25th July @Sarsfields GAA
Intermediate ‘A’ Hurling Championship
Round 3
Sarsfields 3-11 
Ardclough 1-13

1

Sarsfields got the goals needed to overcome a weakened Ardclough side in Newbridge.

Sarsfields built on their single point win over Kill last time out, while Ardclough were looking to get back on track following an away loss to Kilcock in the last round.

Ardclough keeper Mike Hogan stopped Sarsfields from getting a great start when he put his body on the line to save from point-blank range.

Declan Higgins then got the scoreboard ticking when he drove the ball low to the back of the Sash net from a free after eight minutes – only for Sarsfields to return with a goal of their own four minutes later.

Sarsfields fared the better in the second fifteen minutes of the half, goaling on the 17th and 26th minute to outscore Ardclough by 2-03 to 0-04 in the remainder of the half to lead by six point at the break.

Half-Time:
Sarsfields 3-05
Ardclough 1-05

In a very open and keenly contested second half it was Sarsfields who extended their lead early on with a free from Brendan Cawley.

Ardclough centre-back Enda Duane got the fight-back underway with a long distance score. Both sides continued to swap points midway through the half and Sarsfields out-shot Ardclough four points to two in the next 6 scores.

Ardclough though gave it one last push in the closing ten minutes with points from Padraig O’Malley, Declan Higgins (3) and a long range effort from Kieran Brady bringing the margin back down to three points.

But that’s as close as they got and Sarsfields tagged on the final score to earn a four point win.

Ardclough are now third in the table and will take on Moorefield at home in the next round, on the 8th of August.

 Best for Ardclough: Declan Higgins, Ben O’Connor and Tadhg McCarthy

 Ardclough team:
Mike Hogan; Cormac McCarthy, John Coulston, Tadhg McCarthy; Kieran Brady, Enda Duane, Diarmuid Carr; Tristan McGarr, Barry Molloy; Declan Higgins, Dermot Coulston, Matthew Stapleton; Richard Kearney, Padraig O’Malley, Ben O’Connor