U20 Football League Division 2
St Pat’s 8-11(35) Lamh Dhearg 2-6(12)
Photrographs courtesy of Gerard Dixon:
St. Patrtick’s Lisburn put the disappointment of a two point defeat at Portglenone at the weekend behind them to get back to winning ways with a resounding victory over Lamh Dhearg at Kirwoods Park last night.
The Lisburn side were never headed and took the game to the visitors right from the start with Eoin Dixon pointing them ahead from a free and adding a second from play and points from Colm Burns and Che Smyth had them 0-4 to 0-0 ahead with only three minutes on the clock.
Eoin Campbell got the Hannastown side of the mark with a point in the 9th minute but Naomh Padraig responded and James Morgan got in for the game’s opening goal with 14 minutes on the clock.
Naomh Padraig looked completely in control at this stage but Lamh Dhearg found a response and Adam Murray replied with a goal to put them right back into the game. Things were certainly warming up at this stage with the goals coming thick and fast with Rory Kennedy getting through for a second goal for the hosts in the 18th minute and Conall McGuiggan replying with the visitors second major, three minutes later.
The same player added a point and when Daire Cunningham added another in the 26th minute to level the contest we looked to have a real game on our hands.
Naomh Padraig were enjoying plenty of possession but their shooting wasn’t matching their approach play with a number of chances going a begging but a good Rory Kennedy point from play gave the hosts a narrow 2-4 to 2-3 half time lead.
We looked to be in for a close encounter as the sides took the field for the second half but it was Naomh Padraig who grabbed the game by the scruff of the neck as they began to dominate possession.
Adam Patterson, Eoin Dixon, Niall Dixon and Che Smyth added points by the 9th minute and when Conor Ewing got in for a 12th minute goal the Kirkwoods Park side looked very much in control.
Daire Cunningham finally got Lamh Dhearg off the mark as he pointed a free in the 15th minute but three goals in the space of three minutes put the game beyond reach of the Hannastown side.
Rory Kennedy started the roller coaster rolling as he fired to the net in the 16th minute, Adam Patterson followed with another and when the superb Kennedy completed his hat trick in the18th minute it was all over.
The hosts were now running rampant as the Lamh Dhearg resistance collapsed and Oisin Gorman and Jude McMullan, added goals in the run in to full time with Eoin Dixon, Adam Patterson and Jack Broderick adding points and Lamh Dhearg’s only response coming from Daire Cunningham pointed free and another from play by the same player.
This has been a good campaign to date for the Lisburn side in the first year that they have fielded a side in this age group and it should pay dividends in the future. They certainly look to have a number of excellent individuals within their ranks and in top scorer Rory Kennedy, who contributed 3-1 on the night they have a player with great promise.
