Templenoe show true grit to overcome strong St Pats challenge

Templenoe 3-14 St Pats, Blennerville 4-5

LIKE last year’s encounter, the end result was a Templenoe victory.

However this was a far, different, far closer and more exciting affair as St Pats put in a brilliant first-half shift that threatened to derail the home side’s Junior championship hopes at the first hurdle.

St Pats were 0-3 to 0-2 in front when the first two of seven goals on the day arrived in quick succession for the St Brendans side. Gary Savage scored in the 13th minute before the subsequent kick-out made its way back down into the Templenoe area with a penalty awarded to the visitors. Kieran Hurley converted the spot-kick to make it a seven point advantage for his side before Templenoe started a charge of their own.

Killian Spillane made up for an earlier missed goal chance in scoring the hosts’ first goal before a black card was issued to St Pats’ Michael O’Sullivan. Daniel O’Neill and Stephen Sheehan combined to set up Danny Cahillane for Templenoe’s second goal but it would be the visitors who would be the ones to lead at half-time.

Another high ball goalwards caused panic in the Templenoe defence with Kieran Hurley fouled and a second penalty awarded to St Pats.

Hurley converted it himself to make the half-time score 3-4 to 2-6 to the visitors but cruelly for St Pats the influential duo of David O’Callaghan and Liam Poff to injury at the break and Templenoe seized the advantage in the second period.

They scored the first two points of the second-half to go in front before another effort at a point rebounded off the crossbar and made its way back to Gavin Crowley who scored their third goal for a 3-8 to 3-4 advantage 10 minutes into the second-half.

St Pats had one more burst when (3-5 in total for the same player) responded with his third goal but with himself and Savage the only players to score on the day for their side it was a bridge too far for them.

Templenoe kicked the last five points of proceedings to win a crazy contest by six points, the pick of these being a 40 metre effort from Gavin Crowley.