St Patrick's prevail at second time of asking

PREMIER FC DIV 2 O'Mahonys edged out on home turf

PREMIER FC DIV 2 FINAL

St Patrick’s 1-10

Navan O’Mahonys 1-6

After the inital game had to be abandoned at half-time due to floodlight failure in Donore, and with the St Mary's pitch unavailable on Wednesday evening, the destination of the Premier FC Div 2 title was finally determined in Paddy O'Brien Park with hosts O'Mahonys losing out to St Patrick's.

Fielding three players (Jack McConnell, Jack Flynnand Shane McCarthy) who had featured in O'Mahonys IHC final win over Drumree just four days earlier the Navan men were slow to get going.

The visitors opened the scoring early on and moments later they hit the upright and were denied a goal opportunity.

O’Mahonys had a number of scoring opportunities, with the first successful one coming from Christy Dillon in the sixth minute.

Five minutes later, St Pat’s found the net with a soccer style finish. They extended the lead two minutes later with a point.

Eoin Joyce converted a free in the 16th minute, but this was soon cancelled by a point from play at the opposite end.

The sides exchanged points for the remainder of the half, with Eoghan Nugent and McConnell raising white flags for O’Mahony’s. Two late points for the Stamullen men saw them go in with a 1-6 to 0-4 advantage.

Joyce reduced the gap with a free in the 38th minute, but St Patrick’s responded well with two pointed frees to leave six between the sides.

O’Mahony’s were well served in the full back line by strong performances from Craig Nolan, Eimhin Power and Evan Brady, with Louis Collins, Thomas Cully and Ciaran Vaughan working hard further out the pitch.

Another Joyce free left five points in it with 15 minutes remaining, but O’Mahonys failed to score for the next 10 minutes and during that time St Patrick’s added a further two points.

With just over a minute of injury time remaining, substitute Paul Cunningham rattled the St Patrick’s net to reduce the deficit to four, but despite landing a number of balls in the danger zone, O'Mahonys couldn't break down the St Patrick’s defence.

After the game, Co Board and Navan O’Mahonys official Michael Bennett presented the Cup, along with Mary Tobin from sponsors Meath Cleaning Supplies.

Navan O’Mahonys - Aaron Byrne; Craig Nolan, Evan Brady, Eimhin Power; Thomas Cully, Louis Collins, Ciaran Vaughan; Jack Flynn, Hugo Fitzherbert; Jack Quinn, Jack McConnell (0-1), Eoin Joyce (0-3); Eoghan Nugent (0-1), Shane McCarthy, Christy Dillon (0-1). Subs - Evan Cully for Fitzherbert, Paul Cunningham (1-0) for McCarthy, Conor McEvoy for Quinn, Podge McEvoy for Nugent, Adam Fagan for Vaughan.