Hat-trick from George helps Pat’s to big victory

3-17 1-9

ST. PATRICK’S have taken one step closer to the Junior hurling championship, after a hat-trick of goals from George O’Brien, as well as impressive performances from Kevin Coady and John ‘Red’ O’Brien helped them sweep aside Avondale on Wednesday night.

In an entirely one-sided contest, Pat’s had the match all but won in the first half, with George O’Brien’s early brace condemning their opposition. Avondale had more joy in the second and got a goal through Craig Byrne’s penalty. It was damaged limitation, however, as Pat’s strolled to a win that keeps their challenge going.

It took just 30 seconds for Pat’s to state their intentions for the rest of the contest. When Michael ‘Notty’ O’Brien set up George O’Brien for his first goal of the day. When Avondale did manage to get their first score of the day, through Paul Driver, it merely provoked Pat’s into a lethal response, with O’Brien bagging his second major.

The game was hardly ten minutes old, the game already seemed won. Michael O’Brien, John ‘Greengrass’ O’Brien, and John ‘Red’ O’Brien followed the second goal with scores of their own to extend the gap out to nine at 2-4 to 0-1.

Avondale’s only other score of the first-half came from a Liam Phelan free, while Pat’s were far more successful in front of the posts.

Whereas Avondale were quite frantic and hopeful with their distribution of the ball, there was a deliberation to every Pat’s were doing with their possession; Robin Mooney capped off a fin move involving ‘Notty’ and George O’Brien with a good point as Pat’s went into the break with a commanding 2-10 to 0-2 lead.

With the win effectively ensured, Pat’s went about flexing their muscles in the second half.

Wayne Farrell was introduced at half-time and was a lively presence in the half-forward line, while Kevin Coady was a constant orchestrator in the middle of the park.

Much like it did in the first-half, when Paul Driver got Avondale’s opening score of the second, Pat’s responded in a clinical manner.

Wayne Farrell drove up the outside-right channel, before finding George O’Brien, who crashed the ball across Owen Heffernan and into the goalkeeper’s bottom right corner to seal his hat-trick.

Avondale did manage a goal of their own shortly thereafter. After Craig Byrne won a penalty under pressure from the Pat’s defence, the very same man stepped up to take it quickly and find the bottom corner.

‘Red’ O’Brien very nearly responded in spectacular fashion. A precise puck-out from George O’Connor was caught clean in the air by O’Brien in the middle of the field.

He then advanced a few metres before sending a strike towards the poses, only for it to drift narrowly wide.

It would have been a superb score, but it was nothing that Pat’s dwelled on. Kevin Coady split the upright with two fine strikes from the right-hand side. It was Coady who had the final say with the last score of the game, as Pat’s joined Aughrim in being joint-second in the group.

ST. PATRICK’S: George O’Connor; John ‘Da’ O’Brien, Andrew Conway (0-1), Andrew ‘Muds’ O’Brien; George ‘Boo’ O’Brien (0-1f), George O’Brien, Tom O’Brien (0-1); Kevin Coady (0-5, 1f)), Robin Mooney (0-1); Paul Kelly, John ‘Greengrass’ O’Brien (0-3), John ‘Red’ O’Brien (0-1); Michael O’Brien, George O’Brien (3-3, 1f) , Michael ‘Notty’ O’Brien (0-1). Subs: Wayne Farrell for P. Kelly (HT), Paddy Moorehouse for M. O’Brien (39), Jamie Nolan for M. O’Brien (44), Paul Kelly for J. O’Brien (46). AVONDALE: Owen Heffernan; Edward O’Shaughnessy, Seamus O’Shaughnessy, Kevin Kinsella; Nathan Kirwan, Paul Driver (0-2), Dylan Kearns; Seamus McGraynor, Dermot Phelan; Roy Byrne (0-6, 1f, 1 65’) Liam Phelan (0-1f), Michael O’Toole; Cian Ward, Craig Byrne (1-0), Eugene Heffernan.

REFEREE: Eugene Doherty (Arklow Rock Parnells)