GAA | Pat’s maintain unbeaten start with victory over Roche/Brides

U18 Division One | Roche/St Brides 1–9 St Patrick’s 2–15

St Patrick’s continued their unbeaten start to the U18 Division One League with a 2–15 to 1–9 win over the combination side of Roche/St Brides on Wednesday night.

The result keeps St Patrick’s in second place, one point behind league leaders Ardee St Mary’s. At the opposite end of the table, the amalgamated outfit are still searching for their first victory.

Leonard Grey gave the Pat’s a perfect start with a goal inside the opening two minutes and Stephen Gartlan added two points before the combination side got their opening score in the eighth minute.

Gartlan enjoyed a fine start to the game and added a second Pat’s goal in the 10th minute before splitting the posts a minute later to open up an eight-point gap.

It looked like the visitors were going to take complete control of the game when Jack Murphy added a further two points but they became wasteful in possession and kicked a lot chances into the Roche/Brides goalkeeper’s hands when the option of adding further points was there.

The combination side punished Pat’s for their wasteful play, hitting 1–4 in the final 15 minutes of the half to reduce the gap to six at the break, 2–8 to 1–5.

Both sides struggled to get into the game in the second half with the Roche/Brides side opening the scoring through a free in the seventh minute.

Grey added to his tally and a further trio of Pat’s points followed but the hosts clawed it back to six with a good spell of scoring.

The Lordship outfit could have extended their lead again but they racked up seven straight wides before Jack Murphy eventually settled the nerves with a point.

Goalkeeper Evan Cronin made some crucial saves in the final period to deny Roche/St Brides as Pat’s ran out 2–15 to 1–9 winners.

ST PATRICK’S: Evan Cronin; Barry Dunne, Padraig Duffy, Richard Duffy; Ryan Duffy, Paudi Ryan, Eoghan O’Connor; Leonard Grey (1–3), Dylan McCarthy; Matthew Pagni, Gavin Gregory (0–1), Jack Murphy (0–4); Tadhg O’Connor (0–1), Stephen Gartlan (1–4), Joseph Connor (0–2). Subs Conor McEneaney for S Gartlan; Ciaran Murphy for T O’Connor; Jack McCoy for J Connor; Martin McEneaney.