Seven of the best for Pat’s

HOME SIDE St. Patrick’s went goal crazy when they advanced to the Gorey District semi-final of the Greenstar Under-21 football Roinn 1 championship with a commanding victory over Kilrush in Saturday’s tie at Camolin.

In fact, the locals signalled their intent from the very first whistle when Ciarán Murphy dragged a goal chance wide from the first attack.

And they didn’t let that miss affect their confidence in front of the posts as they went on to score five goals by the 17th minute to really hammer home their authority.

Their first arrived on two minutes when Ashley Tully poked home on the second attempt after initially doing well to gather John Doyle’s delivery, while Ciarán Murphy was the next on the roll call a minute later when he confidently stroked home in full stride.

Kilrush managed to find the net themselves after eight minutes when John Kavanagh had his shot saved but Jack Quinn was the quickest to nudge past his namesake in the goal (2-1 to 1-2).

But that was the closest they would come as the hosts pieced together a couple of aesthetically pleasing goals.

Firstly, midfielder John Doyle sauntered through before dispatching into the top corner, while Conor Morris hammered home off the underside of the crossbar as the gap grew to 4-2 to 1-2 after 17 minutes.

And they pretty much made it an unassailable advantage by the interval when Ian Maguire squeezed home at the near post in injury-time to make it 5-7 to 1-3.

A fine individual goal from Conor Travers in the early throes of the new half put a better complexion on the scoreboard for the losers, but St. Patrick’s finished with aplomb as Matt Molloy goaled on the turn on 39 minutes, while Tully made it a fine day’s work for his side when he found the far corner five minutes from time after being improvisely teedup by Michael O’Brien.

They are due to face Craanford in the semi-final, with a delay expected due to their neighbours’ upcoming involvement in the replayed Under-21 hurling Roinn 1 final versus Cloughbawn.

St. Patrick’s: Jack Quinn; Glen Carton (0-1), Joe Cousins, Brendan Byrne; Ian Maguire (1-0), Kyle Byrne, Seán Redmond; Michael O’Brien, Michael Carroll; Paul McDonald, John Doyle (1-2), Ciarán Murphy (12); Ashley Tully (2-4, 0-3 frees), Matt Molloy (1-1), Conor Morris 1-0). Subs. - Conor O’Leary (0-1) for Molloy, Michael Whelan for Carton, Vinny Gahan for Morris, Fergal Maguire for Murphy.

Kilrush: Conor Keogh; Garrett O’Connor, Ciarán Lancaster, Liam O’Rourke; Jim Sharry, Fionn Fortune, Pádraig O’Rourke; Tom Byrne, John Kavanagh (0-1); Conor Byrne (0-3, 1 free), Conor Travers (1-1), James Byrne; Seán Kirwan (0-1), Jack Quinn (1-1), John Doyle. Subs. - Seán Bookey (0-1) for J. Doyle, Doyle for L. O’Rourke.

Referee: Paul Browne (Clonee).