Vols finish on very high note
Trio of goals down St. Pat’s
VOLUNTEERS ST. PATRICK’S 3-11 0-9
VOLUNTEERS FINISHED strong to earn a valuable win against St. Patrick’s in Group B of the Joyces Expert Intermediate ‘A’ football championship at St. Patricks Park on Saturday.
The sides traded points for long periods until a trio of second-half goals propelled the John Street crew to victory.
Starting the quicker of the teams, the Vols eased their way into a four-point lead after just nine minutes. Unanswered points from Mikey Lawlor, Keith Kearney and a brace from Jack O’Leary gave them the ideal opening.
Damien Grannell and John Doyle opened the Pat’s scoring before O’Leary tapped over a deadball to keep the Camolin-based club at arm’s length.
Eleven minutes passed until the scoreboard changed again, with the sides trading points once more before the interval through Tommy Morris and Eoin O’Shea (0-6 to 0-3).
St. Pat’s shot out of the blocks in the second-half. Outscoring their opponents four to one in the opening ten minutes, they levelled the tie at 0-7 apiece. Grannell was responsible for two more, with Tommy Dunne and Shane Finn chipping in.
Having clawed their way back to level terms and now with all the momentum, St. Pat’s looked to be favourites. Another miniature scoring hiatus followed, as eight minutes would pass with the scores tied before the Vols took a major stride towards the win.
Keith Kearney converted a penalty low to the right after winning the spot kick himself and the Wexford town side followed up moments later with another major, Aaron McGuire finding O’Leary to fire home.
Just like that, the Vols had ripped open a game which for 50 minutes had more closely resembled a chess match.
A third goal followed to wrap it up for the Volunteers, when a well-worked move involving Danny O’Sullivan and Kearney was finished off by O’Shea.
Grannell and Tomás Morris could only manage meagre points which were quickly cancelled out by Keith Furlong and O’Shea late on to secure a worthy Vols win.
Volunteers: Darragh Hayes; Brian Delaney, Paudge Brennan, Anthony Walsh; Paddy Glover (0-1), Keith Furlong (0-1), Mikey Lawlor (0-1); Danny O’Sullivan, Stephen Burke; Cian Brennan, Jack O’Leary (1-4, 0-2 frees), Ciarán Hillery; Eoin O’Shea (1-2, 0-1 free, 0-1 ‘45), Keith Kearney (1-2), Aaron McGuire. Subs. - Cian Rossiter for Walsh (53), Aidan Roche for McGuire (60).
St. Patrick’s: Enda Murphy; Joe Cousins, James Cousins, Peter Roche; Hughie Doyle, Diarmuid O’Leary, Daryl Murphy; John Doyle (0-1), Michael O’Brien; Tommy Dunne (0-1), Shane Finn (0-1), Ashley Tully; Tommy Morris (0-1), Tomás Morris (0-1), Damien Grannell (0-4, 2 frees). Sub. - Richie Flood for Tully (31).
Referee: Paul Browne (Clonee).