St Patrick's (Wicklow) 1-14

Ferbane (Offaly) 2-9

Dean Healy was immense at midfield as St Patrick's came from behind to beat Ferbane in an exciting Leinster club SFC opener at Bord na Mona O'Connor Park.

The back-to-back Wicklow champions made their experience count in the final quarter as they edged out a young Ferbane side, who ended a 25-year wait for Offaly SFC honours a fortnight ago. Healy and Patrick McWalter settled the visitors before goals from Cathal Flynn and Cian Johnson put Sean Dempsey's men in the driving seat. 

Joe Maher kicked two points as Ferbane took a 2-4 to 0-6 lead into the break. They continued to lead until the 44th minute when McWalter and Thomas Kelly combined for the latter to fire to the net and bring St Pat's to within a point, 1-9 to 2-7.

The Wicklow town outfit never looked back after that as substitute Brian Doyle levelled before late points from Healy and Doyle completed the comeback. 

St Patrick's - S Doyle; W Doyle, M Traynor, P O'Keane; S Murley, C Ffrench, C Doyle; J Crowe, D Healy (0-2); P O'Brien, P McWalter (0-2), J Delahunt; J Petticrew, S Duffy (0-4, 2f), T Kelly (1-4, 0-1f). Subs: C O'Brien for J Petticrew, B Doyle (0-2) for S Duffy (BC), L Rampersaud for J Delahunt, J Dunne for P O'Brien.

Ferbane - J Cullinan; L Fox, S Wren, S Nally; D Nally, K Nugent, J Nally; C Cahill, D Kelly (0-1); A Keenaghan, J Maher (0-5, 1f), C Flynn (1-0); C Johnson (1-1), O Kelly, J Clancy (0-1). Subs: R Heavin for J Clancy, K McManus (0-1) for D Kelly, B Grehan for K Nugent, S Flynn for C Flynn.

Referee - S Mulhare.

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