Carton can’t be stopped

ST PATRICK’S CARNEW EMMETS 3-16 0-3

WOW that was some display of scoring from Jonny Carton Last Tuesday night in Arklow when the first round of the Wicklow Junior Championship was played between St Pat’s of Wicklow and Carnew.

The first five minutes of the game was very scrappy with both sides going on attacks but nothing meaningful came out of these attacks.

Pat’s then put the first score on the board through centre-forward Simon Boucher who scored a lovely point from play after some great play from the half back line.

From the resulting kick-out Pat’s won possession of the ball and after some very patient build-up play midfielder Bosco Guinan scored a fine long-range point.

Carnew went up the other end of the pitch trying to get on the scoresheet. They won a debatable free on the 21-yard line. Evergreen full-forward John Joe Myers put the ball over the bar. If his shot was a few inches lower the ball would have ended up in the back of the Pat’s net.

This frightened Pat’s and kicked them into gear. From the free to the end of the first-half Pat’s kept Carnew scoreless, while Pat’s themselves scored four unanswered points. The first of these coming from young corner-forward Jack Kelly.

For the next few minutes, Pat’s were very patient, playing the ball around the 45-yard line before marauding wing-back Colin O’Toole broke through the Carnew defence and blasted the ball over the bar from inside the 21.

Pat’s last two pointsof the half came from experienced corner-forward Jonny Carton who scored a fine point from play before slotting the ball over from a close-in free.

The second-half started off much like the first with Pat’s scoring the first point from play through full-forward Joe Quinn.

In reply Carnew full-forward Myers got another score from a free. This was Carnew’s last score until almost the end of the game.

Pat’s then hit the first sucker-punch with the aforementioned Carton getting the first goal of the game after some fine interplay. Carton then put on a scoring spree, getting four points in a row, two points from frees and then two from play.

Boucher and Carton then traded scores for Pat’s, Boucher’s coming from play and Carton coming from another free.

Carton then buried another goal to really show Pat’s dominance at this stage. Pat’s started to empty their bench to give all their players game time, with the first of these subs Brendan Cox scoring a great point from play.

Carnew then scored a late consolation point through their player/manager Quentin House. In reply to this point, Pat’s scored another 1-2 before the final whistle. The points coming from Boucher and Kelly and the goal coming from Carton to top of a fine virtuoso display from him

St. Patrick’s scorers: J Carton (3-8, 4 frees), S Boucher (0-3), J Kelly (0-2), B Guinan (0-1), B Cox (0-1), C O’Toole (0-1).

Carnew scorers: JJ Myers (0-2 frees), Q House (0-1).