St Mary's of Mullingar turned on the style as three first half goals proved vital to defeat Pats of Navan in the North Leinster Juvenile Football "A" Championship Semi-Final, played in cool conditions in Mullingar Shamrocks GAA. By Brian Dowling

St Mary's Mullingar 5-5   St Pats Navan 1-7

St Mary's of Mullingar turned on the style as three first half goals proved vital to defeat Pats of Navan in what was a very good game of football, played in cool conditions in Mullingar Shamrocks GAA.

The old saying of "goals win games" was the key to this Mullingar victory, with the scores coming at the right times. Three in the first half and two in the closing twelve minutes sealed the game for the team in green and white.

Pats opted to play Gerard Dillon in a sweeper role in the first half, but, Mullingar had obviously done their homework from the last day, and Dillon was unfortunate not to see a lot of the ball in the opening thirty minutes.

Mullingar's danger man was corner-forward Seán Mahon, who has lightning pace. Pats corner back Ruairí"Ru" Searle took the responsibility of marking him, and, even though Mahon notched 1-1, Ru can be proud of his efforts.

From the first whistle, it was obvious that he was the danger. Mary's midfielder Conán O'Hara won the throw in and instantly kicked to Mahon's corner. Mahon laid it off to on running centre forward Luke Maguire who buried it with only thirty seconds on the clock.

Pats replied with two points in a minute from corner forward Aaron Lynch, who had a great partnership with centre forward Padraig Finnerty. The two work very well with each other, and on numerous occasions during the game, they worked with each other.

Mary's wing forward Kyle Smith broke through the Pats defence on goal, and his low shot was saved well by Pats keeper Joey Moore, but, Pats full back Oisin Corrigan, who was chasing after Smith, unluckily knocked the ball into his own net for Mary's second goal.

Pats replied with another Lynch point from a free and the deficit was now only three points. Jenson Nagle went on a surging run for Mary's from wing back and handed off the ball to Kyle Smith, who flicked it off to full-forward Aaron Flanagan, who pointed.

Both sides continued to pile on the pressure as the big Mary's crowd were in full voice. Pats then introduced Alan Mulvaney and Larry Morgan to the action.

The Navan side had numerous scoring chances with Dillon Keating's goal chance blocked and full-forward Craig Munnelly's rebound going narrowly wide.They just couldn't find the scores needed and it was the Mullingar side who finished the half the stronger side, with a goal from corner forward TJ Cox, and points from Flanagan and Seán Mahon.

Mary's started the second half the way they ended the first, with Mahon having a goal chance inside twenty seconds, which was easily saved by Joey Moore.

Pats then began to turn a corner, starting with Lynch pointing from a free. Moments later Craig Munnelly pointed and Lynch quickly added another.

Aaron Lynch then won a long ball sent into the full-forward line, he took on his man, but the shot just went into the side netting, and another Pats chance was gone. Moments later Finnerty and Lynch combined again, this time Finnerty pointing after a great move, to make it four points in a row for Pats.

Mary's midfielder O'Hara sent over a brilliant long distance free and then the game changed. The Mullingar school then started to pile on the pressure and Pats were then caught on an overlap. The ball ended up with Aaron Flanagan for Mary's who was then fouled inside the area, and a penalty was awarded.

Corner forward Mahon dispatched of it brilliantly, and the game was well and truly out of Pats' reach.

Pats kept going and piling on the pressure but they were then caught on the counter attack and Luke Maguire got another goal for Mary's to seal their place in the final.

Pats were eventually awarded for their efforts when Finnerty buried a goal in stoppage time but it was to be the last piece of action, as Mary's secured their final spot.

The scoreboard didn't reflect the game really, which was a very good one. Two evenly matched teams going hell for leather for everything is what football is all about.

Speaking to Pats man Alan Mulvaney who said after the game: "The best team probably won on the day. If we'd have played as good as we know we can, it might've been a different story".

It probably would've been a different story as these two sides know how good they both can be. They met in the final round of the group stage in O'Mahonys GAA and Mary's prevailed by only two points, and there again it was a case of "goals win games" as they won 9-9 (36) to 5-19 (34).

Pats can be very proud of their efforts today, giving it what they could. Mary's were just that bit hungrier and clinical on the day and deserved their victory. They will now face Marist Athlone in the final in the coming weeks.

St Pats- Joey Moore, Rian McGinnerty, Oisín Corrigan, Ruairí "Ru" Searle, Jonathon McDonagh, Adam Ryan, Shane McEnery, Sam McCabe, Daire Finnegan, Dillon Keating, Padraig Finnerty (1-1), Dillon Morgan, Gerard Dillon, Craig Munnelly (0-1), Aaron Lynch (0-5).

Subs: Alan Mulvaney for Morgan (20'), Larry Morgan for McGinnerty (25'), Cian McBride for Finnegan (HT), EoinGough for McEnery (38')

St Mary's- Joshua Duncan, Tristin Graham, Niall Derham, Liam Faulkner, Oisín Hogan, Evan Lagan, Jenson Nagle, Conán O'Hara, Oisín Murphy, Kyle Smith (1-0), Luke Maguire (2-0), Sam McCartan, TJ Cox (1-0), Aaron Flanagan (0-3), Seán Mahon (1-1).

Subs: Dean Ennis for Graham (40'), Enda Gaffney for McCartan (60'), Matthew Ryan for Maguire (60')

Referee: Chris Dwyer (Offaly)

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