ST PATRICKS 2-14
O RAGHALLAIGHS 2-7

St Patricks set up a quarter-final meeting with Newtown Blues after seeing off the challenge of O Raghallaighs at The Grove on Sunday evening.

After failing to make the knock-out stages last season, the Pats made sure they would not suffer a similar fate this time around as the proved too strong for the gallant Drogheda side. Goals in the early stages of each half from Eoin O'Connor proved vital as the Pats went on to win by seven points.

After some patchy form in recent weeks, including a defeat to Geraldines in the opening game, the Pats may have been somewhat anxious going into this encounter. However, that pressure was eased somewhat after just eight minutes when Eoin O'Connor scored the first goal of the game to put his side 1-2 to 0-1 ahead.

Despite pointing through Eoin Moore and Damien Boyle, the O Raghallaighs saw the Pats stretch the lead to 1-6 to 0-3 after 24 minutes.

However, the Drogheda men were given a lifeline when Andrew Rogan hit the net before two Barry Flanagan points cut the gap to 1-6 to 1-5 at the break.

The O Raghallaighs were unable to continue that momentum in the second half as the Pats regained control with an early blitz. Points from Danny O'Connor, Paddy Keenan and Cathal Grogan were followed by O'Connor's second goal to see the peninsula side lead by 2-9 to 1-5 after just 33 minutes.

Danny O'Connor (2) and Paddy Keenan added points to increase the gap to ten points at the start of the final quarter leaving the O Raghallaighs with a mountain to climb.

The Pats have developed a habit of losing leads of late and the might have become a bit nervous when Ben Rogan cut the gap to six with a quick fire goal and point. However, there was to be no collapse this time as late scores from Keenan and Eoin O'Connor sealed victory.

ST PATRICKS: Sean Connor; Aaron Rogers, Darren O'Hanlon, Jason Woods; Conor Grogan 0-1, Dessie Finnegan, Rory Duffy; Paddy Keenan 0-3, Thomas McCann 0-1; Cathal Grogan 0-1, Evan White 0-1, Aidan McCann 0-1; Ray Finnegan, Eoin O'Connor 2-2, Danny O'Connor 0-4. Subs: Daniel Rice, Sean McGeough.

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