Sarsfields GAA Club 1897 – 2010

The Early Years

Sarsfields has over a century of history behind it. In 1897, the club was founded with its headquarters in Roseberry and registered as ” Sons of Sarsfield Gaelic Football Club”. The green jersey with the Sash was the chosen club colours and has continued as such to the present day.

On the playing fields Sarsfields won its first championship within seven years, annexing the 1904 title when beating Naas in Clane, in a delayed final played in January 1905. Combining with Clane, Sarsfields under the captaincy of Jack Murray won the 1905 All Ireland as Kildare representatives.

Nine Sarsfields players played on the Kildare team that reached the All Ireland final in 1903, Jack and Mick Fitzgeralds, Jim and Mick Murray, Jack Gorman, Matt Donnelly, Jem Scott, Mick Kennedy and Frank ‘Joyce” Conlan. A nephew of the team captain Jack Murray was Mick Geraghty who featured in the emergence of the new Sarsfields club that won five titles in seven years after 1945, including a three-in-a-row 1950-2.

For the next decade Sarsfields dominated Kildare football, only a Monasterevin intervention in 1911 prevented the Sash winning nine titles in a row.

1945 – 1952

The next golden era was the 1945 – 1952 period, winning championships in 1945, 1947 and culminating in a three in a row 1950 – 1952. Remarkably, considering the quality of teams from Carbury, Raheens, Clane and indeed Sarsfields over the years no club has managed to win thee in succession since that time.

The 1980’s

Sarsfields had to wait thirty years for their next championship win in 1982 when a team captained by Mick Walshe and including Dermot Earley, Tom Shaw, Bernie Geraghty, Pat (Joiner) Murphy, Kevin Nolan, Joe Murphy,  John Courtney, Ray O'Sullivan, Mick O'Toole, Shay Fahy (later an All Ireland winner with Cork), John Crofton and Sean O'Sullivan defeated St. Laurences. Four years later in 1986 Sarsfields won both minor and senior titles.

The Sash also won the All Ireland sevens in 1983 and 1984. In 1983, the team which included John Crofton, Steve Kinneavy, John Courtney, Mick Walsh, Bernie Geraghty, Christy Sweeney, Des Bergin, Shay Fahy and Joe Murphy defeated Scotstown, Monaghan in the final on a score line of 1-21 to 2-15 in extra time. In the all Kildare final of 1984 the Sash accounted for Johnstown Bridge, winning on a score line of 4-15 to 2-8. Sean O'Sullivan, manager of Sarsfields 2005 county championship winning team, played in that game.

1990 – 2005

The nineties saw the emergence of the phenomenally talented Niall Buckley and in 1993 with the experienced John Crofton, recently installed as county senior football manager, as captain, a young Sarfields team were champions again. To crown a fantastic year the minor and under twenty -one titles were also annexed. David Earley, Enda Freaney and John Whelan played in all three finals. The Dermot Burke Cup was retained in 1994 and the three in a row seemed a real possibility. Ballyteague, however, ended that dream in 1995.

In 1999 Sarsfields youth policy produced the goods again. With the emergence of such talents as Dermot Earley (junior) and Padraig Brennan (scorer of 10 points in the 1996 minor final),another championship was won despite the loss of Niall Buckley to suspension. The club reached its first Leinster final only to lose to Dublin’s Na Fianna.

Sarsfields twentieth title was captured in 2001 when neighbours, Moorefield were defeated. Na Fianna from Dublin defeated the Sash in the Leinster semi-final but used six substitutes, one more than allowed. The penalty was forfeiture of the game but Sarsfields offered to replay it. In a thrilling game, with Dermot Earley outstanding, Sarsfields were beaten in extra time with literally the last kick of the game.

2005 – 2010

2005 was another outstanding year for the Sash, winning the minor and senior championships. Sarsfields reached their second Leinster Final, narrowly losing out to Kilmacud Crokes. Gary White and Alan Smith, emulated the 1993 minor trio of Whelan, Earley and Freaney by playing on both teams. However, the minors were denied their opportunity of sharing the county final day with the seniors as Laurences, finalist in minor and senior finals were granted their request of postponing the minor game to allow their minors play with the senior team.
To cap a great year the senior B team were also county championships beating Kilcock in a thrilling final .2006 was a poor year by Sarsfields present day standards when the seniors ended up in a championship relegation with Maynooth having failed to Qualify out of the groups stages of the championship for the first time since the group format was introduced. 2007 was a much better year when the Minor and U21 championships were captured. The seniors won the league beating Carbury after extra time. However the big prize eluded us after our archrivals Moorefield beat Sarsfields in the Senior final. The Junior C team won the championship to conclude a good year for the sash.

Recent years has seen a revival of hurling in the club. Three consecutive junior league finals were contested between 2007 and 2009 with two wins recorded. After a series of near misses, the Junior championship was annexed in 2009, allowing Sarsfields to compete in Intermediate ranks for the first time in over 20 years in 2010.

2010

The senior footballers contested but lost out in the 2010 Co, final. However the senior B team won the championship for the 3rd year in a row at this level and also captured the Jack Higgins cup. In addition the junior C team captured the championship for the 2nd year in a row.

At underage level the U14 team captured the Feile title and went on to represent Kildare in the all Ireland series in Derry.

2012

2012 was an all conquering year for the club on the football scene. The senior championship title was won against Carbury. In addition the senior team captured the league title and won the Aldridge cup. The senior B team lost out narrowly in the league final while the Reserve E team won the championship.

At underage level the U16 captured the A championship with a win over rivals Athy.

The U14 captured the league title with a win over Naas.

The Saturday morning underage academy was renamed The Dermot Earley Academy.

This academy continues to grow and strive under a very professional team of coaches and mentors and is a conveyor belt of players for our future teams

2013

The senior team contested the 2013 Co final but lost to rivals Moorefield.

The senior B team won the league title against Celbridge.

Success at underage continued with the U21 team capturing the championship.

The U16 captured the league title and such was the strength in depth of the panel that they fielded 2 teams in the championship and won both A and E titles.

The U 14 team captured the Feile for the 3rd time in four years.

The hurlers contested the Intermediate hurling final but unfortunately narrowly lost out.

The U 16 hurlers captured the Div 3 league title.

2014

The senior footballers lost out to local rivals after a replay in the Co, Final.

The senior B team lost in the championship final however they won the league title together with the junior team.

At U21 level the team won the Shield

Success continued at under age with the minors capturing the championship over Athy.

2015

Another great year for the club capturing the senior championship title, the ladies senior title, the men’s reserve A title, the Jack Higgins cup and the minor ladies title.

In addition the  U 16 team captured the league title.