Ferghal O’Reilly turns from Niall McCusker
MANOR HOUSE HOTEL SLF DIVISION ONE
St Patricks 1-10
Tempo 0-10
Newly promoted St Patricks had a cracking start to their return to the top flight thanks to this deserved three point home success over league holders Tempo.
The scalp of the champions will of course provide the Donagh side with extra encouragement that they can at the very least hold their own in the division.
And making their success all the more notable was the fact that Shane McDermott, who has long been perhaps their inspirational figure was not on board, the long serving stalwart apparently having retired.
As for Tempo they had a struggle on their hands here right from the outset. They conceded what in the end turned out to be the game’s only goal, this coming inside the opening minutes and they spent the rest of the game attempting to recover the lost ground.
On two occasions late in the second half the Maguires managed to level but in the end they were to be caught by a late flourish of scores from the sturdy home side who celebrated a win which will have given them a terrific boost.
Quality of scoring in this game however was to be seriously hampered by a very testing wind which swirled mainly into one particular corner and Tempo in particular failed to cope with it though it was by no means all one way traffic in that regard.
A Eunan McCann point in the first minute put Tempo into a quick lead but it was a shortlived one and St Patricks were promptly level with a score from Pat Cadden and then the same player notched the all important goal. A line ball was hoofed into the Tempo goal area and the break fell to Cadden who smacked home his shot.
Over the remainder of the half Tempo worked hard to claw back the ground lost but scoring was sporadic amid a string of wides in the swirling wind. The visitors did have points from Damian Kelly, Eunan McCann, Niall McCusker and finally from corner back Declan Campbell.
But the home side had been able to nick two in reply, one from Ruairi McGrade and they led by one at the break on a scoreline of 1-3 to 0-5
Over the third quarter there was little to split the sides, Pat Cadden had an early point for Donagh before Daryl Keenan floated over two nicely judged frees for Tempo to level the match
Paul Cosgrove who had been putting in some solid work in the St Patricks midfield was instrumental in two good St Patricks scores, with Thomas Campbell and Neil Rogers responding for Tempo.
With the teams level going into the final five minutes and with Pat Cadden wide with a reasonably placed free, the wind again a factor here, a draw looked the outcome but St Patricks were to stage a matchwinning finale.
Cadden made amends with a fine shot from open play, soon added a second and as Tempo sagged Jason Cadden drifted over a third.
Referee; John McGurn; Erne Gaels.