Louth GAA club | St. Pats defeat Roche to book place in SFC last eight

St Patrick’s booked their place in the Louth GAA Anchor Tours Senior Football Championship quarter-final after a nine-point win over Roche Emmets at McGeough Park on Saturday evening.

With both sides needing a result to keep their championship hopes alive, there was little between them for much of the contest before St Pat’s pulled clear in the closing stages.

Eoin Connor opened the scoring after just 20 seconds, but Roche responded with points from James McDonnell and Diarmuid (DD) Reilly.

DD Reilly then landed a two-point free to put Roche 0-4 to 0-1 ahead before Connor brought St Pat’s back into it with a fine two-pointer before Michael O’Shaughnessy levelled matters.

Jack Murphy then edged the Lordship side ahead, but DD Reilly replied from a free, before another two-pointer from Connor and a Murphy score helped St Pat’s take a two-point lead into the break.

Half time: St. Patrick’s 0-8 Roche Emmets 0-6

Roche stayed in touch after the restart as Shane Byrne and Reilly were on target before Liam Dawe reduced the gap to a single point after 43 minutes.

That was as close as Roche would get as Tadhg O’Connor, Joe Connor and Murphy helped St Pat’s take control, with Joe Connor kicking three second-half points.

The decisive score arrived with two minutes remaining on the clock when Tadhg O’Connor finished a good team move involving Murphy and substitute James Savage to the net.

Further points from Joe Connor and Murphy completed the scoring as Jamie O’Hare’s side ran out 1-16 to 0-10 winners.

The victory sees St Patrick’s finish second in Group Four behind Dundalk Gaels and advance to the quarter-finals; Roche will now fall into the relegation play-off to keep their senior status alive.

St Patrick’s scorers: Tadhg O’Connor 1-2; Eoin Connor 0-5 (2tp); Jack Murphy 0-5 (1f); Joe Connor 0-3; Michael O’Shaughnessy 0-1.

Roche Emmets scorers: Diarmuid Reilly 0-6 (1tpf, 2f); James McDonnell 0-1; Shane Byrne 0-1; Liam Dawe 0-1; Daire Reilly 0-1 (f).

St. Patrick’s: Martin McEneaney, Sean Holland, Rory Duffy, Conor Grogan, Darren O’Hanlon, Barry Dunne (C), Darren Connor, Eoin O’Connor, Leonard Grey, Aidan McCann, Jack Murphy, Micheal O’Shaughnessy, Sean Fearon, Tom McCann, Joe Connor.

Subs: Darren O’Hanlon on for Joseph Holland (47’), James Savage on for Aidan McCann (57’), Padraig Duffy on for Tadhg O’Connor (60’), Daniel Tumilty on for Joe Connor (60’).

Roche Emmets: Senon Connolly, Dermot Carthy, Aidan Grant, Mark Murphy, David Quigley, Seán Dawe (C), Gerard Browne, Ryan Rice Martin, Liam Dawe, Fionn Connolly, Diarmuid (DD) Reilly, James McDonnell, Mark Byrne, Barry O’Hare, Shane Byrne.

Subs: Evin Quigley on for Mark Murphy (49’), Daire Reilly on for Mark Byrne (55’).

Referee: David McArdle (St Bride’s).