O’Flaherty makes champions Moorefield pay for late wides

CHAMPIONS Moorefield were sensationally beaten by Carbury in a dramatic Kildare SFC tie that saw county star Eoghan O’Flaherty kick the winner from a free.

Carbury led at half time by 0-5 to 0-4, but a second-half goal from sub Niall Hurley-Lynch looked to have given Moorefield the initiative.

By then Jack Sheedy’s side were without Ronan Sweeney, who scored all four points in the first half until injury brought a premature end to his game. Level in the dying moments, Moorefield wasted two scoring chances before O’Flaherty slotted the winner for a 0-11 to 1-7 victory.

Kildare star James Kavanagh rescued a point for Ballymore in what was a sensational comeback against Clane.

Trailing by six points at the interval, having conceded three goals in the first half, Ballymore held Clane to just two points in the second half while they scored 0-9.

Clane were in a commanding position at the break after netting goals through Conor Murphy, Cathal Geoghegan and Bernard Deay.

Leading 3-3 to 0-6, it looked like victory was a formality for the all whites but they were reeled in during a dramatic second half which ended with Kavanagh’s equaliser deep into injury-time.

St Laurence’s, 2009 county champions, made hard work of it against doughty St Kevin’s. Level at 0-4 apiece at half time, the Larries eventually got on top after the break to work their way to an 0-11 to 0-6 victory.

There was plenty of drama in a closely fought contest between Leixlip and Round Towers, with the winning score arriving six minutes into injury-time. Towers looked like they had rescued a point, scoring four points on the trot to draw level, but David Jordan’s injury-time free secured a 2-12 to 1-14 win.

James Eaton and Darroch Mulhall scored 2-5 between them as Athy finished six points clear of Suncroft.

This was far from Athy’s most polished performance and they will need to up their game in the rounds ahead as they won by 2-10 to 0-10.

It was a real derby affair in north Kildare as Maynooth edged Kilcock in a low-scoring contest.

Level at 0-2 apiece at the break, the sides didn’t score from play until the second half and, after Kilcock drew level in the closing stages, Maynooth’s John McAndrew landed the winning free in the 59th minute.

Sarsfields got the better of Celbridge when they pulled away in the second half to claim a five-point win (0-17 to 0-12). The Sash led 0-9 to 0-5 at the change over and were never in trouble in the second half, picking off their scores to complete a comfortable win.

John Doyle missed a first-half penalty for Allenwood in the final game of round two.

It didn’t look costly as Niall O’Callaghan hit two goals to put the Blues in front after Allenwood had conceded a brace of goals in the first quarter. Conor Mellet and Eoin Doyle found the net for Naas but the county town had to score the last seven points to sneak a 2-13 to 2-12 win.

nSFC Round 3 draw: Sarsfields v Naas; Athy v Carbury; St Laurence’s v Ballymore; Round Towers v Moorefield; Suncroft v Clane; Celbridge v Kilcock; St Kevin’s v Maynooth; Leixlip v Allenwood.