In association with Madden's Bar
Antrim Junior Hurling Championship - Final
Sarsfields 4-14
Lámh Dhearg 2-12
SARSFIELDS have clinched a league and championship double after managing to overcome a tough challenge from the 14-men from Hannahstown to record an eight-point win at Davitt Park on Sunday evening.
A devastating second-half finish blew Lámh Dhearg away, with the Paddies finding the net four times in a pulsating encounter before pulling clear to leave the Hannahstown men with too much ground to make up.
In a contest that swung back and forth throughout the opening exchanges, neither side was prepared to give an inch, but the Paddies found another gear when it mattered most, with Kevin Barry McArdle, Cormac Mulligan and Fionn Jemfrey all finding the net as the Lamh's were left reeling in the late flurry.
The Belfast rivals served up an entertaining opening, with the lead changing hands as both attacks looked capable of causing damage.
Donal McKernan opened the Sarsfields account after two minutes, but Lámh Dhearg struck back almost immediately when Adam Murray found the net to put the Hannahstown men in front after retrieving the sliotar from Gerard Smyth before burying his effort.
Daniel Smyth and Enda McCartan responded with points for the Paddies, while Gerard Smyth saw a goal effort deflected over the bar as Sarsfields began to threaten.
Murray converted a free at the other end, before Kevin Barry McArdle and Kevin McKernan added scores to the Paddies tally in an increasingly lively contest.
Fionn Jemfrey edged Sarsfields ahead again in the 13th minute, but Murray was becoming a major problem for the Paddies defence and the Lamh's marksman struck his second goal to swing the momentum back towards his side after a blistering solo run from the middle of the park.
Jemfrey replied with a point, only for Murray to produce another splendid effort as Lámh Dhearg continued to find answers whenever Sarsfields threatened to pull away.
The exchanges remained fierce, with McKernan converting a free before Donal McKernan delivered one of the scores of the opening half, curling a magnificent sideline effort between the posts.
Conor McConville helped restore the lead for the men from Hannahstown, but McKernan responded with a monster point to bring the sides level once more.
Then came a crucial breakthrough for the Paddies.
With the ball breaking back off the post, Kevin Barry McArdle reacted quickest, showing sharp instincts to bury the rebound and send Sarsfields into the lead with a major score just before the break and breaking the momentum.
Lámh Dhearg were not finished, however, and Murray opened the second-half scoring with a towering free to underline his influence on proceedings.
The Lámh's continued to battle, and Aidan McGuigan brought them level in the 35th minute as the contest threatened to go right down to the wire.
Mark Finnegan then fired Sarsfields back in front with a huge point, but Cormac Mulligan answered for Lámh Dhearg to restore parity in a game that refused to settle.
Murray edged his side ahead again, only for Jemfrey to match him at the opposite end. When McKernan floated over another free in the 47th minute, the Paddies had their noses in front once more, and the decisive spell was just around the corner.
Mulligan delivered the hammer blow for Sarsfields, bursting through to find the net in the 48th minute and put daylight between the sides.
The goal was a significant setback for Lámh Dhearg, and matters deteriorated further when Michael Herron was shown a red card in the 50th minute, leaving the Lamhs facing an uphill battle with their numerical disadvantage adding to the pressure.
Sarsfields seized their opportunity late on.
Jemfrey, who had been a constant thorn in the Lámh Dhearg defence, produced a superb goal in the 53rd minute to strengthen the Paddies' grip on the contest and leave their opponents with a mountain to climb.
Murray continued to carry a serious threat, but the closing stages belonged emphatically to Sarsfields as they turned a tight battle into a convincing victory.
McArdle supplied the final flourish in the 59th minute, flicking the ball over the line for his side's fourth goal and putting the icing on the cake of a ruthless finish.
The game did manage to creep past ten added minutes before the final whistle was sounded much to the jubilation for the men from the Bear Pit.
