Pat’s push on to quarters

JOHN DOYLE was the St. Patrick’s’ talisman yet again as his tally of 0-10 steered his side to a crucial 1-16 to 1-11 Group A victory over Rathnure’s second string in round five of the Top Oil Intermediate ‘A’ hurling championship in Monageer on Sunday.

Doyle set out his stall with a customary long-range free less than a minute in, and he supplied three more points to the scoreboard, while his colleagues Tynan Flynn, Richie Flood and Eamon O’Leary also pointed as the Camolin/Ballyoughter men developed a 0-8 to 0-1 lead on 22 minutes.

And things got even better for the leaders in their next attack when Tommy Dunne fed Flynn, who in turn transferred to the better-placed Stephen Ryan for a crashing drive to the far corner of the net. Rathnure’s Teddy O’Connor was accurate from placed balls himself, and he had three such scores on the board as St. Patrick’s held a 1-10 to 0-4 lead at half-time.

O’Connor and Doyle shared the next four scores evenly (all frees), while the latter stretched the gap to 1-13 to 0-6 after 40 minutes.

Nigel Higgins nicked only Rathnure’s second point from play five minutes from time, but they did finish with a mini-flourish.

Paul Murphy pointed not long after his introduction, while fellow substitute Paddy Flynn flashed a consolation goal to the net in injury time, but it wasn’t enough to prevent a meeting with Liam Mellows in the relegation final. Meanwhile, St. Patrick’s advance to the quarter-finals with growing confidence.

St. Patrick’s: Stuart Quinn; James Cousins, Michael O’Brien, Joe Cousins; Hughie Doyle, Dermot O’Leary, Peter Roche; Richie Flood (0-2), Daryl Murphy; Shane Finn, John Doyle (0-10, 6 frees), Stephen Ryan (1-0); Eamon O’Leary (0-1), Tommy Dunne (0-1), Tynan Flynn (0-2). Subs. - Tomás Morris for O’Leary, Tommy Morris for Ryan, Brian Cadigan for Joe Cousins, Ashley Tully for Finn, Michael Carroll for Flood.

Rathnure: Seán Nolan; James Flynn, Shane Barron, Aodhán Foley; Thomas Furlong, Teddy O’Connor (0-8 frees), Alan Ronan; Shane Murphy, Michael Martin; Anthony Westnott, Fran Murphy, Ben Ronan; Mick O’Leary, Nigel Higgins (0-2), Kiall Byrne. Subs. - Jason Lawlor for Westnott, Paddy Flynn (1-0) for Ronan, Paul Murphy (0-1) for Martin, Jamie Miller for Byrne.

Referee: Pat Kehoe (Rathgarogue-Cushinstown).