ABG looking dangerous

St Pat’s prove no match

AGB made the trip to Merrymeeting to face St Patrick’s in the semi-final of the Minor ‘B’ football championship on Monday evening last.

After a one-sided game it was the Arklow side that emerged victorious with a whopping 17-point victory over a disappointing St Patrick’s side and in doing so have set up a county final showdown against Bray Emmets.

This was à great team effort but one player, corner-foward Conn Kinsella, stood head and shoulder above the rest as he gave a fivestar performance, accounting for 3-9 of his side’s total.

The Wicklow town side played into the village goal and with aid of a strong wind opened the scoring with a point by Cathal O’Brien.

AGB settled quickly and after a move involving several players, St Pat’s goalkeeper Aaron Lynch pulled off a fine save but on hand to finish to the back of the net was the alert Conn Kinsella for the first of his three goals.

From this stage on, a fired up Arklow side showed they were well up for occasion as they set about their authority on the game even though playing against a strong wind.

St Patrick’s set about reducing the deficit but they were guilty of some bad shooting as they recorded three wides in a row but not for the first time in the game a much better focused Arklow side continued to dominate as they took complete control throughout the field and it was only a matter of time before the winners would turn their dominance into scores.

Padraic Birmingham scored the first of his two goals, while Conn Kinsella continued to cause havoc in the St Patrick’s defence which saw him add 1-1 while St Patrick’s replied with a point from Fionn Luddy to make it 3-1 to 0-2 after 20 minutes.

Following another attack Dean Kelly Farrell added another goal and the winners went on to add points from full-forward Joe McGeary (2) as time ticked away both teams exchanged a point each which left the winners with a commanding of 4-3 to 0-3 lead at half-time and turning over to play with strong wind in the second half.

The second half proved to be one way traffic as the winners went on to add a further 2-8 the goals coming from Padraic Birmingham and Conn Kinsella and with the in form Kinlsella showing his scoring ability which saw him at score at ease as he went on to add several points from play and frees. While a late rally from St Patrick’s saw they score to late goal from Fionn Luddy and a point each by Tom Hodghkinson and Ryan Kavanagh to take the bad look of the score line.

AGB: Sean Murphy; Oisin Wood, Adam Mullervy, Conor Hannon; Sean McCarty, Darrie Furlong, Branden Hanlon; Padraic O’Halloran, Luke Scanlon; Niall Dempsey, Dean Kelly Farrell (1-0), Chris O’Brien; Padraic Bermingham (2-0), Joe McGeary (0-2), Conn Kinsella (3-9, 4f). Subs: Kylan Delaney, Jack Kavanagh, Oran Dunney, Roan Freehill, Sam Butler.

ST PATRICK’S: Aaron Lynch; Darren O’Brien, Mark Hodgkinson, Fionn O’Brien; Finn Barron, Mark Evans, Conor Luddy; Tom Hodgkinson (0-1), Fionn Luddy (2-2); Max Kearney, Ryan Kavanagh (0-1), Mark O’Brien; Cathal O’Brien (0-1), Hugh Hodgkinson (0-1), Crioster Boucher. Sub: Tiernan O’Brien for C Bouchier.

Ian Culbert (Rathnew)