Late burst sees St Pat’s get the better of Éire Óg

at Greystones back position to leave the score reading 0-04 to 0-03 at the end of the first quarter.

Not for the first time in the game, Alan Costello’s troops took the game to the opposition and, following a foul on dual player Anto Byrne, Willie O’Hagan pointed the free. But the hosts were also left to rue two missed chances by James McDonald and Dominick Reilly.

At this stage it was the Pat’s men who upped the tempo and they recorded three points in a row through Stephen Duffy, two from frees, while Eamonn Wolfe continued to cause havoc in the home defence with a excellent point to give Robert Hollingsworth’s side a three-point cushion at 0-07 to 0-04 after 22 minutes.

After John Crowe and Anto Byrne exchanged a point each from play it was the Greystones side that finished the half with a point each from Daniel Woods and James Delahunty to close the first half scoring and leave just a single point between the sides at 0-08 to 0-07 in favour of St Patrick’s.

Just as they done in the opening half, the home side hit the ground running and good work by Dominick Reilly and Willie O’Hagan set up county player Daniel Woods for a point, while Willie O’Hagan scored his second point to edge the home side in front, 0-09 to 0-08.

Stephen Duffy scored a point from play to bring the sides level once more at 0-09 each 10 minutes into the second half.

The same pattern of play continued with both sides using the wide open spaces which saw Éire Óg push on with two points from midfielder Daniel Woods, one from play and one from a 45, while St Patrick’s replied with a points from substitute Brian Coen and Eamonn Wolfe which saw the sides deadlocked once more.

The winners surged forward in search of much needed scorers and after they recorded two wides before Brian Coen added a point and after good work by Shane Doyle who gave a perfect pass to Richard Murphy who was fouled as he split the Eire Og defence. This resulted in Stephen Duffy scoring a point from the free.

Daniel Keane hit back with what proved to be Éire Óg’s last score which left the game in the melting pot and all to play as the score board read 0-13 to 0-12 with six minutes left to play.

Éire Óg attacked one last time and they won a free which was fired wide by Daniel Woods. From here St Pat’s pushed on with late points from Eamonn Wolfe and Brian Coen to carve out a victory, and no doubt the team management will be happy with the response the players gave following their county final defeat.

Scorers - St Patrick’s: Stephen Duffy 0-05 (4f), Eamonn Wolfe 0-05, Brian Coen 0-03, John Crowe 0-01, Richard Murphy 0-01.

Éire Óg Greystones: Daniel Keane 0-04, Daniel Woods 0-04 (1f, 1 45), Willie O’Hagan 0-02 (1f), James Delahunty 0-01, James McDonald 0-01.

St Patrick’s: Ian Murphy; Emmet Cullen, Padraig Higgins, Wayne Doyle; Niall Donnelly, Paudge McWalter, John Crowe; Jonathan Delahunt, Shane Doyle; Conor Ffrench, Stephen Duffy, Richard Murphy; Conor O’Brien, Eamonn Wolfe, Brian Doyle. Subs: Ciaran Doyle for Padraig Higgins, Gary Duffy for Brian Doyle, David Byrne for Ian Murphy, Brian Coen for Jonathan Delahunt, Jack Kelly for Conor O’Brien.

Éire Óg Greystones: Lorcan Traynor; Liam MaGuire, Pat Egan, Matthew McGuire; John Deeney, Craig Smullen, Daniel Keane; Justin O’Brien, Anto Byrne; James McDonald, Daniel Woods, Dominick Reilly; James Delahunty, Andy Walsh, Willie O’Hagan. Sub: Sean Lawless for Willie O’Hagan.

Referee: John O’Brien (Newcastle).