Patrick's hold on

Louth SFC Final/St Patrick's 0-7 Colley Kickhams 0-6: St Patrick's retained the Louth senior football title they won for the…

Louth SFC Final/St Patrick's 0-7 Colley Kickhams 0-6: St Patrick's retained the Louth senior football title they won for the first time last year when they held off peninsula neighbours Cooley Kickhams in a tense final in Páirc Clan na Gael, Dundalk.

A strong breeze and a keen rivalry made for a tension-filled occasion but St Patrick's deserved their success.

That was despite only scoring one point in the second half after they led by 0-6 to 0-2 at half-time.

The first point of the second half didn't come for 14 minutes, but Ray Finnegan's score stretched the St Patrick's lead to five points - 0-7 to 0-2.

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Despite rallying, favourites Kickhams, managed by Irish International Rules manager Pete McGrath, left their best form behind as St Patrick's defence dominated.

ST PATRICK'S: S Connor; D White, C Goss, O Zamboglou; J Holland, P Mallon, D Finnegan; P Keenan (0-1), J Holland; E Carroll (0-2, two frees), K White (0-2), R Finnegan (0-1); D Kirwan, S Hynes (0-1), J Keenan. Subs: P Devane for Kirwan (39 mins), D O'Connor for D White (54 mins), D Kirwan for J Keenan (60 mins), D Connor for Hynes (64 mins).

COOLEY KICKHAMS: S Quigley; J Clerkin, C McGuinness, J Malone; G Long, A Page, A Kane; S O'Neill (0-1), N Gallagher; B O'Neill (0-1), G Curran, J Kane; S McDonald, R Kearney (0-1), B White (0-3, two frees, one sideline), G Craven. Subs: D Hughes for N Gallagher (28 mins), D White for B O'Neill (48 mins), M Thornton for McDonald (52 mins), E Page for G Craven (55 mins), D Thornton for J Kane (60 mins).

Referee: G McKenny (St Mary's).