Enniscrone/Kilglass 2-12 St Patrick’s 0-13

Enniscrone/Kilglass booked their place in the quarter-finals of the Kennedy’s Intermediate Championship with a five-point win over St Patrick’s at Castleconnor last Saturday evening.

In horrendous weather conditions, the winners controlled this encounter for most of the hour, but St Patrick’s started and finished the game strongly. Nonetheless, two goals from Enniscrone/Kilglass full forward John Paul Carden proved decisive as the seasiders secured their second successive win.

The Skreen/Dromard outfit started impressively and established a 0-4 to 0-2 lead early on with Pierce Kearins, Conal Kearins and Donal Brady finding range. Enniscrone/Kilglass were struggling at this stage but began to find their feet to get back on level terms at 0-4 apiece with Shane Hargadon and Ciaran O’Dowd on target.

The game turned after 23 minutes when John Paul Carden powered his way through to get his first goal of the evening with a soccer finish past St Patrick’s netminder Jamie Lacken.

This helped Enniscrone/Kilglass to a four-point lead at the break, 1-6 to 0-5.

After half-time, the winners began to open up significant daylight between the teams. Though St Patrick’s hit the first point of the second half, Enniscrone/Kilglass took control thereafter with Carden’s second goal after 40 minutes leaving them six points ahead, 2-6 to 0-6. They added three points on the trot through Shane Hargadon, Donal Mullaney and Michael Moyles to lead 2-9 to 0-6 heading into the final quarter.

To their credit, St Patrick’s battled hard in the closing stages to close the gap with Donal Brady and Dean Mahon among the scorers, but Enniscrone/Kilglass were too far ahead and ended as five-point winners.

St Patrick’s play Castleconnor in the final group three game next weekend with the winner joining Enniscrone/Kilglass in the quarter-finals.

Enniscrone/Kilglass: G Regan; E Bourke, B Byron, J Ellis; K Cawley (0-1), B Coleman, T Mahon; D Mullaney (0-1), C O’Dowd (0-2); C Tuffy, B Fitzgerald, R Jacob (0-1); C Mulrooney, JP Carden (2-0), S Hargadon (0-5, 3fs). Subs used: M Moyles (0-1), A Duffy, M Caffrey (0-1), M Connolly

St Patrick’s: J Lacken; O Keavany, P Keavany, D Giblin; T McMunn, D Mahon (0-1), J McMunn; J Kearins, J Clarke (0-1); C Kearins (0-1), B Martin (0-2), D Brady (0-2), C Lacken (0-1), P Kearins (0-5, 3fs), J Egan. Subs used: C Giblin, E Clarke

Referee: Gus Chapman