St Pat's survive late Clane revival to move into last four
Goals help Navan school sustain their ambitions
St Patrick's CS, Navan...3-8
Scoil Mhuire, Clane ....1-11
It's funny how the balance of a game can change. How a team who are looking so strong one minute can suddenly find themselves struggling to find their footing.
The players who were involved with St Pat's in this Leinster Post Primary Schools' SFC quarter-final clash at Dunganny today will understand the feeling. That feeling of the ground shifting under their feet.
With 44 minutes played St Pat's were seemingly in an unassailable position. They led 3-8 to 1-8 even though they faced into a stiff icy breeze and were playing up the slope, the goals bagged with considerable elan and panache with the pacy Andrew Gormley helping himself to two of those goals and Billy Smyth the other.
Then like a switch it call started to change for the Navan school. They found it difficult to move the ball beyond the half-way line. They suffered from the connession of turnovers which helped to keep Clane in the game.
Added to all that was the fact that Clane sensed redemption and they had the players and the conviction to go about doing something about their plight.
It all ensured the final 10 minutes especially was squeeky-bum time as far St Pat's were concerned - and those supporters who braved the wintry conditions to give them some support.
St Pat's - who had led 1-7 to 0-5 at the interval - showed in those closing stanzas a defensive fortitude that was admirable as they held back the Clane attack who appeared to grow in confidence with each passing minute.
That willingness by the players in the amber and black to get in blocks and clear their lines will be crucial if they are to hold onto realistic ambitions of landing a Leinster crown. It was certainly important for them today.
The goals and how they were created made up some of the main highlights for St Pat's in this engrossing encounter.
The first arrived in the lead up to half-time. St Pat's led 0-6 to 0-3. Then the Meath side put together a fine move with James Donnelly and Conor Donohoe involved in working the ball to Darren O'Brien a few metres out from the Clane posts.
O'Brien looked destined to find the net but his shot was blocked on the line. That's when fortune smiled on St Pat's with the ball falling kindly for the alert Smyth who fired home.
The second-half had just got underway when St Pat's struck again. This time another fine attacking move was skilfully constructed. Harry Cahill, Fionnan O'Connor, O'Brien, Cian Commons worked the ball to Gormely who burned off opponents with his pace close to the opposition posts.
Gormley's forward surge allowed him to ghost past an opponent . This was followed by a neat sidestep that created some space. It was all he needed as he neatly tucked the ball away; the score a lethal combination of craft and a sense of adventure.
Those goals - added to three points from Commons as well as other quality scores garnered by O'Connor, Gormley, Smyth and Donohoe - ensured their team were by then on a plateau. Strong. Indomitable.
It looked like St Pat's were poised to win with ease. Then something happened to their collective psyche. Maybe they theamselves believed they had it wrapped up.
Whatever the reason their challenge fell alarmingly away and they were left to defend tenaciously to retain their advantage - which they did but the way they faded as an attacking force should make their management wary as they approach the semi-final.
DJ Percival caused St Pat's plenty of problems and he finished with five points while Daragh Mulahy, Killian O'Sullivan, Adam Fitzpatrick and Fergal McKennedy were others who contributed to the Clane account.
Their goal scored by Ronan Doorey sparked their second-half rival but they were unable to rescue themselves.
Despite the victory there were other concerning aspects of this display from a St Pat's perspective. They missed a host of decent chances in the opening half with shots sailing wide or falling short.
On the positive side St Pat's did put together some super moves, transitioning from defence to attack with pace, something the team possesses in abundance.
The Navan school also have plenty of really dangerous forwards and if their attack can improve in terms of translating more chances into scores then they could be really onto something.
Every player worked extremely hard with performers such as Tadhg Murray, Sean McLoughlin, O'Brien, David Donnelly, Commons, Fionn McHale, Harry Cahill, Gormley, Billy Smyth and Donohoe among those to show up well.
Overall a good display from the victors. Encouraging too but work still needs to be done.
SCORERS
St Patrick's CS - Andrew Gormley 2-1; Billy Smyth 1-1; Cian Commons 0-3 one free; Fionnan O'Connor 0-2; Conor Donohoe 0-1.
Scoil Mhuire, Clane - DJ Percival 0-5 four frees; Ronan Doorey 1-0; Daragh Mulahy 0-2; Adam Fitzpatrick 0-2; Fergal McKennedy 0-1; Killian O'Sullivan 0-1 free.
TEAMS
St Patrick's CS - James Norris (Seneschalstown); Fionn McHale (Dunderry), Sean McLoughlin (Dunderry), Tadgh Murray (St Ultan's); Oisin O'Neill (Dunderry), Matthew Kealy (Slane), James Donnelly (Bective); Darren O'Brien (Seneschalstown), David Donnelly (Bective); Fionnan O'Connor (Walterstown), Cian Commons (Seneschalstown), Harry Cahill (Dunsany); Andrew Gormley (Gaeil Colmcille), Billy Smyth (Skryne), Conor Donohoe (Skryne). Subs - Jamie Duffy (Dunderry) for O'Neill, Daniel Gavagan (Rathkenny) for Donohoe both 44 mins, MacKenzie Doyle (Simonstown) for O'Brien 49m, Senan Duffy (Slane) for O'Connor 58m.
Clane - Hugh Muldoon; James O'Donoghue, Patrick Connolly, Conor O'Sullivan; Calum Doran, Liam Blake, Mick O'Toole,; Daniel Colbert, Ruadhan Kane; Ronan Doorey, Adam Fitzpatrick, Fergal McKennedy; Killian O'Sullivan, Daragh Mulahy, DJ Percival. Subs - Ben Kehoe for O'Toole 40 mins, Josh Gannon for McKennedy 51m.
Referee - David Sweeney (Laois).