KILDARE SFC FINAL Moorefield 0-13 Sarsfields 1-8:THIS WAS an enormously satisfying win for Moorefield, not just because of the blindly determined finish which ultimately sealed it.
Few clubs have a greater football rivalry than Moorefield and Sarsfields, given their proximity at opposite ends of Newbridge, and the fact they’d already shared six of the last 10 county titles between them.
They even share colours (green) and origins (a field) — but now Moorefield get the bragging rights over Sarsfields for 2010. They did it the hard way, coming from five points down with 15 minutes to go to smother the hopes of Sarsfields, who had held a commanding position until then.
Yet had Moorefield lost they could have no excuses, beyond their overall total of 15 wides. They were the more creative team throughout, but only made that count in the closing stages.
Two late frees from big Roly Sweeney finally brought them level with two minutes remaining, before Jason Phillips – who had actually been replaced and only just reappeared – fired over the winner. Keith Dunne, man of the match, then made sure with his fourth point from play.
So it’s Moorefield’s sixth Kildare title in all, and fifth since 2000, and will also be enormously satisfying for first year manager and former Dublin All-Ireland winner Jack Sheedy.
Both clubs fairly packed out the old grounds of St Conleth’s Park, but for a good while there was nothing much to cheer about. After a tentative and poor start, both teams finally started playing some decent football towards the end of the first half.
It took Sarsfields 21 minutes to register their first point, but were suddenly five points up at half time – 1-4 to 0-2. The goal just before the break was impressively set up by Alan Barry and finished by Morgan O’Sullivan.
Sarsfields lost midfielder and captain Gary White to injury at half-time, but appeared to press on without him, matching Moorefield score for score in the next 15 minutes, to stay 1-8 to 0-6 in front.
Moorefield continued to have serious target issues, and looked to have kicked their chances away before Duane, Brian McGrogan and Sweeney finally found the range.
Amazingly, Sarsfields seemed content to defend their advantage, but that proved their undoing. Moorefield ran at them with increasing confidence, and when Sweeney levelled it up on 28 minutes it looked like Moorefield’s to lose. Again, they very nearly did when they hit their 15th wide, and also dropped a shot short.
But when Sarsfields failed to make their last chance count at the other end, up popped Phillips – freshly sprung again from the bench – to finally seal the deal in Moorefield’s favour.
Recuperation time will be brief as they move on to play Laois champions Portlaoise in the Leinster championship next weekend.
MOOREFIELD: T Corley; L Callaghan, K O'Neill, I Lonergan; Kenny Duane, L Keane, K Murnaghan; D Whyte, G Naughton; C Kelly (0-1), R Sweeney (0-3, two frees), Keith Duane (0-4); B McGrogan (0-3), J Philips (0-1), P Murray (0-1). Subs: D Flynn for Keane (36 mins); P O'Flynn for Kenny Duane (46 mins); P Woulfe for Phillips (47 mins), N Lynch for Kelly (50 mins); Phillips for O'Neill (60 mins).
SARSFIELDS: G Slicker; J Kavanagh, S Campbell, A McLernon; N Hedderman, R Murphy, C Duffy; G Whyte, A Barry; M Browne, M O'Sullivan (1-1), C Tiernan (0-1); A Smith (0-4, two frees), C Dempsey (0-1, a free), R Confrey (0-1). Subs: E O'Sullivan for White (ht inj), C Carey for Hedderman (49 mins), P Brennan for Confrey (55 mins).
Referee: Brendan Hickey.
