Boys in Green and White lose out but long campaign to go

Corn na Boinne

St Patrick’s 2-9

Bective1-5

Bective played host to St Pat's in this first round Corn na Boinne cup match last Saturday on a very heavy pitch - but there's reasons for the Boys in Green and White to be optimistic as new season dawns.

Both sides had an experimental look with Bective giving first team adult competition starts to David Donnelly, Cormac Gorman and Jamie O’Neill who came up from last year’s under 17 ranks.

Both sides defended well and St Pat's scored first with a point on six minutes. They attacked goal at every opportunity and hit the net on 10 minutes. Bective also attacked but were held out by tight defending.

Mark Dowdall punted forward into space and brother Neil walloped the ball on the volley from 20m to the top right corner of the net giving the St Pat's goalie no chance. Mark followed up with a converted mark on 17 minutes and St Pat's responded with a point on 18 minutes.

St Pat's made their extra possession and fast attacking moves count with their second goal on 19 minutes and tacked on two more points. Con Smith pointed from a free kick on 30 minutes to bring the half-time score to St Pat's 2-4, Bective 1-2.

Bective had a hill to climb and brought on fresh legs in Craig Roche and Ben Sherlock but St Pats pushed further ahead with points in the third and fifth minutes. Mathew Cully, Finn Murray, Luke Heneghan, Simon Finn, David Donnelly and Jack Clarke were working hard to gain scoring positions and Con Smith fired over his second point on six minutes and Ben Sherlock pointed on 13 minutes.

Eanna Reilly came into the forward line and added extra running power. Cully, who had a fine game at midfield, broke through the centre and pointed on 15 minutes to bring Bective within four points.

Stout defending from Cormac Gorman, Jack Grant, Jamie O’Neill and Simon Finn and Bective pushed hard but could not break down the St Pat's defence and had a number of missed opportunities. It was St Pat's that finished stronger with three points in the final minutes to seal their win.

Bective - Scott O’Sullivan, Jamie O’Neill, Jack Grant, Jack Clarke, Finn Murray, Cormac Gorman, Simon Finn, Ciaran Reilly, Mathew Cully, Mark Dowdall, Luke Heneghan, David Donnelly, Sean Keating, Con Smith and Neil Dowdall.