Hartley double helps to ease Patricians past St Benildus

PATRICIAN SECONDARY 4-13 ST BENILDUS COLLEGE 1-8

LEINSTER POST-PRIMARY SF ‘A’ RD 1

A first-half scoring blitz provided the ideal platform for Patrician Secondary School as the Newbridge representatives eased their way into the next round of the Championship with a comprehensive victory over hosts St Benildus College of Kilmacud.

The Dublin side had, in fact, opened the scoring courtesy of a point from half-back Callum Pearson inside the first minute, but Patricians found their rhythm and soon settled into the contest thanks to eye-catching points by half-forwards Ben McCormack and Cian Scanlon, as well as a clinically-struck Ciaran Troy goal 13 minutes in.

Conor Hartley also got into his stride, breaking forward from midfield to find the net with smart finishes in the 18th and 21st minutes.

This brace of green flags put the Kildare side in the driving seat, and although Benildus eventually halted their opponents’ scoring sequence courtesy of a Cian O’Connor point, the visitors were not to be outdone and clinically hit back with another great goal.

SUPERB

This strike was the best of the match as Kildare minor Cian McConnell enthusiastically bounded forward from wing-back to fire home a superb individual effort which provided Patricians with an unassailable 4-6 to 0-2 interval cushion.

It was more or less a case of damage limitation for Benildus after the restart, but they did manage to reduce their deficit significantly following a converted free by Ronan Costelloe, and a 1-1 salvo by the determined O’Connor.

Patricians soon kicked back into gear, though, and three scores in as many minutes from McCormack, Scanlon and Peter Howard just shy of the 50-minute mark disrupted the momentum of their opponents and left Benildus facing a Herculean task.

The impressive O’Connor did add 0-3 to the Benildus tally during the closing stages, but the Kildare youngsters were in no mood to drop their intensity levels, and concluding scores by King, Padraic Murphy and Cian Byrne helped them to cruise over the line with plenty in the tank to spare.

Scorers – Patrician Secondary School: C Hartley 2-0, C Troy 1-1, B McCormack 0-4 (3fs, 1 ’45’), C McConnell 1-0, R King 0-3, C Scanlon 0-2, P Howard, P Murphy, C Byrne 0-1 each. St Benildus College: C O’Connor 1-5 (0-3fs), R Costelloe (1f), C Pearson, A McGowan 0-1 each.

PATRICIAN SECONDARY SCHOOL – C Earley; I Meehan, T Aspell, S Healy; S Dempsey, A O’Brien, C McConnell; C Hartley, C Kavanagh; C Troy, B McCormack, C Scanlon; L Doran, P Howard, R King. Subs: A Burke for Hartley (44), P Murphy for Troy (44), C Byrne for Scanlon (53), R Brady for O’Brien (56, BC).

ST BENILDUS COLLEGE – D Rafferty; E Ryan, M McGrath, G Fallon; B McGeary, M Doyle, C Pearson; C Lyndon, R Costelloe; S O’Brien, S Bedford, T Fox; A McGowan, P Ryan, C O’Connor. Subs: A McDermott for Fox (h-t), B Conway for McGeary (h-t), K Creasey for Ryan (42), K Noonan for Lyndon (49), P McGinley for McGowan (56, BC).

REF – P Flanagan (Dublin).