AS Saul and Saval arrived at St Patrick’s Park on Friday it was already expected to be a close encounter between both sides given previous games.
Saul were looking to return to winning ways after a week’s break while Saval have had a mixed season of results.
Saval got the scoring underway from the throw-in, when a quick pass to Brendan Tumilty was confidently kicked over the bar.
Declan McNally notched Saval’s second point after taking his mark before Saul got onto the scoreboard in the sixth minute when a free, which was awarded for a tackle on Lorcan Harney, was passed short to Philip Doran, who split the posts.
The game was levelled two minutes later when Cathal Kinsella found his range.
Saul’s Justin Magilton and Saval’s Daniel McCarthy then traded scores before the point for point action continued with Ciaran Harney kicking over twice for the hosts and Seanan McEvoy and McCarthy replying for the visitors.
Half-time score: Saul 0-5 Saval 0-5.
Saul came out in the second half in full throttle, with Doran doing his classic scoring straight through the posts one minute into the half, which was quickly followed up by Magilton getting his second point of the game.
It was within the 41st minute which made it real advantage to Saul as brothers Ciaran and Aodhan Harney’s neat passing sequence saw Aodhan travel through the Saval backline before converting the only goal of the game.
It took 14 minutes for Saval to get their first point of the second half when Tumilty added to his tally with a close free.
Saul benefitted with the return of Ruari O’Hare in the second half and he somehow got a point from the most awkward position out on the right side.
A quick double from Saval’s Tumilty brought his tally to four points – which all came by way of frees – and closed the gap.
Ciaran Harney responded for Saul by side stepping his marker and taking his point.
McEvoy and O’Hare traded scores and with only five minutes of regulation time remaining Tumilty converted his fifth free to leave just the goal as the difference maker.
The referee signalled an additional three minutes but it was Saul who extended their lead by a point with Kinsella getting his second from play before the full-time whistle.
Saul’s second half performance deservedly gave them the two points and keep them in contention at the top of the Division 2 table.
Saul: J Hazard; C Byrne, J Magilton, L Harney; R Mullen, P Doran, R Connolly; G Murdock, J Hayes; C Kinsella, L Carew, C Harney; O Magee, J Mahoney, R Connor.
Subs used: J Johnston, R O’Hare, A Harney.
Saval: C McAteer; D McAvoy, J McCarthy, D McNally; J McConville, C McCullough, S McEvoy; A Havern, C Sands; C Bagnall, D McCarthy, R McCarthy; L Forde, B Tumilty, J McAloon.