St Joseph's coast against wasteful St Paul's side

St Joseph's 5-12, St Paul's 0-3

Damien Maher

Last year’s defeated finalists, St Joseph’s, produced the goods to record a facile victory over a profligate St Paul’s outfit at Moynihan Park, Ballynacargy, on Saturday evening.

A quick look at the final score will highlight the big difference between the teams. St Joseph’s had the finishing power to make their possession count, while St Paul’s failed to execute a number of decent chances and whichcontributed to a 24-point defeat. Last year’s Junior 2 winners were architects of their own downfall in that regard.

St Joseph’s looked impressive. They have a well-balanced side and players capable of finishing, which makes them definite contenders once again at this grade.

This was over as a contest very early and St Joseph’s led by 2-5 to nil at half-time. They had played with the breeze and the rain returned to make for a greasy surface, presenting players with a challenge they haven’t faced for several weeks now due to a prolonged dry spell.

Gerry Gleeson’s St Joseph’s side took control in the opening half and, in truth, they went about their business in sedate style. There were just two scores in the first quarter, points from full-forward Jordan McDonnell and wing-forward Ben McDonnell. Sandwiched in between was a glaring miss from Philip Gilsenan, who struck the side stanchion with a powerful goal attempt. Sadly for St Paul’s, that summed up their misery in front of goal during the opening half.

St Joseph’s were more clinical. They moved the ball with purpose in the 19th minute and Daniel Keegan set up Niall Moran for a well-taken goal. Soon, Nathan Corcoran, Ros Elliffe and Jordan McDonnell combined for the latter to score.

On 25 minutes, Aaron McDonnell’s long-range effort was fumbled by ‘keeper Ollie Mulvaney and a St Joseph’s goal resulted. They built on such fortune through Nathan Corcoran, who added two further first-half points. At the other end, Nicholas Duffy and Emmett Cunneen struck the upright as the St Joseph’s goal continued to lead a charmed existence.

St Paul’s endured the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune at times in the opening half an could have been closer.

The Clonmellon men needed to make early inroads with the breeze at their backs in the second half and a pointed free from Thomas Flynn helped. But St Joseph’s refused to allow them to establish any serious foothold and notched an unanswered 3-3 at this stage. Points from Nathan Corcoran and Ros Elliffe pushed them 12 clear.

Philip Gilsenan hit back with a fine St Paul’s point after John Fitzpatrick and Ryan Flynn combined in the build-up. However, Ben McDonnell beat his marker and fired over for the Streamstown side; full-back Mikey Lynam fisted another point. Then a free off the turf by Ben McDonnell added to the lead, before Elliffe finished low to the net after Corcoran and Jordan McDonnell combined. Jamie McDonnell netted after Alan Farrell’s shot came off the crossbar; Elliffe got a second goal in nonchalant fashion after 51 minutes, after Ben McDonnell and Aaron McDonnell got involved.

Cunneen shot over before Corcoran and Ben McDonnell (free) sealed a resounding victory for St Joseph’s.

St Paul’s face a big challenge to recover from this crushing defeat, but manager Kenny Higgins will realise his team is capable of putting up a better return on the scoring front in upcoming games. That’s what the game is all about these days.

Scorers - St Joseph’s: R Elliffe 2-1, B McDonnell 0-4 (2f), N Corcoran 0-4, A McDonnell, N Moran and Jamie McDonnell 1-0 each, Jordan McDonnell 0-2, M Lynam 0-1.

St Paul’s: T Flynn (free), P Gilsenan and E Cunneen 0-1 each.

St Joseph’s: Seán Elliffe; Pearse Weir Norris, Mikey Lynam, Brian Fitzgerald; Frankie Day, Daniel Keegan, Jake Gannon; Ros Elliffe, Noah McDonnell; Aaron McDonnell, Dylan McDonnell, Ben McDonnell; Nathan Corcoran, Jordan McDonnell, Niall Moran. Subs: Jamie McDonnell and Alan Conlon for Moran and D McDonnell (45), Denis Leen for Day (50), Brian Killian for Fitzgerald (51), Kyle McCormack for Elliffe (54).

St Paul’s: Ollie Mulvaney; Sean Henry, Jamie Fitzsimons, Conor Buckley; Callum Briody, John Fitzpatrick, Oisin Kiernan; Conor Shaw, Conor Rice; Emmett Cunneen, David Whelehan, Ryan Flynn; Nicholas Duffy, Philip Gilsenan, Thomas Flynn. Subs: Robert Dugdale for Rice (38), Setanta Gavigan for Briody (45), Seamus Reilly and Conall Shaw for R Flynn and Duffy (54).

Referee: Eoin Jordan (Athlone).