Pat’s among the big winners in the SFC
Mooney dismissal destroyed all Newtown hopes
GROUP 1
ST Pat’s delivered an impressive performance to dispatch Newtown by 3-19 to 0-11 in the Ranault Senior Football Championship in Joule Park Aughrim.
Aided by the sending off of Newtown corner-back Shane Mooney (black after an earlier yellow) early in the second half, Casey O’Brien’s men proceeded to power home for a decisive victory with the returning Paul Earls bagging 1-1 having entered the fray as a substitute.
From Newtown’s point of view, the sending off of Mooney by referee Darragh Byrne was crucial. The Magpies trailed by 0-12 to 0-8 at the time and while facing a stiff task for the remainder of the game, Mooney’s dismissal made the job nigh on impossible.
Mooney’s black card arrived when St Pat’s playmaker Stephen Duffy took issue with something said or done by Newtown’s Darrah Callan. Duffy turned and confronted Callan and both men tussled. Mooney seemed to be attempting to break up the altercation between the two players but referee Darragh Byrne pronounced Mooney guilty of a black card offence and having already been yellow carded in the first half he was sent to the line with no replacement allowed in.
This was the key moment in the game, although, credit to Newtown, they reacted really well and closed the gap to two points immediately after Mooney’s departure, but Pat’s soon found their feet and they powered home in the last quarter.
Pat’s led 0-10 to 0-4 at the break and deservedly so. Casey O’Brien’s men were playing a lovely attacking brand of football with Dean Healy strong coming through the middle, Stephen Duffy dropping out from his full-forward position and isolating Tommy Kelly and Jordan Pettigrew inside to allow them get on the end of diagonal balls and harvest scores, and all backed up by a tenacious defence held together by the very impressive Conor Ffrench and Shane Murley.
Pat’s were able to drop numerous balls short to Kenneth Turner in that opening half and still enjoy the six-point lead at the break.
Dean Healy led the charge early on with two wicked scores thanks to his strong running either side of Dean Odlum‘s sweet opener for Newtown after good play by Ross Davis and Luke Martin.
A poorly struck Newtown kickout went to Ciaran McGettigan and he fed Duffy who picked out Tommy Kelly for the corner-forward’s opener after five minutes to give Pat’s a 0-3 to 0-1 lead before Ross Davis pointed his first score from a free with nine on the clock.
A powerful period pf Pat’s dominance followed. Tommy Kelly (two), Stephen Duffy (two frees), Ciaran McGettigan, Jordan Pettigrew and Paul O’Brien pointed as Casey O’Brien’s men took control in most areas of the field and producing some fine passages of attacking football.
Newtown finished the half really well with points from Ross Davis and Dean Odlum to leave it 0-10 to 0-4.
The Magpies enjoyed a strong start to the second half and had points from Mark Fitzsimons, four from Ross Davis and a fine score from Paul O’Riordan peppered around points from Dean Healy and Tommy Kelly to leave them trailing by just two points but with Mooney now sitting in the dugout on the sideline.
From here on, Pat’s took control. Paudge McWalter’s ball released Dean Healy and he thundered down on Kenneth Turner’s goal before unleashing a rocket that whacked off Darah Callan’s leg and wrongfooted Turner before ending up in the back of the net.
Paul Earls found McWalter and the former county star fired over and away they went with points from Earls, Tommy Kelly, Pettigrew, Stephen Duffy, Conor Ffrench and Ruairi Marron and goals from Tommy Kelly and Paul Earls while a Ross Davis effort close to the end was all Newtown could manage in the face of the Pat‘s assault.
A useful outing from Pat‘s as they inflicted yet another defeat on the Magpies. Casey O’Brien looks to have his squad in a very good place. The forwards are full of confidence, Stephen Duffy looks to be at his creative best and the defence is tigerish and pacey. The business end of this championship is going to be fierce interesting altogether!
Scorers – St Patrick’s: Tommy Kelly 1-4, Dean Healy 1-3, Paul Earls 1-1, Stephen Duffy 0-3 (2f), Jordan Pettigrew 0-2, Ciaran McGettigan 0-1, Paul O’Brien 0-1, Paudge McWalter 0-1, Conor Ffrench 0-1, 26 0-1. Newtown: Ross Davis 0-7 (3f), Dean Odlum 0-2 (1f), Mark Fitzsimons 0-1, Paul O’Riordan 0-1.
St Patrick’s: Ian Murphy; Padraig Higgins, Shane Murley, Wayne Doyle; Simon Bouchier, Conor Ffrench, John Crowe; Dean Healy, Shane Doyle; Ciaran Doyle, Paul O’Brien, Ciaran McGettigan; Jordan Pettigrew, Stephen Duffy, Tommy Kelly. Subs: Paudge McWalter for P O’Brien (H/T),
Newtown: Kenneth Turner; Karl Carthy, John O Donohue, Shane Mooney; Darah Callan, Darren Walsh, Robert Greenan; Declan Doyle, Mark Fitzsimons; Luke Martin, Paul O’Riordan, Sean Gregory; Conor Odlum, Dean Odlum, Ross Davis. Subs:
Referee: Darragh Byrne (Ballymanus)