First-half surge helps Mattock down St. Pats

Division One

Mattock Rangers 3-7 St. Patrick's 1-12

Having beaten St. Patrick's in the Sheelan Cup final earlier in the year, Mattock Rangers repeated the trick in Collon on Sunday night.

A first-half goal rush where Mattock raised three green flags decided the contest. St. Pats wing-back Rory Duffy let his frustration get the better of him in the closing minutes of the game which resulted in referee Kevin Carroll brandishing a red-card his way.

David Reid, from the penalty spot, Aaron O'Brien and captain Michael McKeown were the Mattock goalscorers as John Kennedy's troops took a 3-4 to four-point lead to half-time.

Typically, Paddy Keenan was the visitors' main source of inspiration with the former Louth captain contributing six of the Lordship side's 12 point tally.

Davy Nelson's men were given a glimmer of hope six-minutes into the second-half when Aidan McCann scored a goal, though Reid's accuracy from dead-balls ensured the home side weren't to be denied. The victory guarantees Mattock's stay in Division One

Mattock Rangers: Mike Englishby; Alan Caraher, Seán Gilsenan, Shane Maguire; Brendan Leavy, Dáire Englishby, Michael McKeown (1-0); Connor Leneghan, Hugh Donnelly; Ryan Leneghan (0-1), Adrian Reid, David Reid (1-5); Terry Donegan, Aaron O'Brien (1-0), JP Watters (0-1)

Subs: Ben Markey, Shane Hickey, Ben McKenna, Jason McKeown

St. Patrick's: Seán Connor; Aaron Rogers, Darren O'Hanlon, Jason Woods (0-1); Conor Grogan, Dessie Finnegan, Rory Duffy; Paddy Keenan (0-6), Thomas McCann; Daniel Rice, Evan White, Aidan McCann (1-0); Darragh Lafferty, Eoin O'Connor (0-5), Cathal Grogan

Subs: Eoghan Lafferty, Seán McGeough, Patrick Kirk, Cormac Barry, Owen Zamboglou