Mayo man leads Sarsfields to county semi-final victory in Kildare
In a battle of two Mayo managers, it was Sarsfields who prevailed while there was disappointment for two Mayo men in the Dublin county final.
Over the weekend, Vinnie Walsh’s Sarsfields produced a scintillating second-half display to book their place in the Kildare Senior Football Championship final, overcoming Celbridge by eight points after a fiercely contested semi-final.
The Newbridge outfit showed their quality and depth when it mattered most, pulling clear in the closing stages to secure a deserved victory and set up a county final meeting with Maynooth, who emerged from the same group as their opponents.
For Claremorris native Walsh, the victory was particularly sweet after Sarsfields suffered heartbreak in their previous two semi-final appearances. His side had to dig deep against a Celbridge team whose direct running and goal threat caused plenty of problems, but their superior impact from the bench ultimately proved decisive.
“It kind of played out like I thought it would,” Walsh explained afterwards, acknowledging the physicality and attacking approach of their opponents led by Costello. “I said that they were a hard-running team and they go direct and they hit hard and they run hard and get goals off the end of it. I knew that was coming in the first half.” Sarsfields had threatened to take control when they moved four or five points clear, but Celbridge struck back with two goals from their direct approach, swinging the momentum of the contest and leaving Walsh with concerns as the sides battled for supremacy.
The Sarsfields manager admitted he was particularly disappointed with the first concession, believing his team had been in a strong position before allowing Celbridge back into the game. “I was disappointed with the first goal they got because after we got that goal we were kind of in control of the game,” he said. “I knew they were going to go for that direct long kick-out and try to get a goal off the end of it.”
Celbridge’s ability to punish Sarsfields in transition ensured the contest remained finely balanced, but Walsh remained confident that his squad had the depth and fitness to finish strongly. With Celbridge threatening to build further momentum, Shea Ryan and Kyle Harnett produced crucial defensive work, tracking Fergal Conroy and preventing another dangerous attack from developing into a third goal.
Walsh identified that intervention as a key moment, with Sarsfields subsequently regaining control through a combination of patient attacking play, accurate finishing and fresh legs. “I knew we'd have a big kick off the bench,” he said. “I felt our bench had an awful lot more of an impact than their bench. So that was what got us over the line.” The replacements did more than simply protect the lead, according to Walsh, with Sarsfields continuing to attack and stretching Celbridge across the field as the game moved towards its conclusion.
“Each sub came on not just to control the game, they came on to really push it home,” he added. “We just had boys coming from too many different angles.” The eight-point winning margin reflected Sarsfields’ late dominance, although Celbridge had ensured they were made to work hard for their place in the decider. For Walsh, reaching the final represents a significant breakthrough after the disappointment of the previous two semi- finals, particularly the narrow defeat that followed a drawn encounter and replay. “I’m absolutely delighted to be in the final,” he said. “Lost the last two semi-finals. I was devastated to lose that one like that. At half-time, I was like, ‘Oh Jesus, I’ll be going to lose another one.’ But no, the boys dug in. We really believe in what we’re doing this year.”
Sarsfields now face a fascinating showdown with Maynooth, with both clubs emerging as the remaining contenders following the exits of several of the championship favourites. Walsh believes the final will bring together two of the competition’s strongest sides, with his team now focused on preparing properly for the challenge ahead. “We’re both teams, I think the two informed teams,” he said. “It’s going to be a really good game of football.”
Sarsfields will hope their semi-final resilience and the strength of their panel can carry them through another demanding afternoon as they bid to secure the county title.
Mayo duo fall short in Dublin final
There was disappointment for Mayo duo John Vahey and Shairoize Akram as their maiden appearance in a Dublin Senior Football Championship final ended in defeat to Cuala at Parnell Park on Sunday.
The Castleknock side, featuring the two Mayo men, were unable to match Cuala, who delivered a commanding performance to claim a convincing 3-15 to 1-6 victory and lift the Dublin county title. Cuala’s three goals proved central to the outcome, with their attacking threat and scoring power creating a difficult afternoon for Castleknock in the county decider.
For Vahey and Akram, the occasion represented a significant milestone, having helped Castleknock reach their second Dublin senior final. However, they ultimately had to settle for runners-up medals as Cuala proved too strong on the day.
Despite the disappointment of the final result, reaching the showpiece occasion marked an important achievement for Castleknock, while the Mayo pair will look to take encouragement from their involvement in a memorable championship campaign in Dublin.
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