New Ross Standard

Martin’s survive searching test from Pat’s

- BRIAN CARTY

ST. MARTIN’S ST. PATRICK’S

ST. MARTIN’S endured a severe test of their mettle as they survived a late St. Patrick’s recovery to book their place in the All-County Football League Division 4 final with a hardfought 2-12 to 1-14 victory in Camolin on Sunday.

The visitors had eased as much as eight points in front with a third of the game played, but were made to sweat at the finish by the spirited hosts, who accounted for the last three points after Darren Jordan was sent-off on a second yellow card.

The Piercestow­n and Murrintown natives couldn’t have asked for a better start when Philly Waters, an imposing presence at full-forward throughout, drop-kicked to the net after a minute.

And they almost struck gold one minute later but team captain Conor Coleman was denied by an excellent save from Enda Murphy.

St. Patrick’s had a massive opportunit­y to raise a green flag themselves when Richie Flood was tripped in the area on ten minutes, but he dragged the resultant penalty to the wrong side of the post.

And that miss was excaberate­d when St. Martin’s strung together six points without reply, all from play, including three from Richie Devereux and two from Coleman, to help open up a rather agreeable 1-10 to 0-9 advantage at the change of ends.

St. Patrick’s seemed to be improving before the break, having kicked the last four scores of the half, and they really gave themselves a fighting chance on the resumption when Richie Flood palmed to the net after some outstandin­g work down the right wing from Tommy Morris (1-10 to 1-9). However, St. Martin’s had other ideas as Conor Coleman benefited from a knock-down off Waters and, despite his angle narrowing, managed to hammer an unstoppabl­e shot to the top corner of the net.

They only registered two more scores before the end as St. Pat’s went into salvage mode. Niall O’Brien took up the mantle as chief tormentor, kicking over five points (three frees) from various distances, but St. Martin’s had enough guile to progress to a meeting with Volunteers by the skin of their teeth.

St. Martin’s: Nicky Greene; Donal Kelly, Sam Audsley, Tony Kelly; Adrian Ryan (0-1), Mark Maloney, Philip McDermott; Darren Jordan (0-3 frees), Ben Stafford; Eoghan Rackard (0-1) , Richie Devereux (0-4), Diarmuid Byrne; Conor Coleman (capt., 1-3), Philly Waters (1-0), Diarmuid Barry. Sub. - Adam McLoughlin for Rackard (54).

St. Patrick’s: Enda Murphy; Brian Cadigan, James Cousins, Joe Cousins; Tommy Morris, Michael O’Brien, Peter Roche; Shane Finn, Tommy Dunne (0-1); Stephen Ryan (0-2), Richie Flood (1-0), Tynan Flynn (0-1); Niall O’Brien (0-9, 4 frees), Damien Grannell (0-1), Fergal Maguire. Subs. - Glen Carton for Ryan, inj. (17), Shane Furlong for Roche, inj. (47), Paul McDonald for Maguire (52).

Referee: Shane Quinn (Réalt na Mara).

AVISITING New York squad will be the guests of honour at a special Under-16 football tournament this coming Saturday, organised as part of the celebratio­ns to mark the centenary of Wexford’s four-in-a-row All-Ireland Senior successes from 1914 to 1918.

Carlow, Wicklow and, of course, Wexford will be taking part along with the youngsters from the Big Apple who will be afforded a warm welcome to this part of the world.

The New York squad will arrive on Wednesday (Independen­ce Day) and will be welcomed to the county by the newly-elected Mayor of Wexford, Tony Dempsey, who is no stranger to G.A.A. administra­tion.

After taking some time to get used to their temporary surroundin­gs, the visitors will get a first opportunit­y to show what they are capable of when they take on a combined Wexford town team made up players from its five clubs - Sarsfields, Volunteers, St. Mary’s (Maudlintow­n), St. Joseph’s and Clonard - in Innovate Wexford Park at 5 p.m. on Thursday.

The winners of that encounter will be presented with the McKenna Cup, and on Friday evening New York will play their generous hosts, Glynn-Barntown, in Killurin. The main Centenary Cup tournament will start at 11 a.m. on Saturday in the Ferns Centre of Excellence.

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from Ireland