ACFL Division 2A
Naomh Padraig 1-13 St. Paul’s 2-8
A goal from the penalty spot in the 29th minute from Eoin Dixon turned this keenly contested game in favour of Naomh Padraig Lisburn as they finished strongly to edge out St. Paul’s at Kirkwoods Park on Wednesday night.
The home side had enjoyed the better of the opening half and led by two at the halfway stage but the Shaw’s Road side came storming back at the start of the second half with three quick points to take the lead and a goal from Shea Burns looked to have put them in a strong position with 14 minutes gone.
Two pointed frees from Lorcan Phillips looked to have clinched for the visitors with 8 minutes of normal time remaining but it would prove to be the ‘Hoops’ last score as Naomh Padraig finished strongly to edge it by a point.
Conor Ewing, Colm Burns, Josh McMullan 0-3, Francis McMeel, James Morgan, and Eoin Dixon were the Lisburn side’s first half marksmen while three points from Lorcan Phillips (0-2 f’s) and a goal from Niall McStravick with virtually the last action of the half kept St. Paul’s in touch.
Caoimhin Duffy pointed within 30 seconds of the restart and added another to draw the side’s level with three minutes gone and when he fired to the net in the 9th minute the momentum had swung significantly in favour of the Shaw’s Road side.
Francis McMeel pulled one back for Naomh Padraig with their first point of the half in the 12th minute but the St. Paul’s response was decisive as Shea Burns netted at the other end to put the visitors four ahead.
Che Smyth replied for the Kirkwood Park side but two more converted frees by the deadly accurate Phillips looked to be enough but they then lost Niall McStravick to a ‘Black’ card.
A point from a Francis McMeel free and Dixon’s penalty conversion closed the gap to one as the game entered time added on with Dixon levelling matters before Rudi Smyth’s dramatic winner from a 35th minute free out on the sideline, a score worthy of winning any game.
Naomh Padraig scorers: Eoin Dixon 1-2, Josh McMullan 0-3, Conor Ewing 0-1, Francis McMeel 0-04, Conor Ewing 0-1, James Morgan 0-1, Che Smyth 0-1.
St. Paul’s scorers: Lorcan Phillips 0-5, Caoimhin Duffy 0-2, Conall Duffy 0-1, Niall McStravick 1-0, Shea Burns 1-0
Referee: Paul Burns (Naomh Comhghall)
