Deserved win over Pearse Óg

Armagh Senior League Sarsfields 1-12 Pearse Óg 1-09
Pearse Óg were quick to get in behind the Sarsfields defence and were denied a goal by a superb Darran McAvoy save. The Highmoss keepers was deemed to have handled the ball on the ground and the visitors were off the mark with the handiest of frees. Richie Stevenson replied for Sarsfields and with a goal chance possibly on he opted for the point. Pearse Óg though were to dominate the first quarter, certainly in terms of taking their chances. They hit three points without reply against three wides from the Highmoss and this was the difference between the sides. A Pearse Óg goal put the visitors in control. It was well worked with an Ógs forward collecting a ball too easily in behind the Sarsfields defence. The finish was somewhat fortuitous with the ball coming off the woodwork and hitting off the incoming Peter Stevenson. These things happen in football, but no doubt Peter wouldn’t have been too enamoured with the fact that the match was being videoed. When the Ógs tagged on a point it looked a long way back for the Highmoss with them being seven in arrears. This however was a situation that Sarsfields have found themselves in a few matches this season and the team knew they were capable of making a comeback. Paul McGaughey stopped the rot with the first Highmoss point in quarter of an hour. In a period of dominance Richie Stevenson added a free, Paul McGaughey hit his second point and Eimeid Murray finished off a well worked move to the net. From what looked like certain defeat, there was now only a point between the sides. Sarsfields continued to dominate but couldn’t convert that possession into scores. The visitors tagged on a couple of points and saw a handy chance go wide, but in the final minutes of the half Paul McGeown, Chris McGaughey and Paul McGaughey hit over points from play to bring the sides level. It was no more than Sarsfields deserved and the guys that had hit these points had deserved, given their workrate.
Sarsfields continued their good form in the second half and quick points from Richie Stevenson and Eamon McGeown had them in front for the first time in the match. Pearse Óg hit over a free, but a Johnny Reynolds free held the two point cushion for the Highmoss. Despite being the better team Sarsfields were finding scores hard to come by. A Richie Stevenson free edged the lead out to three points, but the team just couldn’t seem to get that insurance point. Both teams had ‘disputed points’ disallowed by the referee despite the protestations of players and umpires, so the fact that both arguments were cancelled out left no room for complaint. In the closing moments the visitors pulled a point back, leaving a most uncomfortable two point lead. Sarsfields though held most of the possession and a super injury time point from Richie Stevenson ensured that the Highmoss would not be defeated. Scores were hard to come by, but all the players from nine to fifteen had scored and the work-rate throughout the team had been good. Maybe a video camera should be set up at every match? Peter might not wish to replay the Ógs goal, but he can pick out quite a few examples of a great defensive performance. The two point second half tally for the visitors tells that tale.