St.Patrick's 1-8
Oldcastle 2-3

St. Patrick's will be counting their blessings after a dramatic last minute goal handed them victory over Oldcastle in the hoganstand.com SFC at Simonstown on Friday night.

With a strong wind blowing straight across the pitch Oldcastle were the quickest to adapt getting on the scoreboard after only two minutes. Oldcastle added another point from play before slotting over a free kick with 15 minutes gone on the clock for what would be remarkably their last point of the game.

After many squandered efforts from both dead-balls and open play Pat's finally got on the scoreboard with a well taken Donal Landy point after 24 minutes of the opening half. Niall Mooney then sent the ball over the bar in stoppage time to leave the halftime scores Oldcastle 0-03 St.Patrick's 0-02.

The already tricky conditions were made even more difficult when a deluge of rain fell during the halftime interval. Oldcastle were quickest out of the blocks when a surging forward run resulted in the ball being driven into the back of the net for a goal. Pat's responded in great fashion with Niall Mooney sending over a good point before splitting the posts from a free-kick. Alan Vickers then swung over a fine left-footed effort but just as it looked like Pat's were gaining a foothold in the game Oldcastle struck for another goal. Oldcastle won a Pat's kick-out and broke clean through on goal, keeper Cluskey made the save but another Oldcastle forward was on hand to fly-kick the rebound into the back of the net to give Oldcastle a four point lead after 42 minutes.

Pat's looked stunned by the goal and their next score didn't come until the 53rd minute when Niall Mooney knocked over a left-footed shot. Substitute Shane Landy was the on hand to put the ball over the black spot before Niall Mooney converted another free to leave only one point between the teams with only two minutes left on the clock. It was in injury time when the drama struck, Pat's were awarded a 45' kick and Niall Mooney stood up to take it. He drove a powerful ball in towards goal that struck the post and then rebounded off the goalkeeper's back and across the line for the most fortuitous of goals. As the kick-out was being taken the referee sounded the full-time whistle leaving the final scores St.Patrick's 1-08 Oldcastle 2-03.

Best for the Pat's were Niall Mooney, Ciarán Calvey and Shane Dowling.

St. Patrick's: Robert Cluskey, David Stafford, David McQuillan, Andy Reilly, Shane Dowling, Kieran Lynch, Shane McGinty, Ciarán Calvey, Cormac Sullivan, Darren Hagan, Niall Mooney(0-5,2f), Andy Mooney, Donal Landy(0-1), Niall Whearty, Alan Vickers(0-1). Subs: Shane Landy(0-1)for Hagan HT', Martin McKenna for Sullivan 47'.

Oldcastle: C. McHugh, B.Curran, C.McPartland, P.Lynch, D.Hawdon, R Mc.Hugh, M.Cadden, S.Tierney, T.Farrelly, P.Rahill, N.Mangan (0g.1pt), E.Gilsenan, T.Rahill (1g.) Ronan Farrelly, Robbie Farrelly (1g.2pts). Subs. S.Maxwell for M. Cadden. Tweet

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