GAELIC GAMES: DUB JH ‘D’ FINAL
Geary hat-trick in final goal fest for Paul’s
Daire Walsh
TOM Geary finished with a hat-trick of goals at the National Sports Campus in Abbotstown on Monday afternoon, as St Paul’s College claimed the Dublin Schools’ Junior Hurling ‘D’ title at the expense of St Joseph’s, Drogheda by 7-11 to 3-9.
The Co Louth boys had opened with a well-worked point, but with just six minutes gone on the clock, Geary found the net with a superb close-range strike. Excellent approach play by Mikey Devine enabled the Paul’s full-forward to break through on goal, and even though Joseph’s responded with an unanswered haul of 1-2, Geary registered a three-pointer of his own in the 11th-minute.
PATCH
This kick-started a strong purple patch from the Raheny school, and further green flag efforts by Geary (two) and Devine ensured that they brought a 5-0 to 2-4 cushion into the second period.
Joseph’s had shown enough quality to suggest that they could work their way back into the reckoning, and they added some eye-catching scores after the restart.
Yet, Paul’s continued to cause problems for the opposition rearguard, with Darragh Jackson and Robert McGuirk becoming increasingly influential as the half wore on.
This dynamic duo amassed a combined tally of 2-6, and courtesy of late points from the likes of Devine and Liam Fahy, St Paul’s sealed the silverware.