Battling victory in vain as trapdoor opens on Kilkerley
KILKERLEY EMMETS ST PATRICKS 4-13 3-14
KILKERLEY Emmets came out on top in this high-scoring clash with St Patricks but ultimately it wasn’t enough to prevent their relegation to Division 2 for the first time since 2001.
The Emmets needed other results to go their way if they were to have any chance of staying up but unfortunately for them all of their main rivals also recorded victories as they ended the season at the bottom of the table.
The Pats started brightly and had the first four points on the board before Kilkerley replied through Shane Lennon goal and Tadhg McEneaney point, but the Pats stretched their lead with an Evan White goal and Cathal Grogan point.
Kilkerley then burst into life and goals from Lennon and McEneaney had them leading by 3-8 to 1-6 with the Pats also having Evan White sent off.
A Sean Hand goal saw Kilkerley go 11 points clear and although the Pats were reduced to 13 men when Eoin O’Connor was dismissed, they rallied in the closing stages.
Goals from Conor and Cathal Grogan helped Pats reduce the gap but late scores from James Fegan and Connor Kirk saw Kilkerley hold out for victory.
KILKERLEY EMMETS: Darren Meehan; Niall Mulholland, Alan McGeough 0-1, Barra McCarthy; Cormac Bellew, Shaun McElroy, Rian Hand; James Fegan 0-1, Conal McEneaney 0-2; Daniel McKeown, Sean Hand 1-0, Connor Kirk 0-1; Tadhg McEneaney 1-5, Shane Lennon 2-4, Ciaran Clarke. Subs: Pearce Hughes for Cormac Bellew BC.
ST PATRICKS: Rory Duffy; Aaron Rogers, Kevin Toner, Jason Woods 0-2; Cormac Barry, Eoghan Lafferty, Daniel Rice; Paddy Keenan 0-5, Dessie Finnegan; Cathal Grogan 1-1, Evan White 1-1, Conor Grogan 1-0; Daragh Lafferty 0-2, Eoin O’Connor, Danny O’Connor 0-3.