Joseph’s joy after super show
No apparent weakness as St. Patrick’s put to the sword
ST. JOSEPH’S ST. PATRICK’S 2-13 2-0
ST. JOSEPH’S produced an almost flawless performance, just when they needed it, to take the New Ross Standard Under-13 football Division 5 championship title in St. Patrick’s Park, Enniscorthy, on Thursday.
Their opponents, St. Patrick’s, came into the game looking to achieve the first leg of a possible double, with the Division 4 hurling shield decider scheduled for three days later, but they were unable to stall the tidal wave of Joey’s scores.
The problem the Camolin-based side had was that they were playing a team with no apparent weakness.
All over the park the victors excelled, and what made them a really scary opponent was that their level didn’t drop at all once the various substitutions started rollingon.
Many of the lads on the Bishopswater club team had the added experience of a trip to the Féile this season as one of the three Wexford representatives, and that seemed to stand to those lads, with their quality level exceptional for the division they have played in.
They seem to have gained great experience from that too, as there was no sense of panic when St. Patrick’s took a 2-0 to 0-3 lead after 21 minutes.
The scoreline was a surprise, given that Kaylem Harnett had given his side a three-point lead and they were well on top.
However, with the wind at their backs, St. Patrick’s pressured the St. Joseph’s goal and were able to net twice.
The first was an Alex Devereux shot that came off the bar and rebounded into the net, and the corner-forward also nabbed the second by palming in Conall Dunne’s long ball ahead of Adam O’Leary-Stacey.
Vitally for the Wexford town youngsters, they finished the first period on the front foot.
After Harnett pointed again, Adam Tierney scored a quick 1-1, including a nicely-worked goal with Dion Smith. When Logan Byrne pointed in added time,theyledby1-6to2-0.
Theywereevenmorelockedinduring the second-half.
St. Patrick’s defended admirably, reducing the damage to points in the main, but the Joseph’s had enough wherewithal to know that if they kept knocking the ball over the bar, the title would be theirs.
Brandon Sinnott, Callum Fowler, Aaron Doyle and Conor Shortall all registered in the third quarter as the lead swelled to1-10to2-0.
After a couple of Harnett frees and another from Sinnott, a cracking Tommy Hillis finish put the seal on a fabulous triumph for St Joseph’s in injury-time.
St. Joseph’s: Adam O’Leary-Stacey; James Kirby, Seán McCleane, Darragh Holmes; Logan Byrne (0-1), Tadhg Berry, Jamie Barnes; Troy Sinnott, Brandon Stafford (capt., 0-2); Adam Tierney (1-1), Kaylem Harnett (0-6, 5 frees), Charlie Lawlor; Dion Smith, Aaron Doyle (0-1), Callum Fowler (0-1). Subs. (rolling) - Conor Shortall (0-1), Tommy Hillis (1-0), Adam Malone, Dougie O’Dowd, Jamie Breen, Corey O’Rourke, Eoin McCleane, Cian Roche.
St. Patrick’s: John Maher; Charles Crean, Dylan O’Sullivan, Jack Murphy; Michael Roche, Angus Byrne, Tom Waugh; Cathal Whelan, Alex Carton; Noah James, Conall Dunne, Stephen Kavanagh; Alex Devereux (2-0), Adam Furlong, Oisín McDonagh. Subs. (rolling) - Seán Fitzgerald, Eoin Kenny, Joseph Tomkins, Liam Doyle, Leo James, Steve Kavanagh, Aaron Bailey, Sam O’Connor, Noah Byrne, George Murphy, Eoghan Hogan.
Referee: Brendan Martin (Ballyhogue).