St Patrick's claim Wicklow football title

CHAMPIONS: St Patrick’s players celebrate with the cup. Pic: INPHO/Bryan Keane

Wicklow SFC final

St Patrick's 1-10 Baltinglass 1-8 

St Patrick's secured their 15th senior football title on Sunday after beating fierce rivals Baltinglass in a cracking final at Aughrim.

With the aid of a tricky wind in the first half Baltinglass led by 1-4 to 0-3 at half time but the Wicklow town men powered their way to victory on the changeover with the help of a Tommy Murphy goal midway through the second period.

Baltinglass exploded from the traps to race into 1-3 lead after 13 minutes. A fielding mistake by St Pat's corner back Wayne Doyle gifted a goal chance to John McGrathe and he accepted and blasted to the net.

The sides again swapped points in the third quarter before Tommy Kelly found the net for St Patrick's to take the lead. Goalie Mark Jackson levelled for Baltinglass from a free. It was 1-7 each.

Jackson put Balto ahead once more but the tide was flowing towards Wicklow town. Three rapid fire points for St Patrick's by Dean Healy, Niall Delahunt and John Crowe sealed the deal for the Wicklow town men.

Scorers for Pat's: Tommy Kelly 1-5, D Healy, N Delahunt, J Crowe B Doyle , P McWalter 0-1 each 

Scorers for Baltinglass: J McGrath 1-1, M Jackson 0-4, R McHugh 0-2, J Keogh 0-1.

St Patrick’s: S Doyle, C O'Brien, M Traynor, W Doyle, S Boucher, P O'Keane, N Delahunt, D Healy, J Crowe, P O'Brien, P McWalter, K O’Brien, C O’Brien, B Doyle, C McGettigan, T Kelly.

Subs: S Duffy for P McWalter, J Dunne for B Doyle, P Earles for McGettigan

Baltinglass: M Jackson, A Daly-Danne, J Murray, B Cullen, tom Burke, C Grimes, P Burke, K Murphy, S Doody, J Kirwan,J Keogh, J Kennedy, J McGrath, T Keogh, A McHugh.

Subs: T O’Toole for J MCGrath [injured], P Whelan for S Doody, K Furlong for J Kennedy.

Referee: John Keenan, Aughrim.