Disappointment for St Pat's in quarter-final
Leinster PP Schools' SF A new boys Scoil Mhuire, Clane claimed a major scalp at PáircTáilteann this afternoon when they sent hosts St Patrick's CS, Navan crashing out of the provincial competition at the quarter-final stage by 2-8 to 0-12.
A two-goal blitz midway through the second-half gave the hard-working Kildare students the initiative although they had to survive a determined rally from their Meath counterparts in the closing stages.
It was nail-biting stuff in the frantic final minutes as St Pat's tried to recover from a 0-8 to 2-8 deficit after Kyle Devey and Ciaran Kelly grabbed the all-important goals for Scoil Mhuire.
There was much to admire about the attitude that the St Pat's players displayed as they clawed back the deficit.
Substitute Caolan Ward pointed a 50th minute free before a brace from Eanna O'Kelly-Lynch (one free) and one by Brian Conlon, who was carrying an injury following a earlier challenge, closed the gap to two points.
St Pat's then squandered three point opportunities from frees as the clock ticked towards 60 minutes and they headed for the departure lounge.
It didn't start so well for St Pat' s either. They were laboured in their approach throughout the opening half and were all of five points adrift (0-0 to 0-5) after only 10 minutes as the Clane boys picked of their scores with relative ease.
Ciaran Kelly sent over three frees and Brian McLoughlin added a brace from play, but the fact that they only managed another two points, McLoughlin and Kyle Devey, before the break reflects the manner in which St Pat's worked their way into the contest.
Scoil Mhuire deployed two markers on St Pat's full-forward Conor Nash and that greatly restricted his contribution, although he managed the opening score for the Navan lads in the 12th minute.
Eoin Finnegan claimed three points (two frees) while Eanna Mooney and Eoin Smyth also split the posts as St Pat's trailed by the minimum, 0-6 to 0-7 at the interval.
O'Kelly-Lynch had St Pat's on terms a minute into the second-haalf when he converted a free and that was followed by another well-struck Finnegan free as the Navan students hit the front for the first time. McLoughlin's pointed free drew the sides level before Clane upped the tempo with that two-goal salvo.
Scoil Mhuire, Clane – P Mylod; E O'Connell, B Giffney, B Corbett; C Sullivan, B McLoughlin (0-3), R Philips; D Brereton, C Byrne; C Flaherty, C Morris, T Montgomery; C Kelly (1-4 three frees), D Kelly, K Devey (1-1). Subs – J Reilly for Brereton and S Sullivan for Flaherty both half-time.
St Patrick's – Louis Timmons (Rathkenny); Paddy Dillon (Navan O''Mahonys), Thomas McGuinness (Rathkenny); Paddy Carpenter (Skryne); Michael Doherty (Skryne), Cian O'Reilly (Carnaross), Oisin Martyn (Dunderry); Brian Conlon (Simonstown 0-1), JJ O'Dea (Castletown); Eanna Mooney (Slane 0-1), Eanna O'Kelly-Lynch (Wolfe Tones 0-3 two frees), Diarmuid McCabe (Summerhill); Eoin Finnegan (Seneschalstown 0-4 three frees), Conor Nash (Simonstown Gaels 0-1), Eoin Smyth (Skryne 0-1).
Subs – Cian Swaine (Clann na nGael) for McCabe 41 mins, Caolan Wardolfe Tones 0-1 free) for Finnegan 42m, Eoin McAllister (Walterstown) for Conlon 46m, Mark Devlin (Simonstown Gaels) for Dillon and Conlon for McAllister both 50m, Alan Wall (Walterstown) for Doherty 54m,llister for Conlon 57m.
Referee – Michael Murtagh (Westmeath).