Knockout picture emerging
NA PIARSAIGH ST MOCHTAS 2-9 1-11 ST PATRICKS DREADNOTS
NA Piarsaigh struck a late point to claim a narrow victory over St Mochtas in an entertaining Sheelan Cup Group B game on the Rock Road on a sunny Saturday afternoon.
In a game that saw the lead change hands on a number of occasions, it was the Mochtas who started best and two Eamon O’Neill scores helped them to lead by 0-3 to 0-1 at the end of the first quarter. However, on 17 minutes Na Pairsaigh stuck for the game’s first goal to go into the lead by one point.
The sides were level on 29 minutes but the impressive Martin McGahon finished the half in style as he struck a quick-fire 1-1 to give the Louth Village side a 1-6 to 1-2 lead at the break.
Na Pairsaigh started the second half really well and kicked 1-2 in the first eight minutes of the half, with their goal coming from David Boyle shooting under the dive of St Mochtas keeper Fergus English.
Over the next 10 minutes the sides traded a number of scores, two of which came from Eamonn McAuley who was re-introduced as a sub.
Two nice scores from St Mochtas sub, Brendan Duff, drew the sides level on 30 minutes, however Na Pairsaigh still had time to counter attack and they fisted the final score two minutes into injury time to seal victory. 0-2 at half time.
Hunterstown upped it a gear in the second half and led by the impressive Glen Matthews they tacked on a number of points and a goal from Tony McKenna as the Barrs struggled to regain the momentum from the previous half.
Jack Butterly hit back with a point before Matthews completed his hat-trick with a well-taken goal to give the Togher men the breathing space they needed. Hunterstown scored a few more points but couldn’t get back on level terms. Both Bryan Sharkey and Jack Butterly were also unlucky not to score more goals for the Barrs. Nicholas Butterly rounded off the scoring with a point off the post for the Finbarrs while Bernard Osborne produced another fine save at the other end. ST Patricks can look forward to the quarter-final of the Paddy Sheelan Cup after completing their Group E campaign with a very comfortable win over an understrength Dreadnots.
The game at Lordship on Saturday evening was one-way traffic for much of the hour as the home side made it three wins from three against a Clogherhead team whose interest in the competition was already ended.
The Pats chalked up big scores in their opening two games and they maintained that form in this encounter as goals from Paddy Keenan and Patrick Kirk had them leading by a handsome 2-10 to 0-2 at the break.
The Dreadnots did raise their game in the second half and managed to raise a green flag but it was only temporary respite as the hosts continued to control the game.
Jason Woods maintained his good goal-scoring run with another three-pointer while Aidan McCann also found the net.