Andersonstown SC Antrim Intermediate Hurling Championship Group One, 

Sarsfields 1-25 Oisin, Glenariffe 4-16

MICHAEL O’Boyle saved Oisin's blushes at the Bear Pit on Wednesday evening after Sarsfield’s overturned a seven-point deficit at the break in their thrilling draw. 

A double from David Kearney and further goals from Seamus McDonnell and Caolan O’Connor had given the visitors a 4-9 to 1-11 lead at the midway point. 

However, Sarsfield’s slowly clawed their way back into the game and levelled late on before Kevin McKernan looked to have steered them to victory. 

It wasn’t to be as O’Boyle salvaged a draw for Oisin’s with the final play to ensure that the sides would leave with the share of the spoils in an entertaining Group One clash. 

Oisin’s hit the front from their first attack through a Seamus McDonnell point, but Kevin McKernan executed a sideline cut between the posts in response. 

The opening goal arrived after four minutes when a high ball landed in the square and McDonnell rifled low to the Sarsfield’s net to give his side a 1-1 to 0-1 lead. 

Niall McKenna and Alex O’Boyle (free) traded scores and the duo then landed terrific efforts from range shortly after. 

Sarsfield’s closed the deficit to a single point after Daniel McKernan floated an angled shot between the posts and Niall McKenna notched up his third point of the half. 

A converted Alex O’Boyle free brought his personal tally to 0-3 but his side fell behind approaching the quarter-hour mark. 

A free from Niall McKenna dropped short of the target but Ryan Carson flicked the loose ball to the net to give the Paddies a 1-5 to 1-4 advantage. 

McKenna extended the lead after picking up the loose ball and swinging a high effort between the posts. 

Oisin’s restored parity thanks to an angled effort that spun between the posts from Seamus McDonnell and a third free from Alex O’Boyle. 

Sarsfield’s edged in front again when Kevin McKernan dropped a ball on top of Niall McKenna to float a shot accurately over the bar. 

On 18 minutes, the lead changed hands again and Oisin’s would stay in control for the majority of the evening. 

The visitors hit the front for the third time in the half courtesy of a low David Kearney strike that squeezed into the net to make it 2-6 to 1-7. 

Caolan O’Connor finds the net
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Caolan O’Connor finds the net

In response, Donal Moran landed a fantastic point from range, but that was brief respite as Glenariff found a second goal in as many minutes and their third inside of 20 minutes. 

Naoise Ó Faoláin did well to keep the initial effort from Seamus McDonnell at bay but could do nothing to prevent Caolan O’Connor from sweeping the rebound home from close range to give his side a 3-6 to 1-8 lead. 

Points were traded in the aftermath between Niall McKenna and Alex O’Boyle before Sarsfield’s talisman McKenna converted his first free of the evening. 

Six minutes before the break a fourth goal increased Glenariff’s advantage - it was a second goal of the game for David Kearney after previous goal scorer O’Connor slipped the ball through on the overlap and Kearney fizzed a low effort to the net to make it 4-7 to 1-10. 

Further points from Alex O’Boyle (free) and Caolan O’Connor extended the visitors’ increasing lead with Donal Moran producing another effort from range that dropped between the posts to ensure the Paddies ended the half with a point but were 4-9 to 1-11 in arrears and had work to do in order to salvage anything from proceedings. 

Back-to-back Alex O’Boyle points at the beginning of the second half extended his side's lead, the first coming from his fifth placed ball and a third score from play would follow. 

In response, Niall McKenna dropped a free over the bar to get the Paddies up and running but they were unable to make further inroads and as the respective free-takers traded further placed balls. 

Sarsfield’s had clocked up three scores on the spin with McKenna taking a fine pass from Ryan Carson and guiding the ball between the posts and Kevin McKernan landing a shot over from range to reduce arrears to six. 

For the eighth time in the evening, talisman O’Boyle and McKenna cancelled each other out from frees. 

Oisin’s inched further clear when Donal Kearney delivered the ball up the channel and substitute Paul McDonnell floated a shot between the posts. 

Momentum was slowly shifting as the Paddies landed five scores unanswered, Niall McKenna brought his free tally to five with another two placed balls in-between a fine Kevin McKernan effort. 

Half-time substitute Darragh McGuinness made his presence felt and Daniel McKernan squeezed a high angled effort inside the posts to make it a two-point game with little under 10 minutes remaining. 

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Alex O’Boyle briefly halted the comeback, converting his eighth free of the contest- although Sarsfield’s soon picked up where they left off. 

Anthony McGarrigle picked out Enda McCartan on the overlap and he directed a high shot over the bar.  

The bare minimum separated the sides when Kevin McKernan sent an effort over the bar from range for his fourth point and with a minute to go the hosts tied things up. 

McKernan found the run of brother Daniel who flighted his shot between the posts to make it 1-24 to 4-15. 

The home side sensed victory was within the taking and they hit the front in time added on with Kevin McKernan doing enough to steer his shot over the bar. 

Oisin’s were now the side under pressure but continued to advance into the hosts’ attacking third courtesy of winning a few side-line balls. 

Eventually, their opportunity to restore parity came and Michael O’Boyle seized it- landing the late pressure shot- which would prove to be the final act of the evening to secure a 1-25 to 4-16 draw as both sides left content with a point a piece in the end. 

SARSFIELD’S: N Ó Faoláin, D Johnston, J Cunningham, M McCavanagh, N Ó Maoláin, E Rodgers, D Moran (0-2), E McCartan (0-1), K McKernan (0-5, 0-1f), A McGarrigle, D McKernan (0-3), R Carson (1-0), D McKernan Snr, N McKenna (0-13, 0-5f), C McKernan. 

Subs: B Jackson for N Ó Faoláin (HT), D McGuinness (0-1) for D McKernan Snr (HT), M Johnston for M McCavanagh (HT). 

OISIN’S: P McMullan, M Haughey, N Murray, Daniel Kearney, Donal Kearney, CR Patterson, M Gettens, O Kearney, S McIntosh, A O’Boyle (0-11, 0-8f), D Kearney (2-0), O Gillan, M O’Boyle (0-1), S McDonnell (1-2), C O’Connor (1-1). 

Subs: P McDonnell (0-01) for O Gillan (40), D McKillop for S McIntosh (49), A Cosgrove for O Kearney (55). 

REFEREE: Kevin Parke (Naomh Éanna)