Five-star St Pat’s book intermediate final spot

ST PATRICK’S MATTOCK RANGERS 5-12 1-11

ST. Patrick’s booked their place in the Intermediate Championship decider after a strong second-half display saw off Mattock Rangers in a very entertaining semi-final played in front of a big attendance in Kilkerley on Thursday evening. IN doing so the Pat’s girls gained revenge for their recent defeat in the Division 2 League final to the Collon side. With club football taking a back seat until after Louth’s All-Ireland final against Limerick on 16th, Pats now await the winner’s of the other semi-final between St Fechins and Dreadnots which is down for decision on 23rd.

After a closely contested opening thirty minutes which saw Mattock lead by the minimum at the break, the Lordship side completely dominated the second half outscoring their opponents by 2-7 to 0-2 It was the black and red clad outfit who got off to a fine start as Abbie O’Brien pointed after just twenty seconds. Pat’s had chances to draw level through Kate Flood and Meg Woods before the Lordship got on the scoreboard when Nicola Conner’s shot found the Mattock net in the fifth minute.

The same player added a point almost immediately after being set up by the hugely impressive Kate Flood. Points from Reid (2) and Hannah Carolan kept Mattock in touch before the Pats netted their second goal midway through the half as a brilliant 40 metre run by Flood in which she beat four defender’s and finished with a sensational piece of skill to place her shot over the head of the advancing

Mattock keeper Anna Brennan, but within a minute the south Louth side were back level as Maria Reid’s well timed pass put Ciara Eccles in the clear and the No. 13 finished in style 2-2 to 1-5.

The scores kept coming with Flood and ex County star Reid very much to the fore with a Flood point on the stroke of the half time whistle leaving Mattock holding a slender 1.09 to 2.05 lead at the interval Kate Flood from a free had Pats level shortly after the restart, before the team in green and white were back in front when a Kate Flood shot deflected off a defender and Catherine O’Connor was quickest to react and fired to the net in the thirty sixth minute, 3.6 to 1.9. Patrick’s added further points with Flood and Kirk both raising white flags before Mattock received a further blow when Abbie O’Brien was sin-binned for persistent fouling on 39 minutes n a rare Mattock attack Grainne Reid and Maria Reid combined to create a goal chance but as the latter was about to get her shot away a brilliant interception by Aine Breen averted the danger.

Taking advantage of this let off Pat’s were quickly back on the attack and Mattock keeper Brennan brought off a wonderful stop to deny Claire Savage only for the ball to fall into path of Aine Breen who cracked a blistering shot to the corner of the net from 20 meters to put clear daylight between the teams 4.8 to 1.9 after fifty minutes.

Two minutes later Mattock had their first score of the half from O’Brien with Maria Reid also adding a point shortly after but it was only a brief respite as Pat’s finished strongly with points from O’Connor and the hard working midfielder Grace Treanor (2) both on target with Claire Savage putting the icing on the cake with a goal in the last action of the game.

ST. Patrick’s; Nadine Callen, Dearbhaile O’Doherty, Caoimhe Breen, Naoimh Butterly, Melissa O’Hanlon, Aine Breen, 1-0, Claire Savage, Grace Treanor 0-4, Anna Whyte, Jacqui Kirk 0-1, Aisling O’Doherty, Meg Woods,

NICOLA Conner 1-2,Claire Savage 1-0, Kate Flood 1-4. Sub, Catherine O’Connor 1-1 Mattock Rangers; Anna Brennan, Lisa Duff, Roisin Roche, Meabh Hickey, Anna Dunne, Eimear Grimes, Kelly Conner, Niamh Dooley, Grainne Reid 0-1, Hannah Carolan 0-2, Abbie O’Brien 0-2, Ciara Eccles 1-0, Maria Reid 0-6, Niamh Reid Referee: Stephen Murphy St Patrick’s GFC v St. Kevins, Paul Drumm, 6.30; Naomh Fionnbarra/Lannleire v O’Connells/ Stabannon Parnells/John Mitchels, Thomas Mulholland, 7.00

Glyde Rangers/Sean McDermotts/Westerns v St Josephs, Tadhg Rooney, 6.30

Mattock Rangers/Hunterstown Rovers v Dundalk Young Irelands/St Mochtas, ref tbc, 6.30

Wolfe Tones Football v St Brides, ref tbc, 6.45 St Nicholas GFC v Glen Emmets, ref tbc, 6.45 St. Kevins v Roche Emmets GFC, ref tbc, 6.30; Dundalk Young Irelands v Clan na nGael, David J. Mc Ardle, 6.30

Ardee St. Mary’s G.F.C. v Naomh Mairtin, Desmond Mc Donald, 6.30; St Fechins GAA v Geraldines, ref tbc, 6.30

Dreadnots v Dundalk Gaels, Colm Mc Collough, 6.30; St Patrick’s GFC v Kilkerley Emmets/ Naomh Malachi, John Murphy, 6.30

Mattock Rangers/Hunterstown Rovers v Cooley Kickhams, Stephen Murphy, 6.30

St Nicholas GFC v Naomh Fionnbarra/Lannleire, Gerard Corrigan, 6.30; St Josephs v O`Raghallaighs, Thomas Brennan, 6.30

Na Piarsaigh/Sean O’Mahonys/Dowdallshill v Newtown Blues, Declan Dunne, 6.30 Dreadnots v Sean O Mahonys, Gerard Corrigan, 8.00

St Fechins GAA v Naomh Moninne, Kevin Brady, 8.00

Naomh Fionnbarra v Cuchulainn Gaels, Kevin Levins, 6.45; O`Raghallaighs v Newtown Blues, ref tbc, 6.45; Dreadnots v St Josephs, Tommy Mc Enteggart, 6.45; St Fechins GAA v Geraldines, Stephen Johnson, 6.45