| Pats claim Paddy Sheelan after strong finish |
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| Monday, 11 July 2011 09:13 |
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The Courtbane outfit started brightly and opening the scoring through Collin Rooney's drilled effort in the third minute. Eamonn Carroll replied with a sublime effort from 25m soon after, but a free kick from Jason Clarke restored the Mals lead by the seventh. Shane Hynes and Rooney exchanged points as the game was played at a very high tempo. Carroll level matters up in the twenty first minute with one of his trademark points from the outside of this left foot. Mals goalkeeper Niall Bird was called into action soon after blocking a goal bound effort from the dangerous Daniel O'Connor, to keep the sides level. Clarke put the Mals men back in front again, knocking over a free kick following good work from Rooney and captain Ronan McElroy. The game was held up for a number of minutes when St Patricks centre forward Karl White was carried from the field, having injured his ankle in a challenge with Ronan Greene. With half-time approaching, the Pats began to up their game and Bird once again had to be on his toes to prevent Eoin O'Connor from netting. The same player hit the post in first half injury time, but the Mals held firm and went into the interval with a one point lead. Half-time: St Patricks 0-03 Naomh Malachi 0-04 A pointed free kick from Clarke gave the Mals a two point cushion for the first time in the game as the men from Courtbane enjoyed a bright start to the second half. However, the game was soon to turn in the favour of the Pats men. Despite making two fine first half saves, Bird will be disappointed with his role in the Pats opening goal. A free kick from Daniel O'Connor was dropping short into Bird's hands but the Mals net minder somehow managed to let the ball slip through his hands and looked on in horror as the ball crept over the line to give the Pats the boost they needed. Carroll followed up with a free kick to extend his sides lead before Mals substitute Ruairi Daly narrowed the gap to a solitary point following good work with Mark Meegan. Carroll added another free kick as the Pats play grew in intensity and when Eoin O'Connor pointed following a long run, the Lordship men had opened up a three point lead. Substitute Colin McCann opened his account, tapping the ball over the bar after Eoin O'Connor's effort crashed off the crossbar. In reply, Gerard Hamill's fine effort in the nineteenth minute of the half closed the gap to the three points but alas it was to be the final score of the game for the Mals as their opponents stranglehold on the game grew. The introduction of four substitutes did little to upset the flow of the game as Paddy Keenan grabbed his first point of the game with his first kick of the ball. McCann grabbed his second point, punishing a loose pass in the Mals defence and extend his sides lead to five points. With just two minutes left on the clock, referee Donal Brady awarded the Pats a penalty after adjudging that Bird had fouled Daniel O'Connor inside the square, a decision that many felt was harsh on the net minder. Substitute Damien Connor made no mistake from the spot, coolly dispatching the penalty into the bottom corner. Keenan completed the scoring with the last kick of the game to give his side a nine point win that was somewhat harsh on a gallant Malachis outfit. Full-time: St Patricks 2-10 Naomh Malachi 0-07 Following a tight first half, the Pats men were buoyed into action when the Mals opened up a two point lead after the interval. However, the game turned on the unfortunate mistake by Bird, that led to the Pats opening goal and meant that they went into the lead for the first time in the contest. The Lordship outfit kicked on from there and were never headed as the introduction of some of their county men steadied their ship and saw them home. ST. PATRICKS: Barry Corcoran, Jamie O'Hare, Darren O'Hanlon, Eamonn Breen, Diarmuid McArtain, Paudie Mallon, Owen Zamboglou, Colin Goss, Eoin O'Connor, Evan White, Karl White, Aidan McCann, Eamonn Carroll, Shane Hynes, Daniel O'Connor. Subs used: Colin McCann for Karl White (28), Sean Connor for Shane Hynes (39), Dessie Finnegan for Paudie Mallon (51), Damien Connor for Sean Connor (51), Paddy Keenan for Evan White (51). Subs not used: Robbie Arthurs, Kevin Toner, John Ryan, Kris McArdle, Turlough Cranny, Sean Cumiskey, Ray Finnegan. NAOMH MALACHI: Niall Bird, Stephen Burns, Christopher Smith, Sean Smith, Stepen Smith, Ronan Greene, David Begley, Eamonn Agnew, Pearse Caherty, Mark Meegan, Ronan McElroy, Pete McShane, Colin Rooney, Jason Clarke, Gerard Hamill. Subs used: Ruairi Daly for Pearse Caherty (30), Paudie Moly for Ronan McElroy (51), Feidhlim Daly (53). Subs not used: Aidan Hoey, Jamie Kelly, Conor Gonnelly, Shane Rogers, Niall Dowdall, Martin Kane, Sean Gogarty, Colin Murtagh, Pearse McSkeane. |
| Last Updated on Tuesday, 19 July 2011 11:52 |