ST PATRICKS 0-12
ST MARYS 0-7
St Patricks will make the familiar trip to the Senior Championship Final again this year after overcoming a stubborn challenge from St Marys in the semi-final clash at Dunleer on Sunday afternoon.
The reigning champions looked to be in a bit of difficulty when they trailed by a point going into the last quarter, but their experience and quality told in the end as the kicked the last six points to clinch victory.
The Marys will be disappointed that their challenge faded in the closing stages, but they will take some consolation from the fact that they gave it everything in a brave bid to dethrone the champions.
In a game where the driving rain in the first half made life difficult for the players, but it was the Marys who were first off the mark with a point from Alan Kirk.
However, the Pats soon settled and with the slight breeze in their backs, they began to take control. Points from Danny O'Connor, and two Paddy Keenan frees had them 0-3 to 0-1 ahead, in a clash where one of the talking points was some strange decisions from referee, Jonathan Conlon.
The advantage should have been greater but a number of wides, combined with three efforts into the keeper's hands, allowed the Ardee men to stay in the game and the gap was back to one when Kirk added his second on 18 minutes.
Eamonn Breen responded with a fine effort but the final ten minutes saw St Marys enjoy good possession and Darren Clarke sent over two late points to level the game at four points apiece at the break.
Eoin O'Connor blazed wide with the first attack of the second half and at the other end Clarke struck a close range free to put his team back in front.
Paddy Keenan and Dean Matthews traded scores before O'Connor saw another goal effort just miss the target. However, a Karl White pointed free tied the game at six points apiece.
The Marys were growing in confidence and with the Pats failing to click in front of the posts they may have started thinking it could be their day when Kirk landed a free on 43 minutes to edge his team in front again.
However, as soon as the Pats sensed the danger they upped their game and took control in the final quarter.
Danny O'Connor drew the champions level before Paddy Keenan put the Pats back in front on 20 minutes. Karl White stamped his authority on proceedings in the closing stages as he kicked three successive points, with the final effort tipped over the bar by Peter Duffy.
That scoring burst effectively put the game to bed with the Marys unable to threaten the goal they needed against the strong Pats defence. Deep into injury time, Aidan McCann kicked the final point to cap a satisfactory afternoon for his side.
ST PATRICKS: Sean Connor; Kevin Toner, Darren O'Hanlon, Eoghan Lafferty; Ray Finnegan, Dessie Finnegan, Eoin Zamboglou; Paddy Keenan 0-4, Eoin O'Connor; Aidan McCann 0-1, Karl White 0-4, Eamonn Breen 0-1; Conor Grogan, Danny O'Connor 0-2, Ross Murphy. Subs: Darragh Lafferty for R Murphy, Patrick Kirk for C Grogan.
ST MARYS: Peter Duffy; Karl Faulkner, John Bingham, Barry Faulkner; Evan Keenan, Conor Keenan, Niall Eccles; Robert Leavy, RJ Callaghan; Dean Matthews 0-1, Alan Kirk 0-3, Fergal Diamond; Niall Carroll, Darren Clarke 0-3, Ronan Carroll.
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