The Coláiste Mhuire, Mullingar team which lost out, 2-9 to 1-8, against St Pat's, Navan, in the North Leinster 'A' Junior Football Championship semi-final.

Murtagh goal fails to rescue Coláiste Mhuire

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Damien Maher

St Pat’s, Navan 2-9

Coláiste Mhuire 1-8

Mullingar’s Coláiste Mhuire suffered a four-point defeat in the North Leinster Junior Football ‘A’ Semi-Final, at Dunganny, Meath this afternoon, losing to St Pat’s, Navan, in a thrilling encounter.

A glorious goal chance in the 52nd minute that saw the ball blocked three times on the goal line by the St Pat’s defence proved crucial. Oisín O’Hara, Gavin Pearce and Matty Thornton were all denied in a seminal moment and two minutes’ later, St Pat’s broke through for a vital goal at the opposite end when the impressive Ben Corkery netted.

It was a semi-final of high intensity and there were some gripping exchanges as Coláiste Mhuire produced a superb second half to wipe out a five-point deficit at the break (0-2 to 0-7). Ryan Kelly, Daire Smith, Matty Thornton (two), Kelly (a superbly struck ‘45’) and Gavin Pearce were all on target in a gritty fight back against a formidable opponent.

All seemed lost after Corkery’s goal as St Pat’s went four points clear once more, but Jack Murtagh surged forward to find the net in added time, leaving the game in the melting pot again (1-9 to 1-8).

In agonising circumstances, a Coláiste Mhuire counter attack broke down and St Pat’s carved open the Mullingar defence for their second goal deep in injury-time - Billy Smyth the scorer.

A gripping match ended in a four-point victory for the St Pat’s side, who progressed to the North Leinster final of the ‘A’ competition where they will meet Scoil Mhuire, Clane.

Coláiste Mhuire: Callum Butler Dolan; Ruarí Doonan, Gary Branigan, Conor Daly; Michael Maloney, Jack Murtagh (1-0), Cohnor Leech; Christór Ormsby (0-1), Eoin Conlon; Oisín O’Hara, Ryan Kelly (0-2; 1 ‘45’), Conor Heffernan; Matty Thornton (0-2), Gavin Pearce (0-2), John Casey. Subs used: Daire Smith (0-1), Peadar Glennon.

St Pat's, Navan: Jamie Norris; Cormac Liggan, Oisín O'Neill, Tadhg Murray; Oran Meade, Seán Betson, John Gormley; Cian Commons, David Donnelly; Billy Smyth (1-4; 0-2f), Ben Corkery (1-1), Colin Scanlon; Andrew Gormley (0-1), Jack McDonnell, Tiarnán Black (0-2). Subs used: Ivo Fitzherbert, James Donnelly, Cormac Nugent (0-1).

Ref: Brian O'Connor (Dublin).

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