the Peter’s and two Paul McGeown frees edged them three ahead. In an attempt to gain primary possession St. Peter’s tried a short kick-out, but directed it to a grateful Chris McGaughey who carried the ball in, passed to Michael Stevenson who blasted the ball to the net with a super shot. To compound the misery for the Freecrow men they had a goal chance disallowed after the forward was deemed to have pushed Mark Reynolds in the back. To be fair the referee seemed certain of the foul, but had a Sarsfields man had a similar goal disallowed, undoubtedly the Highmoss contingent wouldn’t have been happy. Paul McGaughey added a point to give the Highmoss a seven point half time lead. Crucially Sarsfields after a slow start had hit 2-04 without reply.
St. Peter’s began the second half, much as they had done in the first half. The hit over a couple of quick points, hit a couple of chances wide and had a goal chance, but Darren Breen cleared the danger. Eamon McGeown responded with a great point from outside the ‘45’. However the home side hit back and four points without reply made it a two point game and it looked like Sarsfields were going to throw away their lead. Certainly the Highmoss seemed to have lost their direction and several good attacks were wasted, including a great goal chance for Michael Stevenson who possibly carried the ball too close to the Peter’s keeper who smothered the shot superbly. It is often said that goals change games, but as this match entered the last five minutes it was a Johnny Reynolds point that stemmed the tide and turned things in Sarsfields’ favour. It brought the lead back to three points and inspired the team. Chris McGaughey quickly added the insurance point and Mark and Johnny Reynolds added points to make the game totally safe. Had the game gone on the more experienced Highmoss team would almost certainly increased their lead over a deflated St. Peter’s side.