ST PAT’S MAKE PERFECT START
Donabate have the measure of the hosts
DUBLIN AFL3
ST PATRICK’S DONABATE 2-15
GOOD COUNSEL/LIFFEY GAELS 0-5
Daire Walsh
ST PATRICK’S Donabate enjoy a dream start to the new Adult Football League Division 3 season on Sunday morning as the northsiders comfortably got the better of Good Counsel/Liffey Gaels at Galtymore Road by 16 points.
Powered by the impressive attacking displays of Stephen Dempsey and Ollie Brooks – who finished with a combined tally of 1-10 – Pat’s found themselves in control of the contest from very early on and were full value for the two points on offer. Good Counsel produced a much-improved second-half performance after struggling to cope with the power of their opponents during the opening period, but will nevertheless be hoping to move on from what was ultimately a disappointing result on their part.
While this game didn’t fall foul of the adverse weather conditions that greeted the capital on Saturday night – and carried through into the early hours of Sunday – the pitch was cut up in certain areas. This appeared to have little effect on the visitors, however, who opened the scoring with an excellent point from Dempsey on the left-wing in the third minute.
Dempsey added another brace of scores to provide Pat’s with a strong platform. Good Counsel found it difficult to impose an attacking game, particularly with their Donabate counterparts on top around the middle.
Pat’s continued to keep the scoreboard ticking over with unanswered points courtesy of Niall Collins and Colm Kavanagh, before Brooks cut inside from the left to fire home in the maiden goal of the game in the 12th-minute.
Good Counsel eventually opened their account with a pointed free by Seanie O’Kane after Dempsey had enhanced his already excellent personal tally, but there was no let-up from Pat’s in the second-quarter. The imperious Dempsey, Brooks (a mark) and Kavanagh kicked three points in as many minutes to further underline their superiority.
Although Brooks was denied a second major by an outstanding goal-line block from Good Counsel defender Owen Kirby, his delivery kick-started the move for a Sean Walsh three-pointer on 28 minutes. This ensured Pat’s were 2-9 to 0-1 in front at the break and already well on their way towards an opening round win.
Good Counsel had introduced Dean Blood prior to the interval and his successful free cancelled out another Brooks score on the resumption. Despite making a triple substitution in the 36th-minute, Pat’s maintained a stranglehold, with points from Dempsey and substitute Matt Molloy.
Good Counsel netminder Wayne Flanagan did keep their attack at bay at various stages, though, and additional efforts by Blood, Adam Skelly and Adam Quinn – the latter being the sole score from play – did offer them some form of solace.
Nevertheless, St Pat’s were always in command, with Niall Moran, Dempsey and Brooks all adding points to seal a convincing 16-point triumph.
MATCH FILE
SCORERS – ST PAT’S DONABATE: S Dempsey 0-7 (1f), O Brooks 1-3 (0-1 mark), S Walsh 1-0, C Kavanagh 0-2, N Moran, N Collins, M Molloy 0-1 each. Good Counsel/Liffey Gaels: D Blood 0-2 (2f), S O’Kane (f), A Skelly (f), A Quinn 0-1 each.
ST PAT’S, DONABATE: E Moloney; T McKeon, P Costello, B Gaston; N Moran, J Mullins, R McKeon; A Darby, C Redmond; C Dowling, N Collins, S Dempsey; S Walsh, O Brooks, C Kavanagh. Subs: K McKeon for Dowling, S McGrath for Darby, M Molloy for Brooks (all 36), Brooks for Collins (45), Dowling for Mullins (47).
GOOD COUNSEL/LIFFEY GAELS: W Flanagan; M Potts, J O’Brien, O Kirby; C Forrestor, E Keating, A Quinn; L Eivers, M Nestor; A Skelly, M Griffen, D Loftus; M Kenny, S O’Kane, J McGovern. Subs: D Blood for Kenny (21), J Nolan for Kirby, C Doyle for McGovern (both h-t), C Dunphy for Loftus, P Manifold for Eivers (47).
MENTORS – ST PAT’S, DONABATE: C Roche, C Weafer, D Casey, R Guinan. Good Counsel/Lifey Gaels: D Holmes.
REFEREE: S Farrelly (Ballinteer St John’s).
WIDES – ST PAT’S, DONABATE: 8 (4+4). Good Counsel/Liffey Gaels: 5 (1+4).
CONDITIONS: Dry throughout, but quite muddy.
PLAYER OF THE MATCH: Stephen Dempsey (St Pat’s, Donabate).