Moorefield 2-9
Sarsfields 0-15
Robert Cribbin Reports from St Conleths Park, Newbridge
BARRY COFFEY WAS the Sarsfields hero as his last-gasp point grabbed a draw against Moorefield in the Kildare senior football championship final.
Coffey was arguably the best player on the pitch as he kicked five points throughout and his 65th-minute point spoiled the Moorefield party.
First-half goals from Mark McDermott and Eanna O’Connor gave Moorefield an ideal start but they couldn’t shake off their neighbours and they must now wait at least a week if they are to complete a three-in-a-row.
Sarsfields went in as underdogs but after beating Moorefield earlier in the Championship and now drawing the final they will feel they are in a good place ahead of the replay which takes place next Sunday, with a 2pm throw-in.
It was a hectic end-to-end start in the eight meeting of Sarsfields and Moorefield in a County Final as Ray Cahill kicked the Sash in front in the opening minute.
Moorefield replied with a point from Aaron Masterson before the three-in-a-row chasing side got a goal in the fourth minute when Mark Dempsey released a pass to Mark McDermott for the full forward to score under the body of Patrick O’Sullivan.
Sarsfields hit back with a score from distance by Coffey but Moorefield still made all the early running with successive efforts from Eddie Heavey.
Alan Smith then got Sarsfields within three points but a second Moorefield goal had the champions clear when Heavey fed O’Connor to score.
That left Sarsfields trailing on a 2-3 to 0-3 scoreline after only 10 minutes but scores from Cahill and Ben McCormack kept them in touch while Declan McKenna also went close with a few attempts at goal — one flashed wide and Ian McDonnell saved the other.
The sides then exchanged scores with Moorefield points from Liam Callaghan and O’Connor being cancelled out by Coffey and Caoimhin McDonnell.
As a result, Moorefield led entering the end of the half on a 2-5 to 0-7 scoreline but scores from Cahill and Matty Byrne left Sarsfields within two points at the break. They could have even led as Alan Smith rifled a close in shot off the crossbar.
Moorefield, despite introducing both Adam Tyrrell and Roli Sweeney, were sluggish for much of the early part of the second half with two points from Cahill — one from play, one from a free — levelling proceedings.
Coffey was running the show in a playmaker role for Davy Burke’s Sarsfields team and two brilliant points either side of a Tyrrell effort for Moorefield had the Sash 0-13 to 2-06 in front entering the final quarter.
Sweeney, who was aiming to land his 10th county medal with Moorefield, then went off with a serious-looking injury after shipping a massive hit but it seemed to inspire his colleagues with consecutive O’Connor frees edging them into a one-point lead.
A barren scoring spell soon followed with Coffey having a chance to kick Sarsfields level but his shot went just by the post.
Cahill, with his sixth point, did soon level the game but O’Connor, at the start of stoppage time, looked to have given Moorefield the win.
Sarsfields refused to die though with an exquisite attempt from near the sideline by Coffey levelling up the game and forcing a replay.
Moorefield scorers: Eanna O’Connor 1-4 (2 frees), Eddie Heavey 0-2, Mark McDermott 1-0, Adam Tyrrell 0-1, Aaron Masterson 0-1, Liam Callaghan 0-1.
Sarsfields scorers: Ray Cahill 0-6 (3 frees), Barry Coffey 0-5, Matty Byrne 0-1, Caoimhin McDonnell 0-1, Ben McCormack 0-1 (free), Alan Smith 0-1.
Moorefield
1. Ian McDonnell
2. Liam Callaghan
3. Liam Healy
4. Mark Dempsey
5. Kevin Murnaghan
6. James Murray
7. Sean Healy
8. Aaron Masterson
9. David Whyte
10. Cian O’Connor
11. Eddie Heavey
12. Anthony Durney
13. Niall Hurley-Lynch
14. Mark McDermott
15. Eanna O’Connor
Subs
Adam Tyrrell for Hurley Lynch (31)
Roli Sweeney for Durney (35)
Daryll Flynn for Sweeney (49)
Sean Dempsey for M.Dempsey (57)
Eamonn Callaghan for McDermott (58)
Sarsfields
1. Paddy O’Sullivan
2. Ciaran McEnerney Aspell
3. Sean Campbell
4. Tom Aspell
5. Con Kavanagh
6. Cian McConnell
7. Shea Ryan
8. Matty Byrne
9. Caoimhin McDonnell
10. Barry Coffey
11. Ben McCormack
12. Conor Hartley
13. Declan McKenna
14. Ray Cahill
15. Alan Smith
Subs
Darragh Ryan for McConnell (17)
Brian McDonnell for McEnerney Aspell (54)
Cian Costigan for McKenna (57)
Shane Doyle for Cahill (60).
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