ST PATRICKS 3-11
NH MAIRTIN 0-8

St Patricks began their bid to regain the Joe Ward Cup at Clan na Gael Park on Sunday afternoon where they proved too strong for Naomh Mairtin.

Goals either side of the break from Aidan McCann and Darragh Lafferty proved decisive as the Lordship side managed to shake off the stubborn Nh Mairtin challenge.

The Monasterboice side made life difficult for the Pats in a first half that was delayed for over 15 minutes after Brian Berrill picked up a nasty-looking injury which saw him taken away by ambulance.

Coming up to the break, the Pats led by just 1-4 to 0-5 and the Mairtins were very in contention. However, the game turned when Aidan McCann followed in an effort from Daniel O'Connor and when the ball fell short he got the better of goalkeeper Craig Lynch to force it to the net.

Within five minutes of the restart, the game was as good as over when teenage substitute Darragh Lafferty get space in front of goal and although the shot appeared to be mishit slightly, it was enough to beat Lynch and end up in the corner of the net.

With an advantage of 3-5 to 0-5, the Pats were never going to be caught and in what proved to be a lacklustre final 20 minutes they held out comfortably.

However, the first half wasn't so comfortable for the runaway league leaders as the Mairtins' blanket defence made life difficult for them.

JP Rooney had opened the scoring from a free on two minutes and although the Pats replied through Eoghan Lafferty, Karl White and Paddy Keenan, another Rooney free left a point between the teams at the end of the third quarter.

The Pats then found a way to unlock the packed defence as Ross Murphy won back possession and fed Eamon Carroll whose perfectly timed pass allowed Karl White to burst clear and fire to the top corner.

Soon after the game was held up following an injury to Berrill and after lengthy treatment on the pitch he was taken away to hospital by ambulance.

After the restart it was Nh Mairtin who found their rhythm quicker and two splendid points from Wayne Campbell were followed by another from JP Rooney to cut the gap to 1-3 to 0-5.

However, the picked up their game before the break and a point from Danny O'Connor from distance was followed by McCann's goal to send their team in with a 2-4 to 0-5 lead.

The Mairtins needed a quick response in the second half to have any hope, but it was the Pats who were quickest out of the blocks. O'Connor fired over another fine point on 34 minutes before Darragh Lafferty hit the net after being set up by brother, Eoghan.

Paddy Keenan (2) and Aidan McCann stretched the advantage to 3-8 to 0-5 before a Wayne Campbell free got the Martins off the mark for the half. JP Rooney pulled another back but again the Pats hit three-in-a-row through Conor Grogan, Eamon Carroll and Karl White.

The Mairtins spent the closing minutes trying to find the net but their only reward was a JP Rooney pointed free as the Pats claimed a comfortable win.

ST PATRICKS: Sean Connor; Kevin Toner, Darren O'Hanlon, Owen Zamboglou; Ray Finnegan, Colin Goss, Eoghan Lafferty 0-1; Paddy Keenan 0-3, Dessie Finnegan; Ross Murphy, Eamon Carroll 0-1, Karl White 1-2; Aidan McCann 1-1, Danny O'Connor 0-2, Conor Grogan 0-1. Subs: Darragh Lafferty 1-0 for R Murphy, Paudie Mallon for C Goss, Eamonn Breen for D Finnegan, Patrick Kirk for K Toner.

NH MAIRTIN: Craig Lynch; Eoghan Wright, Barry Sullivan, Paul Campbell; Graham McQuillan, Michael Fanning, Brendan Reilly; Gavin Mooney, Brian Howell; Paul Berrill, JP Rooney 0-5, Brian McQuillan; Brian Berrill, Nicky McDonnell, Wayne Campbell 0-3. Subs: Padraig McDonagh and Eoghan Lynch. Tweet

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