August 17th 20008
Senior Football – exciting day for Shels in debut game.
Shels 1-9 Sarsfields 1-6
In a rain lashed Wexford Park, Shels made their WFC Oil Senior Football Debut. New man Garret Dunne (ex-Fethard ) got the ball rolling after 30 seconds and scored the Shels first ever point in Senior Football. However Sarsfields responded with 0-2 from Jason Murphy and 0-1 from Ciaran O’Leary in the first 9 minutes. Sarsfields senior experience was showing and their use of the ball in the weather conditions was very economical. Their attacking options had Shels under pressure and while Terry Gainfort scored a point for Shels the Sars set up a well worked goal which was finished by Philip Cullen. However after that body blow the Shels really got going. Clive Lawler, Alan Griffith and David Walsh started to dominate around the middle and Stephen Banville was doing good work up front. 0-3 from S.Banville, G.Dunne and A.Griffith to 0-1 from Kevin Gore for the Sars left the half time score at 1-4 to 0-5.
After regrouping at half time both teams really went for it. In the first 10 minutes the Sars made 3 or 4 good attacks but they were well snuffed out by the Shels. T.Gainfort missed a great goal chance and the game was starting to heat up. A lot of names were entering the referees book. The Shels attacked and defended well through S.Banville, C.Lawler, A.Griffith, David Walsh and A.Murphy and while they were dominant, they were not scoring enough. 0-2 from S.Banville and A.Griffith brough the sides level and one could sense that the Shels were going to win at this stage. P.Cullen restored the Sars lead with a good point from a very tight angle but that was their last score. Eoin Doyle replaced Derek Walsh for the Shels after 50 minutes and his composure was obvious immediately. S.Banville gathered a high ball, aided by Doyle, and his pile driver, going for a point, ended up in the net – 53 minutes gone, this was exactly what the Shels needed. E.Doyle quickly added two more points from play and the game was gone from the Sarsfields. Even though T.Gainfort was sent off for a second yellow card, the Shels defended bravely and deserved to win in their first game at Senior Football.
Team
Padraig McMahon
Mark Walsh
Colm Tynan
Ciaran O’Shaughnessy
Tommy Barron
David Walsh
Brian Malone
Clive Lawler
Garret Dunne 0-2
Alan Griffith 0-2
Aidan Murphy
Colin Redmond
Derek Walsh
Stephen Banville 1-2
Terry Gainfort 0-1
Subs
Eoin Doyle for Derek Walsh (50 mins) 0-2