Derby victory catapults the Cille’s into the last eight
ST COLMCILLE’S bounced back from the heavy defeat to Moynalvey to claim a quarter-final spot for the first time ever in the SFC following this victory over their neighbours at Duleek on Saturday evening.
St Patrick’s have the capacity to put it up to most sides despite being in a relegation dogfight, and for periods in this game it looked as if they would cause a surprise.
They were ‘all business’ in the early stages and well worthy of their 0-7 to 0-3 lead after 19 minutes. However, St Colmcille’s faster and younger legs eventually
St Colmcille’s 1-14 St Patrick’s 0-13
wore them down and the seasiders could have been ahead by more at the final whistle.
The outcome leaves the Stamullen men facing a real crunch tie against Moynalvey in the final round as they seek to avoid the relegation play-off.
Going into that game, St Pat’s can gain some encouragement from the way they controlled the play for lengthy spells in the opening half, playing fast, direct football that caused the St Colmcille’s backline all sorts of problems.
However in the lead-up to the interval St Colmcille’s showed their potency when they put together a fine passing move that ended with James Conlon using his pace to race down the left before crossing for the waiting Conor O’Byrne who punched to the net.
That goal helped put St Colmcille’s 1-6 to 0-8 in front at the interval and in the second half Des Lane’s side moved up another gear to win more comfortably than the final scoreline suggests.
Conlon’s pace and overall elusiveness was a feature of this encounter and St Patrick’s found it difficult to contain him. He finished with two points, but his overall contribution was much greater. Graham Reilly also caused plenty of problems and contributed four points, including three from play.
This was overall very much a team effort by St Colmcille’s, but they encountered plenty of problems and challenges before they got the upper hand.
Three points from Padraig Nulty and further scores from Niall Mooney (two), Kieran Lynch and Darren Hagan helped St Patrick’s to that early lead as O’Byrne, Robbie McCloskey and Jack Reynolds were on target for the Cille’s in the same period.
Cille’s closed the gap with points from Reilly and David O’Byrne, while Donal Landy responded at the other end.
The goal proved a turning point and Conor O’Byrne then pointed to leave Des Lane’s side ahead by the minimum at the break.
That brand of fast-paced, possession football St Colmcille’s are well capable of producing was evident in abundance in the second half.
Reilly came to the fore to shoot over three points, with Conor O’Byrne and Conlon both adding a brace.
St Patrick’s tried their best to get back into it and had scores from Mooney, who hit over three frees. Landy and Nulty also pointed, but chances were spurned by the Stamullen side as they rushed shots or went for the goal needed to give themselves a chance.
ST COLMCILLE’S: ST PATRICK’S: