Donagh win battle of the saints

Editorial Department • Published 26 Aug 2010 16:00

St. Patrick’s 0-13; St. Joseph’s 0-09

The 2008 champions St. Pat’s are through to the semi-final stage of this year’s Quinn Insurance SFC following a hard earned four point victory over St. Joseph’s on Sunday evening in Irvinestown.

There was little between the sides throughout the opening 40 minutes of the contest but a 13 minute spell which saw St. Pat’s out-score their opponents 0-06 to 0-01 was to prove decisive in the finish.

Pat Cadden, Eamon Maguire and Ruairi McGrade were all prominent during this period for the Donagh men although it was Paul Cosgrove who came away with the man of the match award following a fine display of fielding at midfield.

St. Pat’s made the brighter start to the contest and could have had the ball in the back of the St. Joseph’s net inside the opening minute when Fergal Reilly was put in the clear but he tapped over instead of going for goal.

Paul McCusker, who was St. Joseph’s main scoring threat throughout the encounter as he registered seven points, levelled things with a pointed free but it was St. Pat’s who were looking that little bit more assured during this period and points from Shane McDermott and Pat Cadden gave them a 0-03 to 0-01 lead with six minutes played.

St. Joseph’s, though, came more into it as the half progressed and it took a fine save from St. Joseph’s goalkeeper Ciaran McMahon to deny Paul McCusker a goal at the end of fine move by the Ederney outfit.

McCusker though slammed over two frees to make it 0-03 apiece and a twisting run by the corner forward saw him edge his side in front for the first time in the game.

St. Pat’s left half back Paul McManus slotted over a great point from the left hand side but McCusker replied with another free to put his side ahead in added on time in the first half.

It was St. Pat’s though who were to go in with the advantage at half time as Pat Cadden landed two points, one from play and one from a free, to leave the minimum dividing the sides at the interval, 0-06 to 0-05.

St. Joseph’s introduced Martin McGrath to full forward as a blood sub early in the second half and he almost had an immediate impact as he bore down on goal from the right but his effort from an acute angle flew wide.

An excellent long range free from McCusker though had the sides on level terms once more but it was St. Pat’s who were to grab the game by the scruff of the neck over the next 15 minutes or so.

Paul McManus carried the ball forward on the left before landing a beautiful score and points in quick succession from a Pat Cadden free and substitute Ruairi McGrade, who drilled an effort over the bar after collecting a clearance from Ederney goalkeeper Patrick McCarron, saw St. Pat’s establish a three point advantage.

McGrath reduced the margin to two points when he fired over for St. Joseph’s but Eamon Maguire, whose influence grew throughout the second half, knocked over the next two points for the Donagh side to make it 0-11 to 0-07.

When Pat Cadden followed up with two further scores it put St. Pat’s into a commanding 0-13 to 0-07 lead with eight minutes left to play.

To their credit, St. Joseph’s never let their heads drop, and they did have late points from Paul McCusker and Declan Deazley, but it was not enough to stop St. Pat’s securing their place in the semi-finals.

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This article appeared in Impartial Reporter 26 Aug 10

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