Town League – Junior Football League
Austin Stacks 1-10 St. Pats 1-8
Played in unusually sunny and dry conditions in Connolly Park on this Wednesday evening (1st Aug) we had a narrow two points win in the last round of the Town League. This was a keenly contested game all through with the lead changing hands on no less than eight separate occasions.
With Pats opening the scoring after just 25 seconds, Theo Diggin has us on level terms two minutes later. But then Pats took the lead again in the 7th minute only for Seamus Bastible to equalize again in the 11th minute. Then two minutes later we took the lead for the first time, when Theo Diggin, following a brilliant run, was fouled and Joey O’Connor tapped over the resultant free.
But on the 15th minute Blennerville were back in front again with a point and then a goal.
However, with three quick points from play, we were back on level terms again within three minutes with Gary Gazza O’Connor on target twice and another Theo effort in between.
With two points by Pats and one for us by Timmy Lynch (great to see Timmy back again) the visitors were ahead by one at half time (1-5 to 0-7) but it could have been more but for a brilliant save by Brian Horgan, three minutes before the break.
Pats were unlucky to have to do without the services of their impressive centre forward for the second half, who had scored three brilliant points in the first period.
We dominated the opening ten minutes after the resumption, scoring three unanswered points, with Breandán Caball and Joey O’Connor on target from play and a Gazza O’Connor free.
Then it was the turn of the visitors to score their own three unanswered points (two from frees), to give them a one point lead once more, and this was the position with two minutes of play to go when in one last attack Timmy Lynch lobbed a high shot into the goalmouth and Joey O’Connor, at the far post, rose high to punch to the net.
One last attack by Pats was cleared, with Shane Fitzgerald, who had another great game at corner back, relieving the pressure, and referee, Paul Hayes, blowing the final whistle, which left us winners with two points to spare.
Team: Brian Horgan, Shane Fitzgerald, Pádraig Lynch, Shane Greensmyth, Eoin Colgan, Anthony Shanahan, Tom McLoughlin, Gary O’Connor (0-3 – 1 free), Séamus Bastible (0-1), Theo Diggin (0-2), Joey O’Connor (1-2 – 1 free), Timmy Lynch (0-1), Trevor Barrett, Gearóid McCann, Breandán Caball (0-1).
Subs: St. John Hegarty (20m), Eamon McAllen (23m), Paul McCannon (39m), Paul Galvin (42m), Pádraig Breen (44m).