Pat's leave Blue's on the verge of going out

St Patricks 1-14 

Newtown Blues 0-12

St Patricks gained the upper hand in Group 3 of the Senior Championship with this victory over last year’s finalists Newtown Blues in sunny Clan Na Gael Pairc in another close tussle between these two sides.

While there is certainly a passing of the torch in the Lordship club in terms of younger players, who have established themselves with the senior club team, and indeed the inter-county wheel in recent years, the old guard who have won countless county titles for the Pats are still around, with the evergreen Dessie Finnegan, Danny O’Connor, Conor Grogan, Kevin Toner,  & Aidan McCann providing that wealth of experience, with the likes of Leonard Grey, the Murphy brothers, Barry Dunne, and Joe Connor flourishing, justifying their tag of possible dark horses for a Joe Ward.

Heading into the final 20 minutes, Johnny McGee’s charges were seemingly in control, leading by 1-11 to 0-4.

However, the Blues turned to some key leaders of their own from the bench, with Andy McDonnell crucial to a Blues revival, which saw them come up just short of what would have been one of the greatest comebacks in recent senior club football memory, with the Pats now favourites to win this group.

The physically dominant Lordship men showed their intent early on with scores from Eoin Connor, and the hugely influential Aidan McCann from a Danny O’Connor assist inside 2 minutes.

McCann enjoyed a productive afternoon, once again covering every blade of the Clans grass, having a hand in several Pats scores, and touching the ball 19 times over the hour, with Danny O’Connor having the most touches in a Pats shirt with 24.

Jamie Kelly had got the Blues off the mark before McCann’s score, but the opening stages belonged to the Pats, with keeper Martin McEneaney who also ventured out of his goal to compete for kickouts when needed, converting a ’45 to make it 0-3 to 0-1.

Further efforts from the sharp Jack Murphy, and Cathal Grogan established their side’s control. Grogan’s point started from a turnover in defence by his brother Conor.

A Daire Nally free, traded scores with Eoin O’Connor, meaning that the Pats lead by 0-6 to 0-3, with 5 minutes remaining to half time.

Despite being second best, the Blues and that danger to eek out a goal chance loomed large in the Clans, with Pats’ Kevin Toner producing a crucial intervention to cut out a Conor Brannigan pass across the square, after Daire Nally read a Martin McEneaney kickout. Perhaps the Blues missed the potency of Rob Carr inside, who recently departed for New York. 

Another score from Cathal Grogan was quickly followed by the Pats catching the Blues cold, with a quick free, which led to Aidan McCann setting up Tadgh O’Connor for a stunning finish to the net, to cement the Pats’ dominance, with a score from Jack Murphy, leaving it at 1-8 to 0-3 at the break.

Second Half: 

With 38 minutes gone, the Pats had that 1-11 to 0-4 lead, following a well taken Conor Grogan effort, which preceded scores from Jack Murphy and Aidan McCann. 

Grogan was also in the right place at the right time on his own goal line minutes earlier, to pick up a loose ball after Martin McEneaney’s save from Declan McNamara squirmed towards the goal line. Another nearly moment for the Blues. 

Then came the introduction of Andy McDonnell to the edge of the square, with Ross Nally introduced in the first half, and the Blues began a revival, with Alan Connor, Ciaran Downey, Conor Brannigan leading the charge, alongside McDonnell.

This dominance saw Des Lane’s side win 8 out of 13 kickouts contested between the 39th and 55th minute of this game.

A standout score saw Ciaran Downey collect a clever Johnny McDonnell kickout, before kicking over the bar magnificently as he punched the air in delight, with scores from Alan Connor and Daire Nally (f), either side of Downey’s stunner.

The Pats responded through Danny O’Connor, but failed to register again for another 15 minutes, with the Blues piling on the pressure.

Two points from Conor Brannigan, Andy McDonnell (0-1), and Downey, left just a goal between the sides at 1-12 to 0-12 with 2 minutes of normal time left, in a period which saw Martin McEneaney deny Ross Nally from close range, with the latest Blues goal chance.

But with that, the Pats finally sealed victory, thanks to Danny O’Connor and Jack Murphy to mean that they can ensure their quarter final spot as group winners if they avoid defeat against St Josephs next weekend. 

St Patricks: Martin McEneaney (0-1) (1’45); Conor Grogan (0-1), Kevin Toner, Ross Murphy; Leonard Grey, Barry Dunne, Joe Connor; Dessie Finnegan, Ciaran Murphy; Jack Murphy (0-4), Danny O’Connor (0-2) (1f), Aidan McCann (0-2); Tadgh O’Connor (1-0), Eoin O’Connor (0-2), Cathal Grogan (0-2)

Subs Eoghan Lafferty for Ross Murphy (46), Jason Woods for Cathal Grogan (49), Darren Connor for Finnegan (53), Matt Pagni for Tadgh O’Connor (59). 

Newtown Blues: Johnny McDonnell; Ian Connor, Ciaran Cluskey Kelly, Johnny Connolly; Evin McConnon, Alan Connor (0-1), Iollan Farrell; Daire Nally (0-3) (3f), John Kermode; Jamie Kelly (0-1), Ciaran Downey (0-4) (1f), Emmet Murray; Conor McGuirk, Conor Brannigan (0-2), Declan McNamara. 

Subs: Ross Nally for Murray (28), Cathal Broderick for Farrell (38), Andy McDonnell (0-1) for McConnon (42).

Referee: Ultan McElroy