Blanchardstown hold Pats’ late rally

IT Blanchardstown 0-11 St Pats Mater Dei 0-10

St Patrick’s were very competitive at midfield but Robert McCarthy and Donal Lenihan spearheaded the IT Blanchardstown attack superbly and between them kicked all 11 of their team’s points.

St Pat’s reduced the lead to a point, 0-5 to 0-4, by half-time but failed to carry on that momentum and conceded the first four scores of the second half.

The teaching students rallied for one last time in the final quarter, with Fearghal Duffy and Pat Hughes kicking nice scores. But they drew within one through Peadar O’Reilly in injury time.

However, IT Blanchardstown secured possession from the subsequent kick-out and held on to win.

Scorers for IT Blanchardstown: R McCarthy 0-6 (4fs), D Lenihan 0-5 (2fs).

Scorers for St Pats: S Kilbride 0-4fs, S Kelly 0-2 (1f), C Horan, F Duffy, P Hughes, P O’Reilly 0-1 each.

IT Blanchardstown (Dublin unless stated): M Ferguson; E O’Connell, C McGill (Meath), J Meehan (Meath); B Bentley, E Woods (Meath), S Sweeney; J Comerford (Kildare), E McNutt (Kildare); O O’Connell (Cavan), A Caffrey, C Gilheaney (Leitrim); C Wilson, R McCarthy, D Lenihan (Meath).

Subs: D Slattery (Kildare) for Gilheaney.

St Patrick’s: P Durkan (Meath); R Duffy (Monaghan), C Conaghan (Donegal), F Flanagan (Cavan); C Horan (Mayo), P McCormack (Longford), M Cody (Wexford); J Stewart (Louth), D Marks (Louth); M Cannon (Donegal), P Hughes (Sligo), F Duffy (Dublin); S Kelly (Mayo), S Kilbride (Roscommon), S Dempsey (Westmeath).

Subs: P O’Reilly (Cavan) for Duffy, K Donohue (Cavan) for Marks.

Referee: Niall Ward (Westmeath).