Moorefield 0-16
Sarsfields 1-13
RAY CAHILL SCORED 10 points but still didn’t end up on the winning side as Moorefield launched a stunning late fightback to set up a replay of the Kildare SFC final at St Conleth’s Park next Sunday.
Sarsfields were probably over-reliant on Cahill but they looked certain to wrest the title from their Newbridge rivals with a run of seven points after the resumption that put them five clear with 11 minutes remaining.
Luke Dempsey’s men are renowned for the depth of their character however and having struggled for possession after the resumption, suddenly took control.
Bit by bit they whittled into the Sarsfields advantage and Adam Tyrrell was the hero as he rescued the Moores in injury time.
The second half was, in fact, a mirror image of the first, with Sarsfields on top in the opening quarter before Moorefield wrestled back the initiative at midfield and as a result, in the game.
When Declan McKenna finished smartly for a 17th creative work, Sarsfields were four points clear but they only managed another point in the opening period, while moorefield scored six to lead by 0-10 to 1-6 at half time.
Eanna O’Connor, son of former Kerry manager, Jack was responsible for the leveller and Niall Hurley-Lynch secured the lead point.
John Crofton will have been glad to get his charges in at the break and they certainly responded to his urgings impressively, with Cahill unerring from play and frees to give the Sash that apparently significant five-point advantage that proved just about enough to secure a second bite of the cherry next week.
Scorers for Sarsfields: R Cahill 0-10 (0-6f), D McKenna 1-1, B McCormack and R Fitzgibbon 0-1 each.
Scorers for Moorefield: A Tyrrell 0-6 (0-4f), E O’Connor 0-5 (0-4f, 0-1 ’45), C Kelly 0-2, R Glavin, N Hurley-Lynch and E Heavey 0-1 each.
SARSFIELDS:
1. P O’Sullivan
2. C Duffy
3. D McDonnell
4. S Lawlor
5. B Coffey
6. S Campbell
7. R Confrey
8. M Byrne
9. G White
10. R Fitzgibbon
11. R Cahill
12. M Browne
13. S Dempsey
14. A Smith
15. D McKenna
Subs
B McCormack for Dempsey (ht)
C Kavanagh for Fitzgibbon 56
C McInerney-Aspell for McCormack 60
MOOREFIELD
1. T Corley
2. L Callaghan
3. G Naughton
4. L Healy
5. R Houlihan
6.R Glavin
7. P O’Flynn
8. D Flynn
9. C O’Connor
10. A Tyrrell
11. C Kelly
12. K Murnaghan
13. E O’Connor
14. R Sweeney
15. N Hurley-Lynch
Subs
E Heavey for O’Flynn 22
J Lonergan for Naughton 40
K Duane for Flynn 53
J Murray for Glavin 56
REFEREE: N McKenna