St Pat’s vs Coláiste Eoin
This terrifically entertaining and nerve wrecking knock out stage match had it all! Goals, incredible scores, stand out performances and even a little bit of indiscipline. The Pat’s did eventually get over the line and secure a well-deserved spot in a Leinster quarter final, but there are still plenty of things to revisit and reflect on in the coming days.
An early goal for the opposition was not the ideal start for the lads. Nonetheless, it was certainly not a case where they dropped their heads and gave up. They fought back hard and brought the game level on eight points going into half-time. It was evident, however, that there needed to be some changes in form to combat the dominance the opponents had on both sets of kick outs.
Although the second half was solid, points scoring wise, Pat’s were still looking for that opening goal that would set them up for the victory. It eventually came with ten minutes to go in the half but was promptly mimicked by Coláiste Eoin soon after. Another goal with little left on the clock brought about a nervy finish for Pat’s but they held strong and saw the game out with the full forward line putting the match out of reach with some superb scores.
Stand-out performers changed the game for the Navan lads. Billy Birmingham commanded the full back line with intensity and desire to lead which proved to be the difference as Eoin’s only put over 3 points. The two corner backs mirrored Birmingham’s stellar performance and got the better of their markers. Oran Meade was a constant nuisance for the opponents and stood out in the midfield. Max Condon’s passion was made apparent today as he started in wing back and went after everything at 100 miles an hour. These are the type of players who have won matches for the Pat’s the entire year.
An unfortunate sending off put a slight dampener on the afternoon for the lads but I can say with almost 100% certainty they are already looking ahead to the quarter final. With the way they played today, very few teams could lay a finger on them.
Huge thank you to the players and management throughout the year so far. Hopefully there will be plenty more days like this!
Final score: 1-16 to 4-03 (Article By Thomas Connell TYC)
Panel: Back (Left to right) Bobby Gaffney, Eoin Flanagan, Adam McEvoy, Harry Smith, James Donnelly, Max Chamberlin, Michael Byrne, Stephen Cahill, Conal O’Sullivan, Charlie Finnegan, Alex O’Neill, Billy Birmingham, Padraic Stephans , Liam Devine, Jack Byrne, CJ Lynch, Darragh Wright, Ferdia Gibney, Conor Duffy, Bradley Kirwan
Front (Left to right) Charles McCarthy, Harry Butler, Eoghan McGauran, Ryan O’Neill, Nathan Reilly, Conor Reuter, Sean Smyth, Oran Meade, Tadgh Foley, Will Bryne, Luke Casey, Max Condon, DJ O’Reilly, Colm McDonnell, Niall Smyth, Cormac Smith, Charlie Twomey
